Home Working in 2022 The Key to Better Productivity |
Posted: July 20, 2022 |
Working from home is likely to prove anything but a passing fad. Both for employees and employers alike, the benefits of home working (or part-time hybrid working) can be huge. Some businesses are calling their workers back to the office en masse, but many have made clear their intentions to stick with things as they are. Meanwhile, more home workers than ever before are starting to take the home office life seriously. Where working from a low-end laptop on the breakfast bar was once the norm, people are investing more heavily in productivity spaces than ever before. Above and beyond the traditional home office, a garden office can be beneficial in many ways. It helps maintain the ideal work-life balance, it provides complete separation from the home for improved productivity, and it allows workers to set up their own dream workspaces from scratch. Not to mention, the health and wellbeing benefits that come with a beautiful outdoor backdrop. Even so, a few basic tips and pointers from the pros can go a long way, for those who are still getting used to the home-working lifestyle. Whether you are setting up an outdoor office or working indoors, here’s how to get the most out of the time you spend working from home: 1. Make Space First up, it is of paramount importance to have an appropriate amount of space dedicated to productivity. Not a dining table that doubles up as a desk, or a corner of the living room used later in the days for kids’ arts and crafts. Studies have shown how it is simply impossible to work with full effectiveness or efficiency in a place that is not dedicated to the practice or profession in question. It’s all about setting the right scene for productivity, while ensuring you have sufficient space to get the job done in a reasonable amount of comfort. If making this happen indoors isn’t an option, an outdoor garden office could be just the thing. 2. Invest In Quality Equipment Far too many homeworkers sell themselves (and their activities) short by ‘making do’ with the bare minimum. Any old chair and desk they can find, a computer that hasn’t worked properly since 2009 – the staples you’ll find in many home offices across the country. If there has ever been a good excuse to treat yourself to some new gear, this is definitely it. Again, it is a proven fact that you cannot and will not work at your best, if you don’t treat yourself to the best equipment. Furniture, in particular, is essential, as the last thing you want is to suffer a work-related injury or illness at home. Ergonomics must be prioritised, and the equipment you use must be fit for purpose. 3. Decorations and Finishing Touches Creating a comfortable and inspiring productivity space is about more than equipment and ergonomics. It’s also about those often overlooked finishing touches – the simple decorative accents that can make all the difference. Think about what inspires you, and then surround yourself with plenty of it. The same also applies to electronics and entertainment – anything that makes it a more pleasant place to do business. In all instances, workspaces always benefit from plenty of green plants distributed about the place. It’s also important to select motivating and energising colours for your home office, which typically means avoiding anything too dark and moody. Still, what works for you is entirely up to you to figure out. 4. Natural Light and Fresh Air The more natural light you can drench your workspace in, the better. There is simply nothing healthy or more productive than natural light – one of the unique benefits of an outdoor garden office. But when an abundance of natural light is unavailable, lighting sources that recreate the effect of natural light for the next best thing. You also need to think carefully about ventilation, bringing as much fresh air as possible into your home office. A piece of cake in an outdoor office space, but not always simple indoors. Either way, taking regular breaks for a breath of fresh air outdoors is an absolute must when working from home. 5. Prioritise Your Health and Safety Health and safety considerations have a habit of flying out the window when working from home. All of a sudden, strict rules on ergonomics, safe lighting and general appropriate workplace conduct no longer apply. Or so it seems, until you put yourself in harm’s way. When working from home, it is important to be mindful of all the health and safety rules that are applied in the office. Electrical safety rules, fire safety rules, posture and ergonomics guidelines – anything that was set out to safeguard the workforce. If it applied in the office, it almost certainly applies at home. And again, the importance of taking regular breaks (irrespective of how busy you are) cannot be overemphasised. 6. Establish Ground Rules and Boundaries Last up, working from home efficiently is only possible when all members of the household play their part. It is essential to draw clear separations between your personal life and your professional life. When you are at work, you are at work as you would be in a remote office. You therefore must not be disturbed or interrupted, and your private work space must be yours and yours alone. This can be difficult to achieve with a traditional indoor office, but is much easier with an outdoor office pod. Something about placing physical distance between the home and where you work makes all the difference. Even if the distance is only a few metres, it is remarkable how much easier it becomes to maintain the perfect work-life balance. For more information on any of the above or to discuss the benefits of garden offices in more detail, contact a member of the team at Riverside Garden Rooms today.
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