Well, it looks like work from home is here to stay and even though it's a dream for many of us, we can all agree that it comes with its own challenges. Having a functional home office setup can add a meaningful difference to the way we work. While it is easy to just call your couch or your bed the new office, how is it possible to get any work done in such cosy conditions?

As a remote worker, taking some time out to thoughtfully put together your remote work setup will make your life easier. In this blog, we will learn about tips to improve home office setup to gain maximum benefit.

What should every home office have?

Now that we have established that having a proper home office is essential to enhance productivity, let us see what every home office has in order to be called functional. The first and foremost item that every home office must have is a comfortable table and chair. These two things are the main essence of an effective home office setup.

Apart from this, you’ll need a good internet connection and laptop or desktop to stay connected with the rest of the team. There might be a need for an extra monitor and the rest is up to you depending on your profession and personal interest. It's also critical to make sure you are using the right laptop for remote working in order to meet all your demanding tasks. To save on your home office equipment, consider getting quality refurbished hardware. Find a reliable supplier that offers a warranty and money-back guarantee and has a proven track record. Buying refurbished tech can help you save as much as 40 percent, so you don’t have to break the bank to set up a complete home office.

How to improve your home office setup

The one thing that we love about working from home is that we can create a space that is entirely ours and reflects our personality. If you’re a minimalist and want to avoid extra clutter on your desk, then go for it. If you want brightly colored walls and a fun wallpaper, nobody is stopping you. Home office gives you creative freedom to be yourself.

There are so many home office setup ideas that it can get a little daunting to choose. We have picked six of the most important tips home office setup to help you get inspired and let the creativity flow,

Comfortable seating arrangement

An uncomfortable chair might be disruptive for your work from home office setup and create more than just discomfort. It can lead to back and neck pains making it difficult for you to enjoy your work from home. Additionally, it will put a serious dent in your productivity.

While thinking about how to set up a home office, think of a good table and chair as an investment. The best way to find a chair that suits you is to visit the store personally and try them on, otherwise reading customer reviews is a great way to gauge the performance of the chair in the long-term.

Fast and reliable Internet connection

Another thing you should never compromise with is the internet connection because your work depends on it. A dodgy computer and internet connection might make your work from home life miserable and repeatedly painful. How can you possibly expect to have a meeting with your voice echoing around the room due to a faulty sound system? Or you’re halfway closing a deal and your internet goes off?

Speak to your internet provider and ask them to provide you with a good and affordable solution. Most employers will help you sort out these internet issues and contribute to your broadband bill.

Software stack to make life easier

In order to make your work from home office setup effective, you should be able to communicate with other team members and clients located in different parts of the world. To achieve this, there is a need for a great team management software to connect with your colleagues.

The basic solutions are to have a video conferencing tool such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Skype, etc, a communication tool such as Slack, nTask. You can take help of add-on services such as Donut, Bored, etc to spruce up your home office setup.

Natural light for your mental health

Letting in natural light is the best office setup for productivity enhancement. Having access to natural light and working by a window can immediately lower down your chances of getting computer vision syndromes such as eye strain, headaches, and blurred vision.

Another major benefit of natural light is that it keeps the mind awake and fights drowsiness. Natural light makes a place feel bigger, and connects you with the outside world from the comfort of your office. Letting the sun in is a wonderful way to make you feel alive and keeps you active.

Keep your workplace clean and tidy

Cleanliness is a virtue when it comes to home office setups. Nobody works well in a messy home office. A cluttered home office desk setup will lead to more distractions resulting in a drop in productivity. Use organizers and binders to store important documents and optimize your office space. However, organizing is not just a physical activity, there is a need to organize your files and documents in the system as well.

Use Google Drive or DropBox to arrange your documents and avoid wasting time in sifting through your downloads to locate the required file.

Plants to boost your mood

Adding a splash of green to your home office setup can immediately uplift your moods. House plants can have quite a few benefits on your physical as well as mental health including stress release, lower blood pressure, increase comfort, fend off germs, etc. Let mother nature boost your remote work productivity.