Friday, January 13th, 2017
There are many advantages to working in a home office. This means that you don’t have to get into the rat race anymore, instead, you would be able to spend more time with your family and friends. If you’re looking to live a balanced life, then having your work moved to your home is the best decision to make.
Working at home also spells increased opportunity and less risk. It also offers tax advantages wherein you get to deduct your home’s depreciation and operating expenses from your business expenses. This could comprise a huge chunk of the insurance, mortgage, property tax or utility payments.
Having a home office could mean one of two things – less or more stress depending on how you balance your work time with your personal time.
Even with all these benefits, no home office is totally the same. Though it is generally carved out as a section of the bedroom or the living room, it is never the same no matter what part of the globe you go.
The Home Office Door
It would be nice to have a barrier from the noise and the activities that happen in your home. Even when you’re working at home, this does not mean that you should lose concentration just because no apparent division is seen.
A home office door can be closed during the day when you are busy doing your work and while the rest of your family members are also up and about. During weekends and holidays, this door will have a different role and that is to keep you from sneaking in and sending one more email.
The Home Office Internet Access
This is a must-have. Businesses and just about any type of work these days are all about emails, large file exchanges and such. WiFi, therefore, allows you to work faster. It could even give you the freedom to work in your garden, by the poolside or on the back porch.
Just like internet access, of course, it is essential that you have a laptop in your home office. Laptop, unlike desktop computers, is mobile. Laptop allows you to be more flexible. It can give you the freedom to work elsewhere when you’re in a creative rut.
The Home Office Window
This would be nice to have so you can have a little inspiration when you’re starting to feel a bit bored. Looking into the outside world and feeling your connection there makes for a wonderful source of inspiration.
If rainy days make you feel blue, though, just close the drapes and go on with your pending work.
The Comfy Home Office Chair
This is a must have especially since you will spend most of your time in front of a computer. The more comfortable you feel when seated on this chair, the better.
This lovely chair must also be paired with a desk that’s at a comfortable height. This duo is the most important furniture pair in your home office.
Home Office Ergonomic Computer Accessories
Highly recommended are keyboard tray, wrist or palm rests, and glare guard. These are a nice addition to the right office desk and chair.
Other Essentials
Here are other home office necessities –
Now let’s discuss the last one a bit more. A vision board is a tool of empowerment. When you visualize, a lot of experts agree, you are actually emitting a potent frequency to the universe. This vision board, whether it is made of cork or whiteboard should be a representation of who you want to become and what other things you want to achieve in your life and career.
Place this board above your desk or wherever you can glance at it many times during your work hours.
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Friday, October 21st, 2016
One of the biggest problems that remote workers say about working in a home office is being less productive. If you happen to be working in one right now, what should you do to optimize productivity and not fall in the same dilemma as many others complain about?
Managers worry so much about work productivity but now that you’re your own boss, it’s your time to worry. With you, it becomes doubly difficult to be more productive because chores beckon and the kitchen always offers the aroma of your spouse’s home-cooked meals. These are distractions that you need to fight against – and fast.
So, if you want to have more work hours added to your current work routine, here’s what you should do –
Structure Your Work Day
Productivity is a huge concern for you now so you need to look on how you structure your time for work. If you have to use certain tools that will make your work routine more productive, then do so.
Syncing your work with your tablet and smart phone would do you good. Doing so will help you make good use of your time.
Stylize Your Home Office
A wonderful way to create a place that would make you want to go to work is to stylize it. Don’t worry too much about rules and stuff that tell you which to put and which not to put inside your cubicle. Giving your home office a little character should prod you to go to work, hence, you spend more time in the office, and you end up being more productive.
Be sure to focus on the benefits of working from home. Decorate to inspire productivity. Remember, while decorating, that you will conduct business in that cubicle. Also, you would not want to hang any distracting photos or posters right on the area where you will hold your video conferences.
Design your home office smartly. Use wall art but make sure that they are there to be seen by prospective clients and not as distraction.
Pick a Practical Desk Size
Remember that the desk has to suit the job that you are going to do in your home office. If you believe that you are going to be doing a lot of paperwork, then you definitely need a larger desk. A big desk, though, invites distractions in many forms but it can also offer additional surface area for your picture frames. Your family photos should motivate you to become more productive.
Be sure to buy a basic desk that meets the ergonomic standards. An ergonomically-designed chair will help prevent injuries, making your back feel optimal all the time.
The right desk can also offer more storage solutions for that extra stack of papers.
Safety Is Key
Remember that you will be using a lot of electronic devices in your home office so it would be best to fuse safety with the décor. A lot of home offices are cozy spaces with a lot of cords that are exposed. These are tripping hazards that you need to get rid of. You can place these cords right behind the office cabinets or have them wrapped then attached to the legs of the desk or table.
Never, ever hide cables underneath an area rug or the carpeting. This is a fire hazard especially when the cords are already damaged or frayed.
Use Correct Lighting
Inspiring productivity in your office means you have to install proper lighting. Most people who work in home offices tend to spend more time working so it would be best to have correct lighting installed from the onset.
Your lighting needs should meet your comfort as well as productivity requirements. Use natural light as much as possible.
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Wednesday, August 17th, 2016
For many small businesses, a conference room offers multiple uses. This can be a formal setting for those board meetings and client presentations. This could also be the same room where brainstorming sessions are held as well as strategic planning is drafted.
A conference room may also be used during social functions such as an employee’s birthday party and other celebratory events. This is also increasingly becoming the leading site for video conferences which link companies with their partners and customers, even their own employees.
Design Basics
Determining the actual size, furnishings and lighting for a conference room depends hugely on the number of people that would use it. Designing a space for 32 people requires bout 32 by 14 feet.
If you know the feeling of being cramped in a meeting room in the past, then you know how badly you wanted the meeting to end. That claustrophobic feeling should be eliminated if you ever want people to feel at ease inside the conference room.
There could be moments when it is more beneficial to break up the group into smaller packs during a meeting. Remember not to cramp too many chairs all around the table so that the attendees would be elbow to elbow. Comfort should still be a priority. Chairs, in particular, should be cushioned and upholstered with nothing but quality materials.
People who come from outside your company would eventually attend conferences. Some could be invited electronically to attend videoconferencing. Whichever of these events would push through first, always think about the image that your company would convey. A petite yet trendy company should embrace a more modern method. Make use of bolder colors; this is also true for bigger firms. For smaller conference rooms, make use of traditional tables and chairs as these are the more popular choice.
Table Options
Choices for the conference room table include the basic boardroom table. This is that oval or rectangular table. Chairs should be placed all around this piece of furniture.
Table variations include the V and U-shaped varieties. There are also companies that prefer the classroom type of conference room where the podium sit in front. This is the common setup for business conferences in hotels.
Added Features
An amenity that could be included in a conference room is a buffet table and some cabinets. These are needful in serving food and beverages. A small fridge can also be placed right by the corner so that the refreshments are readily available.
Technology Hub
If you were ever assigned to give an important presentation, then you know how important technology is. Modules that do not show up on the overhead screen or a video conference call that doesn’t work is the last thing that you need to happen during an important correspondence with a client.
It is needful, therefore, to have technology integrated into the conference room. Building credibility means being on top of technical matters as well. The great news is that there are now technology elements such as the one-touch panel control that can be used just as easily as you would a TV remote.
Conference Room Furnishings
Essential furniture for this room includes conference chairs and table. The chairs should be comfortable so that the attendees will feel relaxed. Make sure these are aesthetically and ergonomically designed. The seat must be padded and preferably installed with an adjustable support system.
The conference table, on the other hand, should have a design and shape according to your taste. Designer tables are available and are now known to withstand electronic gadgets and other office stuff. There are also conference tables that come with drawers where laptops and other office essentials can be stored.
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Tuesday, January 12th, 2016
Designing your first home office can be kind of tricky. Primarily, you need to establish how the office would look and feel. If you decide to go for a homey atmosphere, chances are, you may not be able to concentrate with your work. There are simply a lot of things in your home that can take your attention away from your work.
If, however, you pick the professional style, then why place the office inside your home in the first place? One of the blessings of setting up a home office is that you have the freedom to use a style according to your preference. With this in mind, just make sure that you can separate this space from the rest of your home.
Awesome Home Office Setup Tips
The first guideline – because it is the most evident – is to never blend work and the pleasurable things that you do at home. Even if you think that you are the most focused person in your previous workplace, this will not amount to anything if you do not separate your home office from all the other rooms in your home. The two are bound to fuse so break them up from the onset.
Next, be sure to examine your home office now and then. Clear away game consoles, TV, and other possible sources of distractions. While you may have separated your home office from the other rooms, keeping these gadgets near your work area can still cause major distraction.
Respect and maintain the boundaries that have been set. Keep the workplace distinct from all the rooms. Doing so will have a psychological effect on how you work.
‘See that magnificent Brookhaven Desk Chair from Hooker Furniture above? The next guideline pertains to this very thing. You have to invest in a seating support that does not just look good in your home office but would also support your back as you work those long hours.
The American Academy of Family Physicians has reported that approximately 90% of adults feel back pain at one point in their lives. This means that you should pay attention to the style and sturdiness of the chair that you are about to purchase.
One of the things that are neglected in setting up home offices is lighting. Too bright or too dim just won’t work. If you want to get ample lighting, then allow your desk to be situated near a window where sunlight could come in.
If you ever felt lethargic during the winter months, then you are not alone. Research proves that people do tend to feel this way during the holidays due to lack of sunlight exposure. Boost your mood and stabilize your sleep patterns by allowing more natural light to enter your home office. If you work during the night, then be sure to get artificial lighting for your workspace.
If you are not sure about the intensity or tone that is suitable to your home office, then experiment on these. Consider the factors such as the total amount of space and number of lighting fixtures, used when making your final decision.
Apart from having updated technology for your workspace, you must also make sure that you simplify processes. So how do you go about with this?
Organize your home office often as this will increase your work efficiency. Clutter can cause distraction so invest in storage units such as a stylish office cabinet. Do not settle for those traditional metal types straight away. Try laying your eyes on a wooden cabinet or shelf that may also serve as a piece that will balance the statement piece (your office desk).
Practice minimalism in your home office and you’d never go wrong.
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