Remote work has become extremely popular in the last few years, as employees worldwide embrace this more convenient and often efficient method of employment. Studies have shown that nearly 2/3rds of workers would prefer to work remotely permanently, and while achieving these levels is unlikely it does demonstrate a goal to which millions set their sights.
As many have learned when working from home, it’s not as easy as setting up shop anywhere and getting going. Most people require a more concentrated approach to an office setup, to maximise their workflow and avoid being forced back to traditional employment approaches.
Your Environment
Without the demands of strict office regulations, you have a lot more flexibility in office setup. This means you can include as many mood-boosting elements as possible while being careful not to drift into distraction territory. This is a fine line that will change depending on the person, where some might require an extremely focused setup, and others might be fine with a more relaxed environment.
You need to consider more specific helpful elements like ergonomics and sound. A good ergonomic chair and desk can be costly investments that need to be looked after carefully, but they beat pain and physical therapy visits any day of the week. For sound, a pair of cabled noise-canceling headphones can be perfect, especially if paired with non-distracting music in the background like a good YouTube lo-fi station.
Speaking of distractions again, if you share your space with others it can be best to have a discussion regarding work time and your time alone. Just because you’re at home doesn’t mean you’re free, and this reality escapes many people who can’t grasp that you’re operating as a professional during certain times of day.
Office as a Space
Having a dedicated room for an office is great, but it’s also a difficult ask at a time when space is at a premium. Instead, the term office can denote a dedicated work area, like a desk in a certain place, or a cordoned-off quiet area. What you need to keep in mind is that an office space needs to be just that, an area dedicated to work and work alone.
If you don’t have the space, you can also change minor elements to help shift your mental focus between work and play modes. For example, if you like playing table games online when you’re not working, like blackjack and roulette, you could switch between professional lighting and desk layout and something more casual. introduce a coloured lamp, remove work decorations, and introduce a different set, and your mind will more easily change unconscious associations. This will help you focus on betting, gaming, watching movies, or whatever form of entertainment you prefer while still concentrating as you work.
“Forget-Me-Not for Mac” (CC BY 2.0) by blakespot
If it’s your first time trying the remote work lifestyle, don’t be surprised or disheartened if you don’t get everything right straight away. The perfect fit for one person might be unusable for another, so experimentation is a key part of the experience. Stick with it, don’t be afraid to try different setups, and you could find a new kind of work approach that’s impossible to go back from.
