Out in the "real" world, most people don't have a lot of say in how their office is set up. You may be the farthest away from the printer even though you have invoices to print out every day, or you could have a desk that doesn't even know the meaning of the word ergonomic.
But in your home office, you are completely in control. You can have whatever you need (that your budget allows) and put it in the right place (that your space allows) to make a perfectly efficient workspace. Here are some things to think about when designing or redesigning your office for maximum efficiency.
Invest in a great desk and chair. If this is your only office, you are going to be spending a lot of time here, so spend whatever you can afford on a great ergonomic desk and chair. You want to make sure that your desk setup is right for you given your height and weight, and that it's set up in the right place in your office so you aren't getting glare from the windows or sitting with your back to the door, for instance.
Get a filing cabinet. You might not think that you're going to have a lot of paper in your office, given how much work is conducted online these days, but you are going to have at least some paper and you'll need a place to put it. If nothing else you'll have receipts and tax documents, and who wants to have to look at those all year? Even a small filing cabinet will help you organize your papers.
Keep things you need close. The things you use most through the day, whether that's a stapler, the dictionary, the trash can or the telephone, should be within reach without having to move from your chair. Things you need less often can be farther away, but things like the printer and fax machine, if you have one, should still be in your office if possible rather than in another room.
Choose storage solutions that work for you. Different businesses have different items they need to store. You might have a lot of books and magazines, product samples, swatches or specialized equipment you need to do your job. Take some time to investigate different storage options, and choose one that makes sense for what you need to store and that you'll actually use.
Get a label maker. This sounds kind of silly, but a label maker is so much fun you'll want to get organized. It only takes a few seconds to make labels for those new boxes and bins, and then you'll always know what's inside without having to root through.
Finally, remember that organization is a process, a journey rather than a destination. Each day you may make strides forward or strides back -- sometimes both in one day. But as long as you are always trending toward being more organized, your days will be more efficient and easier to get through.
But in your home office, you are completely in control. You can have whatever you need (that your budget allows) and put it in the right place (that your space allows) to make a perfectly efficient workspace. Here are some things to think about when designing or redesigning your office for maximum efficiency.
Invest in a great desk and chair. If this is your only office, you are going to be spending a lot of time here, so spend whatever you can afford on a great ergonomic desk and chair. You want to make sure that your desk setup is right for you given your height and weight, and that it's set up in the right place in your office so you aren't getting glare from the windows or sitting with your back to the door, for instance.
Get a filing cabinet. You might not think that you're going to have a lot of paper in your office, given how much work is conducted online these days, but you are going to have at least some paper and you'll need a place to put it. If nothing else you'll have receipts and tax documents, and who wants to have to look at those all year? Even a small filing cabinet will help you organize your papers.
Keep things you need close. The things you use most through the day, whether that's a stapler, the dictionary, the trash can or the telephone, should be within reach without having to move from your chair. Things you need less often can be farther away, but things like the printer and fax machine, if you have one, should still be in your office if possible rather than in another room.
Choose storage solutions that work for you. Different businesses have different items they need to store. You might have a lot of books and magazines, product samples, swatches or specialized equipment you need to do your job. Take some time to investigate different storage options, and choose one that makes sense for what you need to store and that you'll actually use.
Get a label maker. This sounds kind of silly, but a label maker is so much fun you'll want to get organized. It only takes a few seconds to make labels for those new boxes and bins, and then you'll always know what's inside without having to root through.
Finally, remember that organization is a process, a journey rather than a destination. Each day you may make strides forward or strides back -- sometimes both in one day. But as long as you are always trending toward being more organized, your days will be more efficient and easier to get through.
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