Whether you’re a seasoned work from home professional or a newcomer to the remote work lifestyle, there are a few things to consider. Buying the right home office furniture is paramount. Reduce stress levels, increase productivity, and ensure strong mental health when purchasing the right home office furniture.
The best way to achieve these benefits while working from home is to provide yourself with a quiet place to focus and concentrate, and buying home office furniture online is an essential first step towards maximizing your productivity and potential while performing remote work.
Types of Home Office Furniture
Desks
When you begin planning your home office, there are a few essentials you will need first. The centerpiece of your home office is your desk. This is where you will perform the essential functions of your job and spend most of your time. Make sure that your desk has enough space for your computer, printer, and monitors. This will be the “sacred space” where all job functions are performed.
Cabinets
If you’re working in a home office, chances are you have important files and documents that need to be maintained, organized, and secured. Investing in cabinets that emphasize space and organization increases the speed and efficiency of your workflow. It allows you to focus on the important tasks at hand. Also, if you deal with legal, private, or otherwise non-public information, a locking file cabinet is likely a necessity for your job.
Proper Lighting
Lighting is often dismissed in an office environment, but studies show that lighting has a profound effect on mood and productivity. You don’t want to spend your time in a room with harsh fluorescent lighting. Warm, glowing lighting will entice you to spend more time in your office. A helpful tip in choosing home lighting is to add the length and width of the room together in feet, and then choose a light with a diameter of that many inches. For example, in a room that is 10 feet by 20 feet, you’ll want a light that is approximately 30 inches in diameter.
Office Chairs
Anyone who works in an office knows that the right chair is critical to maintaining low-stress levels and ergonomics, which in turn boosts your job performance. A high-quality chair is worth the cost and will have many benefits for your health, comfort, and posture. Several things in life are always worth spending a little extra on, such as things that come between you and the ground – tires, shoes, and your mattress. Chairs fall firmly in this category, as buying home office furniture chairs will provide a calming and relaxing place to think through stressful situations.
Buying Home Office Furniture Accessories
Just because you’ll mostly be doing work in the room doesn’t mean you have to forgo a more personal and inviting touch. Choose whatever makes you happy here, maybe potted plants or flowers, a bonsai tree, or baseball memorabilia – whatever your particular cup of tea is. Area rugs and mirrors are a classic way to add comfort, warmth, or space to a room.
Home Office Feng Shui
A mistake many people make when creating a home office is not realizing that there needs to be a separation between the home and the office, and clear boundaries between your work life and your personal life. Many end up with a nice office but more stress because they have not considered feng shui, or the harmony and balance of items in their room and, more importantly, their life. Throwing a desk in a room does not necessarily constitute a home office, and often, people end up even more stressed when their work environment mixes with their home environment.
In other words, your home office needs to be a designated space, and the way you arrange this space will indicate to others that this is a professional environment that should not be disturbed. Going back to feng shui, you may consider professional and calm decor, as well as a minimal environment. Chances are, you have family members that may want to invade your space, but when they see this professional environment, they will think twice before entering or disturbing its peace.
Worth the Cost
A home office doesn’t have to be overly expensive, but it is definitely worth the cost to consider key items like a comfortable chair, a sturdy desk, calm lighting, minimalistic organizational pieces, and finally, professional accessories. Luckily, there are endless options today for office furniture, many of them online. The point is, an investment in a home office is an investment in your career, and your home office is certainly a reflection of your future success.
