Setting Up for Success
Over the past several years we have drastically changed the way we work. We transitioned from going to the office every day, to working remotely to a combination of the two. Throughout this time, we adjusted our homes to accommodate our workday needs. Most of these changes were made on the fly and many of us still use our hastily created home office setups. These set ups are functional but many of them have drawbacks that reduce productivity or hamper comfort. Now that we have permanent work routines established, we need to go back and set ourselves up for success.
Work Surface Options
The most common tool used for remote access work is not a computer like most people would think. It is your work surface or desking solution. When the pandemic hit people used dining room tables, folding tables, or even small tv treys to create a small area. We use our work surface to hold our computers, to write our notes, and to even put our coffee on. Without them we wouldn’t know where to put things or have a basic area to work from. Although a dining room or kitchen table does do the job, if you are still using it now is the time to think about an upgrade. Eating surfaces should be independent from work areas. It creates a needed separation for our personal and professional lives. Additionally, we bought small desks or workstations out of need. Now that the economy has settled down more options are available, and an upgrade could solve some work routine headaches. There is no need to rush this process now. We may have a functional workspace; they are just not optimal. Heading into the end of 2022 products are more readily available then they have been over the past few years and now is a great time to look around to see if an upgrade desk or workstation is available that suites your needs at a great price.
Chairs
The world of office chairs is complex and can be overwhelming. When we began working from home, we quickly realized how important an office chair is compared to a kitchen or dining room chair. Working all day in a chair without at least some ergonomic features is asking for back pain. Like with workstations, we quickly rushed to buy something that was available and inexpensive to prevent long term discomfort. An inexpensive office chair is an upgrade over what most people started with; it is also not a great longer-term solution. An inexpensive chair has a low cost for a reason and better choices exist. There are countless mid teer or high-end office chairs out there that provide a better support with a long lifespan. A quality chair is expensive, but it will last for years and when you spend at least 30-40 hours a week sitting in it the high cost pays for itself overtime. Additionally, upholstery matters. Most inexpensive chairs are upholstered with cheap fabrics or polyurethane materials. A high-grade fabric, leather, or vinyl provides comfort and better durability. High end chairs often are made to order and can take weeks to get, they are built to last, and could be a great holiday gift for a loved one or for yourself.
Organization
No one likes working or living in a messy space and not thinking about workplace organization is a mistake made by millions of people. We all forget things and misplace files and documents; the goal is to minimize doing so. A well-organized workspace is key to preventing errors. This can be done both digitally and with classic paper files. A well-organized computer desktop with destination file folders that are sorted makes everyone lives easier. We can find files when needed and we can have other people log on to our workstations to retrieve things if we are not there. A messy desktop full of disorganized icons can cause headaches and waste time. It can sometimes feel like we spend half a day looking for the same files repeatedly. Maintaining an organized digital workspace is all about discipline. The same can be said about paper files. Spending the time to label folders and organize them can help save time in the long run. It helps to keep our work areas clean and allows us to stay focused throughout the day. If this is a struggle for you consider paper organization systems. Sometimes simple trays or file holders can make all the difference.
Many of us still work remotely part time and we need to realize that the world has changed. We will spend more time working from our homes and being neat, being organized, and having the right equipment can be key to success. If you are still using a temporary or hastily created set up remember it is never too late to make a change. If you need advice on how to upgrade your home office, we are here to help. Email us at sales@furniturewholesalers.com for more information or if you need a quote for any high-end office furniture.