As more and more jobs are offering work-from-home accommodations, a lot of workers are getting their first taste of freedom with a home office.
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But this freedom can come at the cost of efficiency in your workflow. So, what are some good ways to maximize the amount of work you can get done in the day and minimize the distractions that can make your workday run long?
Dedicate Some Space
One of the major issues that come along with moving from an office-based job to a work-at-home arrangement is actually dedicating a specific part of your living space to your office. For most people adjusting to work-at-home life, they’ll end up just using the same desk or laptop computer they use for social media, gaming, or any other distracting activity they may use to unwind at the end of the day. This can be incredibly counter-productive. By setting up a space purely designed for your work activities, you’ll be able to get your work done faster, and with fewer interruptions. You should also consider getting a desk that fits your needs. And this can actually enable you to start deducting this part of your home from your overall tax liabilities. Cabinets or drawers are also a must for any office supplies you may need to have easy access to.
Keep Your Office Supplies to a Minimum and Organized
For most jobs these days, the majority of your work can be done paperlessly, but having a physical notepad can go a long way towards building a consistent workflow. You’ll be able to jot down reminders and important information, and physically writing things down has been shown to increase your recall ability. It’s also incredibly important that you have a function printer/scanner. Even if you won’t need to print documents that often, the scanner can come in handy when organizing any receipts you may need to itemize deductions on your tax forms. It’ll be easier to pull up a file on your computer rather than go rifling through old receipts, although you should still keep those receipts in case of an audit. Above all else though, any items you place in the room should serve a vital purpose, as having a cluttered space has been linked with all sorts of issues. Not least of which is an overall decrease in your working memory and your mental well-being.
Building a Conducive Atmosphere
While keeping your workspace free of clutter is incredibly important, you should also try to give it a personal touch. Hanging up a poster or piece of artwork that melds well with your other decor can add some personality to the room, and keep you comfortable while you work. Another important aspect of cultivating an atmosphere conducive to your work life is proper lighting. Find yourself a good floor or desk lamp that fits in well with the room, with a daylight bulb. This can help you ward off that mid-day grogginess and actually help improve your mental state throughout the day. Spending time in a dimly lit room has actually been shown to cause a number of different ill-effects on your overall health. And as you wind down for the day, it’s always a good idea to make sure you leave your work in a state that’s ready for you to pick right back up the next day.
Leverage Your Workspace Towards a Better Future
Once you’ve made your home office into the perfect working environment, it might be a good idea to start working towards building a nest egg. While figuring out how the financial world works can be difficult, TheStockDork can help make it a little easier. For those interested in investing in commodities, individual stocks, or ETFs, TheStockDork has you covered with some of the best financial analyses offered on the web today.