I don’t know about you, but the thought of a new office and all the gadgets, stationary and colour schemes can really brighten up my day.
If money was no object, I wonder how many of us business mums would still choose to work from the kitchen table or work from under the duvet, or from a traditional style office. Whatever your situation, there are some essentials to setting up your home office.
Starting out
If you work from home, you’re probably going to be spending as much time in your ‘office’ or working space as you do in the rest of the house. It can therefore be easy to treat your working space as a second-class accommodation, but you must give it the importance it deserves.
Try to avoid disruption by using functional equipment and storage that you can lock away without having to rearrange your working space each time you finish or start your working day. It won’t make you feel motivated to start your working day if you have to unpack everything you need for half an hour before you start.
Also, if you have children in the house, having no designated work space means your work can be in danger of sticky fingers. You might find that it becomes a bone of contention when they start touching or moving important work or tools – and you may well be using a functional space for the family (the dining table is a major culprit), which everyone needs to have access to at any given time. So, having a designated place to store away important files, equipment and other work-related items can keep the harmony at home.
Get functional
Contemporary brands often go to great lengths to make the workplace as swampy and non conformist as possible. The offices at Google has a Velourmptious snug, for example, which is basically a green velvet area that pays homage to the British pub. Employees can sprawl out and relax while thinking about the latest big idea for the brand. They’ve raised the bar and thought about what can help their employees become more productive.
Now that you’re the boss, you don’t have to stick with the traditional office setup. We love what Ultimate provide entrepreneurs in terms of their bespoke offices. You can design you home office to suit you and the needs of your business. If you’re ready for premises, your office will speak volumes to clients and customers alike, so it’s important to get the image right for the business and your budget.
Whatever your budget or taste, the main ingredient for a happy working office is to make it functional for your needs. Think about your long-term and immediate needs, so that your layout, equipment and stationary can sustain your growing business.
