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Having a home office is a great thing under the condition that you create the best possible conditions to be as effective as possible. Not only could your home office be a place of functionality but also of creativity and ecological awareness. Here’s how to reach these goals.
Comfortable seating
Like it or not, you’ll be spending a lot of time in your office, so it’s essential you have a comfortable chair. Invest in an ergonomic chair with customizable options that allow you to choose between different positions and provide you with lumbar support. Nobody is effective at their job completely if they feel discomfort or back pain – you’ll work better if you feel good and comfy.
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Appropriate lighting
As you will work for a couple of hours every day in your office, you need to make sure your eyes won’t get too much strain due to poor lighting. Just to remind you, there are three types of lighting and you should have at least one source of the lighting of each type in your office. They are the following:
- Ambiance lighting – they are used to give light to the whole room and they are usually overhead lights
- Accent lighting – lighting fixture used to shed light on a certain item like a piece of art or a bookcase
- Task lighting – a fixture used for a specific purpose, for example, a desk lamp
Each of these types is useful for a specific purpose and bear in mind that it’s better to have too many lighting fixtures in your office than not enough.
Good organization
Before you start buying office furniture and storage items, think seriously about what type of organization your line of work needs you to have. Is your work mostly based on tons of documents? In that case, you’ll need a lot of drawers and folders to keep it neat. Or maybe your working equipment is bulky and big, so you better invest in bigger boxes or storage units. Next, be honest with yourself about your organizational abilities. If you are a person who’s able to have neat open shelves, then go for it - invest in some quality office furniture in Melbourne (if you live nearby, at least). On the other hand, if you quickly make a mess on your working surfaces, then it would be better if you bought closed storage items, hidden from sight.
Right furnishing and floor
Besides having a good ergonomic chair, your home office needs appropriate furniture to complete your style and suit your needs but that’s also “green”. In many European countries like Sweden or Germany, or in Australia for that matter, producing office furniture also includes being environmentally friendly. As an example, if there’s, it probably means it’s sustainable and locally made, which could also mean it’s finished with non-toxic chemicals. This is the type of furniture you should be looking for.
Another important furnishing item is the floor – instead of using the carpet, which will make you waste more energy and time to keep it clean, better opt for wood or natural tile. If you really want a rug, then buy one made of natural material like bamboo or hemp.
Going green
The simplest rule to remember here is: reduce, reuse, and recycle. Reduce to printing only important documents and, whenever possible, print it on both sides of the paper. The one-side printed paper that you don’t need anymore can be used as notepaper. Of course, keep a recycling bin next to your desk. When buying equipment, go for the one with an Energy Star on it – it saves more energy than regular equipment. Also, each piece of your machinery should be put on power-saving mode.
Try to use natural light as much as possible. It both saves energy and is good for your eyes. Regarding the artificial lighting, use CFL bulbs where possible, as they last longer, use less energy, pollute the environment less than incandescent ones and give warm light.
Lastly, pay attention to the type of paint you use for your home office. Volatile organic compounds (VOC) are chemicals in paints that have a strong odor that can even cause migraines. More than that, they could have more serious negative effects on your health if you’re exposed to them in a closed space for a longer period of time. So, use low VOC paint for your office.
Final words
Creating a perfect home office takes time and a certain amount of miss-and-hits. Patience and a good plan are the keys to get there and to start enjoying your work in it.
Guest post by Chloe Smith
About the Author
Chloe Smith is a cycling enthusiast, business consultant, and a part-time writer always willing to share tidbits of advice. She believes that passion, courage and, above all, knowledge breed success.
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