Keep your workspace at home separate and pay attention to details

Workspace in another room?

I’m always reading in articles about working from home that it’s essential to have a door you can close to keep your home office separate from the rest of the house, so you can work in peace and quiet, and then close it behind you and forget about work once the working day is over. That may be the ideal for many people, but the beauty about homeworking is that it can reflect your personality as much as you want it to, and we are all different.

The problem with working in the midst of the household is that you might have to keep clearing your work away at dinnertime or when you have visitors. To avoid this you could arrange the furniture to partition off your working corner, or use a screen so that you’re not staring at your desk all evening. Or you could invest in one of those wardrobe-like pieces of furniture that open out to reveal a desk and space for a computer and can be completely closed up when you finish work.

Is a house with a dedicated workspace more expensive?

Consider the impact your changes are likely to make on the value of your house and make sure you are adding value, not making an eccentric permanent change which suits you but will put off a future buyer. A well planned home office will be a positive factor to many buyers and may well add value. An estate agent will be able to advise you on the best changes to make to enhance the appeal and value of your house, so consult one before undertaking significant changes.

Heating and lighting

You need pleasant working conditions in your home office or the quality of your work will suffer. Bear in mind that you can get very cold sitting still at a computer for hours in winter, or very hot without any ventilation in the summer, so you need adequate, adjustable heating and a source of fresh air, ideally a window you can gaze out of when in need of inspiration.

A window also gives you natural light, which is the best and most relaxing on the eye. If you need artificial lighting, make sure it is even and doesn’t reflect off your computer screen.

Do I need new furniture?

Tempting as it is to go on a shopping spree when setting up your workspace, it’s not necessary to spend lots of money and anyway you might be on a strict budget if you’re setting up a business. It may be possible to use furniture you already have, but do balance that against the need to feel comfortable and have your back properly supported when you are working. It’s not a good idea to buy office furniture without trying it for size first. You’re going to be spending many hours using it and it has to feel comfortable.

A good compromise would be to buy secondhand office furniture from a dealer who buys up excess stock and cleans it up. That way you get properly designed pieces at a competitive price and you can feel you’re doing your bit for the environment. You can find outlets in Yellow Pages or the local paper.

The amount of furniture and equipment an employer provides you with will probably be in proportion to the number of hours you spend working from home.

Desk

Your desk should be big enough to allow you to write on an A4 pad and move documents around, as well as accommodate your screen, keyboard and speakers. A matt surface is less tiring on the eye.