Nothing beats working from home when you have a setup that inspires you to take your productivity to the next level. Whether your work involves something highly logical or something that requires a great deal of creativity, picking the right home office equipment while you’re setting up a home office for remote work will help you tick items off your to-do list the most efficient way possible.
If you’re wondering how to set up a home office that allows you to balance comfort and results, you’ve come to the right place. Here are five tried-and-tested tips that cover the best work from home office setup ideas you can apply to your own work corner.
Tip #1: Decide between a full office setup and an ergonomic piece or two
It’s easy to get excited at the thought of converting a portion of your home into a cool home office setup. Just imagine – unlike those generic workspaces in an office building, you actually get the chance to give this your own personality.
But do you really need all the bells and whistles you imagine for your at home office setup?
There are so many instances where an overthought work at home office setup ends up being counterproductive and overly expensive. That’s where a few ergonomic office products come in.
How about picking out an ergonomic chair before anything else? Sometimes, a single piece like this makes all the difference when you set up a home office.
Think about how much equipment you’re bringing in as well. Does the work you do require you to have a dual monitor home office setup? Or are you content with just a simple laptop home office setup?
It’s good to stick to the basics for now and tweak a few things as you go along, instead of diving straight into an overwhelming redo of an entire area in your home.
Tip #2: Start your ideal ergonomic home office setup with the perfect chair.
Speaking of starting with a few ergonomic pieces, there’s nothing more powerful than an ergonomic chair in your working from home office.
Count the number of hours that you spend sitting down when you’re at work. Those are the same number of hours that you’re subjecting your body to stress not just because of the workload but also because of your posture – something that is impacted by the chair you sit on.
Your choice of chair also dictates the level of productivity you’ll have day in, day out. A lot of office chairs cause discomfort and strain on your back, neck, hips and other parts of your body, leaving you overly tired even if all you did was sit all day.
This is why an ergonomic chair should be on top of your list of home office ideas.
The best ergonomic chair provides amazing lumbar support, helping you avoid the usual lower back pain you get after a long busy day. It also supports the cervical and thoracic sections of your spine, allowing you to enjoy the ideal posture that the body needs. Even the headrest creates the perfect curve that allows your neck to ease into the ideal position.
Ergonomic chairs are usually customizable based on your body’s unique form, giving you the level of comfort that helps you stay on top of your game. Plus, a great chair can improve blood flow, keeping you mentally alert throughout the day.
Tip #3: Switch between sitting and standing for an ideal home office setup.
Despite having the perfect ergonomic chair, that doesn’t mean you can spend 8 hours or more just sitting down. In fact, research continues to show that sitting for long periods of time can have an impact on one’s health and mortality (yes, even if you’re an active person who works out all the time).
Standing up after being on your chair for a while will always give you a burst of fresh energy, perfect especially when you feel the brain fog setting in – something that frequently happens when you remain comfortably seated for a long time.
Your wrist will also thank you the moment you shift to a standing position. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a frequent complaint among people who work on their desk on the daily, typing away. Typing while standing allows your wrists to relax as your elbows take the ideal 90- to 100-degree position.
Experts say that one should take movement breaks every 30 minutes, just to keep the blood flowing at optimal levels.
Does this mean you need to stop working every 30 minutes? Not necessarily.
When setting up a home office, think about getting a standing desk that will allow you to sit and stand as needed – without the expected disruption to your workflow. Hinomi’s smart standing desk is even voice-controlled, allowing you to adjust the height of your desk on command! It’s the best example of what efficiency looks like.
Pair that desk up with your chosen ergonomic chair, and you’re all set to slay those deadlines.
Tip #4: Accessories bring your home office desk setup ideas to a whole new level.
The best home office setups may seem to revolve around the desk and chair, but it’s the accessories you add that brings it all together. These accessories allow you to further customize your work-from-home experience and create some comforts that will help you accomplish more.
If you have a home office computer setup, for example, the Hinomi monitor arm is just the thing that will help you further lessen the strain on your neck and eyes.
Just try working for a few minutes with your monitor at perfect eye level and you’ll realize what you’ve been missing out on. Regardless if you’re sitting or standing, this home office monitor setup gives you the perfect view of what you’re working on. You can even get a pair if you prefer a dual monitor home office setup.
Consider adding a cable management tray, too! Clutter will always be a distraction and could dampen your overall working mood, especially on those critical days when you have a ton of deadlines and meetings on your calendar. Start clearing the clutter by tucking those cables nicely into the tray, leaving enough space for more important things around you.
Add a few personal touches to your desk if you want. Remember that this is a space you call your own, not a nook that the corporate office randomly set up for you. It could be a small potted plant or a picture of the people you’re striving to work hard for. As long as it keeps you smiling while working, don’t hesitate to add that trinket to your space.
Tip #5: Download our home office setup checklist for the ultimate home office setup.
Feeling overwhelmed about how to set everything up? Make the process of completing your working from home office more efficient by downloading our checklist!
Expect this checklist to contain tried-and-tested must-haves that will help you do more and perform better while enjoying the comforts of home. This list has been curated for every type of professional, regardless of the industry you’re working in.
Final words
Setting up a home office paves the way to the level of efficiency you’ve been looking for. It may seem trivial for some, but the moment you set up home office pieces that suit your working style and personality, you’ll realize what a huge impact it has on your overall success.