From household bills to invoices, study time to home admin, we all need some kind of home office. Maybe you have the luxury of an entire room, or maybe you just make do with the end of the kitchen counter. Either way, you could make dealing with all your admin so much easier if you made your home office work for you.
If you’re struggling to keep on top of your paperwork, if your filing system is non-existent or the kids are always rummaging through your notebooks and using all your stationery, then don’t panic. Read on for how you can make your home office work for you and make your home and business life much easier.
Update your equipment
That old laptop you’ve had since 2010? It needs upgrading as soon as possible. Perhaps, now would also be the time to search for refurbished copiers for sale rather than running into town to use the one in the library! Once you have a new computer system in place you can then add on other programmes and software to make your home/work life easier. Click here for Scribbr’s latest plagiarism checker. Make good use of your online calendars and sync your other smart devices with your new laptop. It’ll make things so much easier for you. If you need help with using your computer and getting it up and running for when you are working, you can check out online pages like Tech Review Advisor so you can clue yourself up on the new tech.
Update your software
If you work from home, you need a way to be able to integrate your systems with those of the rest of your team, even when you’re not with them. That’s where cloud computing comes in. Working in the cloud allows you to keep up to date with the rest of your team and allows you to see what they’re working on, and vice versa. This creates better communication and team-working – learn more about cloud services here.
Keep it clutter-free
When it comes to productivity and creating an efficient workspace, clutter is the enemy. If you find sitting at your desk or in your home office space stressful and unpleasant, then maybe you have a clutter issue. Keeping your desk area clutter-free is good for stress relief and is better for your productivity. You can see where things are, it’s clean and hygienic and creates a pleasant environment to work in. Keep your home office area free of dirty cups and plates, the kids’ toys, crumpled paper, broken pens, dust, grime and anything else that doesn’t belong.
Set some ground rules
If you have children at home, then it’s important to set some ground rules around your workstation. Let them know that nothing on there is to be touched, if they’re looking for pens, paper or if they want to use the computer they need to ask your permission first. The last thing you want is for all your hard work to be deleted after a couple of innocent clicks.
Create a simple filing system
Even though most correspondence will probably come via email, you may still have letters to deal with. Permission slips, hospital appointments, bills and reminders. Make your home office work for you by creating a simple filing system. Use drawer dividers or purchase an expanding file box so you can keep everything neat and tidy. Not only does it look much better but it also increases work productivity because you know exactly where your files are at a moments notice instead of having to rifle through documents for hours on end. You could also use things like blank index tabs to write various sections in your filing system therefore increasing work efficiency. If you really have the time and would prefer not to be bogged down with paper, scan your letters into your computer and save them instead.
Lighting
Good lighting in a home office is everything. You cannot be expected to work efficiently if you can’t see what you’re doing. Invest in a good quality desk lamp and ensure that any dark and gloomy areas are filled with light. Filling your office with plenty of natural light is also beneficial for your mental health and productivity levels.
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