Setting up a home office: These things should not be missing
hard factors
Setting up a workplace in your own home involves more than just sufficient light and a quiet atmosphere. Because it also needs the right materials to work effectively. People are often not even aware of how much they need at home when they start working from home for the first time.
This includes paper, pens, markers, drawing materials, hole punches, staplers – all the things that are otherwise provided by the company. Sometimes there is the possibility of obtaining these from the employer anyway. It is important to organize them somehow so that the hole punch is not missing in the middle of the concentration phase.
Other items that may become useful:
- Binder
- bookshelf
- radio
- Wifi booster
- High quality office chair
Also indispensable for many people: their own printer. Which printer is the best for the home office naturally depends on the requirements. The choice is large (inkjet printers, color laser printers, LED printers) and some time should be invested in the search. Experience reports, such as the color laser printer test from tonerdumping.de, often help.
soft factors
For an ideal home office environment, you first need a designated workplace. Ideally, this is a study. However, a room is not always available just for working. Then the desk you work on should still be separated from the rest of the room or apartment in some way. This increases concentration and strengthens the distinction between working hours and free time. Partition walls, curtains or a cleverly placed closet can help.
Other things to consider:
- No pollutants in the walls
- Regular cleaning of the room and especially the work equipment
- Create pleasant smells
- Ventilate regularly
Another important point: the right light. Workplaces that are too bright or too dark can cause severe damage to the eyes and thus to the eyesight. Since this happens over months and years, many people underestimate this danger and only notice the problems when it is already too late.
Two other factors to be controlled are: volume and temperature in the workplace. After all, if you constantly have to put on or take off clothes, open or close windows and take a hot or cold shower after a few hours of work, that doesn’t make life any easier. An indoor/outdoor thermometer can help. A quiet time can be set up in the house to regulate the volume, headphones can help or even insulation can be installed in the study. If the study is to be used permanently, it can be a sensible investment.
human factors
The workplace has been chosen and optimized, all important materials and devices are waiting to be used. But something is still wrong. This can happen if it is underestimated that everyone has different needs – even in the home office there is a person with problems and wishes.
The great thing about the home office is that you have full control here. This means, for example, that everyone can choose their perfect workwear themselves. If you need a suit to feel like working, you can work in a suit. Is that too formal? Then sweatpants might be better. It is important to make a distinction between everyday clothing and work clothing. There is a lot to be said for having an extra set of loose work clothes for the home office.
In addition, food needs to be considered. Snacks and drinks should be within reach. Otherwise, sooner or later you will be tempted to make a detour to the kitchen, losing valuable time and concentration. The same applies to the decoration of the workplace: if you are easily distracted, you should think minimalistic and not have too many odds and ends on the table and on the walls.