How to Upgrade Your Home Office

Now, more than ever before, home offices must be equipped for our professional lives. For many, these are the main spaces for their work; for others, these are part-time or hybrid workspaces. No matter their work schedule, anyone should be able to log on and work from home in a productive and comfortable place equipped with the right tools.

“Many home offices sprang up as a swift response to the pandemic, often cobbled together hastily,” according to an article in Forbes. “Now is the perfect moment to address those small annoyances, the ‘tolerations,’ which subtly sap your energy.”

To revamp your workspace, look around and identify the “nuisances” that you’ve likely grown accustomed to over the past few years — maybe it’s the stack of books elevating your computer monitor, the uncomfortable seat cushion in your chair or the weird buzzing noise from your old fan.

If something regularly bothers you or affects your workflow or mood, focus on that first — especially if it is a quick fix. For example, try a weighted cord holder to remove wires cluttering your space. Make the space work for you, and make it look and feel how you want it to be.

Also, think about your space as it relates to video and audio calls. Since you must be able to broadcast from home at any time, for any number of reasons, you should make your office Zoom-ready.

“Your backdrop during video calls should complement and enhance your personal brand,” the article says. So, make sure the area behind you is clean and is not distracting. You can also opt for a greenscreen or other digital effects so that your background fits with each meeting.

Additionally, ensure that you can take your office on the road. This means making your tools, files and workspace accessible no matter where you are and having the proper equipment.

Look for useful items that are high-quality, portable and will help you quickly and comfortably do your best work. With the proper setup and tools, you can reflect your personal brand and be your most productive self.

Whether you have a dedicated space for work or a makeshift remote area, try these tips from Forbes to help elevate your work-from-home experience.

• Identify nuisances in your home office.
• Prioritize and execute on what you’d like to fix.
• Improve the quality of your lighting and sound.
• Ensure that you have a solid background.
• Make your office portable and accessible from anywhere.