5 IDEAS: 5 ways to work from home without a home office.
Working from home can be a challenge, it’s a totally different dynamic than what we are used to at the office, and for a lot of us, the luxury of a home office, just does not exist. Maybe that is actually a good thing, working from home allows us to work in a whole new way, here are 5 tips on how to make the new normal work for you, even if you do not have a home office.
1. Dining Room
This is the perfect space to set up as your main work area. The table is large, usually the lighting is good, and it’s close to the kitchen for tea, coffee and snacks.
I also like the idea that when work is done I need to completely clear the deck. It creates the perfect mental stopping point and forces me to switch from work to family mode, that's good for everyone.
2. Garden
An office can be restrictive, and we have always just assumed that that is the way it should be. Now I am finding myself sitting in a shady spot in my garden working. The fresh air and change of scenery really makes me feel creative, and gives my writing a fresh relaxed feel.
3. Do not use your Bedroom
The new paradigm of using your home as your work base, means that you need to create some boundaries. Your sleep area needs to be treated with reverence and not become an area where you are constantly reminded of work. It should be a refuge.
4. Create a designated Video Call space
Video calls are now the new standard, so put some time and effort into creating a spot in your home that you can go to and use without a lot of pre meeting organizing.
Find somewhere with good lighting, either natural or artificial, a simple, tidy background but with a few things that give other viewers an insight into you, perhaps some personal photos, a plant or some art that interjects a pop of color.
Having access to a small table, electricity and in a spot in your home with great wifi will all serve you well and allow you to relax on the call and be your best self.
5. Create an organized storage area, but keep it to a minimum.
A paperless office is a dream for many of us, but not a reality for most, so create an area in your house where you can safely store any paperwork that you may need to refer back to. It should be behind doors or in a drawer to maintain both security and the ability for you to step away and go back into family mode.
Even as our lives go back to normal, I think that some of the things we have recently seen will stay with us and I hope one of those things will be, at least for some of the time, the ability to work from home. It started as a challenge but I think for a lot of us it has given us an opportunity to rethink the way we work and dare I say, humanize the way we work.
If you are having trouble imagining how your home might work for you and your work pattern, give us a call and let us create some creative solutions to your workflow dilemmas.