When you work from home, there is a psychological effect that you need to be aware of.
This all comes down to the way you design your home office, but also where you place it. If you have your home office set up somewhere you spend a lot of time when you’re not working, such as your living room or your bedroom, you’re going to find that you’re always thinking about work when you’re not supposed to be working. Conversely, you’ll find that you’re always thinking about home-based non-work subjects when you’re working, such as the housework or what’s on the TV!
This psychological effect means that you need to give a lot of thought into where your home office is sited in your home.
Designing a home office is no easy feat. You might think you simply place an office desk somewhere and away you go, but there is a very big difference between a productive home office and just a home office. Of course you want to get the most done that you can and you want to do it all to a high standard. If you have your home office close to the TV in your living room, it’s not going to be a productive spot, that’s for sure!
Where Should You Place Your Home Office?
The golden question!
Basically, this depends upon how much space you have in your home and the layout you already have. If you have a spare room, that’s the ideal place to go. If you have a renovated attic, conservatory, or even a renovated garage space, these are also good choices for where your home office should be. However, not everyone has these spaces.
If that’s the case you need to look at the areas of your home you don’t spend that much time. The bedroom is not a good place. It’s best to strike that off your list from the start. If you have your home office in your bedroom, you’re going to find it hard to rest. What you need to do on your work to do list will easily start to infiltrate your mind whilst you’re attempting to get your night’s rest, and you’ll end up feeling tired when you eventually make it to your office chair the next day.
Your living room is also not the best place for your home office, however if you have no choice, you should choose a corner which faces away from the TV and sofa. Having your back to the area you spend a lot of your home time means that you won’t find the two areas of your life mingling together too much.
The dining room isn’t a bad spot if you have enough space. Again, try and face away from the living space as much as you can, but facing a wall all the time whilst you’re working might not be that inspiring. In that case, perhaps sit in front of a window if possible, but make sure that glare from the sun isn’t a problem whilst you’re working on the computer.
Finding the best spot for your home office means that you will be more productive during your working hours and you’re not going to notice a huge amount of merging of the two areas of your life. This is beneficial on both levels and will create a happier working environment for you too.