In modern times, there is pressure on workers due to an increasingly demanding work culture. This is perhaps the biggest, most pressing, and dire challenge to the mental health of most of the population in the developed world.  

The effect of increasing work hours is having a huge effect on the lifestyle of most working people, which is likely having a drastic effect on their mental well-being. Mental health companies and workers are concerned that more and more people are neglecting the factors in their lives that makes them more resilient to the possibility of issues with their mental health. 

Statistics say that one in six people will experience a mental health problem in any given week. The cost of unmanaged work-related stress can be fixed up by a better work-life balance, although this is not always so easy for everyone.

A good way to protect mental health against the possible detrimental effects of work related stress is figuring out how you can better juggle work and life, so that your work does not overtake other aspects of your life. This is beneficial to employers as well, as businesses can suffer as a result of the need to combat work-related stresses. 

Thus, preventing overworking and gaining a better work-life balance will not only benefit mental health but also the employers and businesses too.

What Is Work-Life Balance? 

So, now we need to ask, ‘what exactly is work-life balance’? Well, this term refers to the level of priority between personal and professional activities in an individuals’ life, and the level to which activities that are related to their job and work are present in their home. What the ideal balance is, however, is open to discussion.

There are some that say that happiness is having little to no differentiation between an individual’s professional and personal life. This would be referring to cases in which a person is able to make a hobby into their primary source of income. While this is a wonderful notion, it is not always achievable, so we must look at this from other angles too. 

The work-life balance is also a topical issue thanks to the increasing amount of technology that removes the physical location as a vital factor in defining the balance between work and life. If you can work on the go, or your boss can contact you out of hours on your phone, then it is harder to avoid taking work home with you. So mobile phones and the internet, while fantastic, are also culprits as they have made it easier for employees to be ‘permanently’ at work in many cases. 

While work may be good, it may bring you a good income and help you pay off that crazy mortgage, isn’t worth risking your mental health over. You wouldn’t risk your physical health for work, so do not risk your mental health for it too. Mental health problems can easily become physical health problems, remember. And this is why a work-life balance is absolutely key. 

Why It’s Important

Before we continue, ask yourself how many working people around you are often stressed, agitated by work, and how often you, or those around you have experienced a burn-out. A burn-out is defined as ruining ones of health or have become completely exhausted through overworking. 

This in many cases may just seem like stress, but a burn-out is not just a factor that affects mental health, but physical too. This is why if you are burned out, you feel like you could sleep non-stop for a week, your brain is tired and your body with it.

Stress is a very common feature of a poor work-life balance. Mental stress has been noted as being a significant economic and health problem, which causes a perceived need for employees to do more in less time. 

The biggest issue faced in the work-life debate are wherein responsibility lies to ensure that employees have a good work-life balance. The general feeling is that this responsibility falls for employers, stating they are responsible for the health of their employees. Why? Because aside from the moral responsibility of this, a stress out employee will be less productive and more likely to make errors. So, it is beneficial for the whole company to ensure that employees are not burning out. 

How To Achieve A Good Work-Life-Balance 

You already think that a good work-life balance seems like an impossible feat. Technology has us available 24/7, and the fears of job loss reward longer hours. What is crazy is that a survey actually showed that an insane 94% of working professionals report working over 50 hours per week, and a good half said they work over 65 hours per week.

When we consider that there are only 168 hours in a week, and we spend 56 of these hours asleep, consider time to eat and commute, if eating only took up an hour each day, and commuting only an hour each day, this would leave only 33 hours of free time. Which is less than 5 hours a day. 

How can you combat this? Here are a few tips to help you get out of the rut you are stuck in. 

Track Your Time

When you work from home, it’s easy to blur the line between “being on the clock” and being off. It’s easy to fall into the trap of procrastinating by doing home chores instead of work. Some professions and positions require you to actively monitor your time, while others, such as being a freelance writer, don’t really have the same standards.

Before you combat the work-life balance head on, start by better understanding the time you are spending. Analyze your present situation.

For a week or two, note everything you do and the time it takes, this includes work, personal activities, and even required activities such as washing, eating, and sleeping. After this, look at the time, and you can understand better where you are losing time and how you are using your time.

Getting in the habit of tracking your time can be a great way to see where most of your day goes. 

This can serve as an eye-opener.

If you find that you’re spending far too much time in your inbox, for example, you’ll be able to adjust your day – and your work processes – in order to minimize “low output” activities and focus on the things that will make the most difference in your efficiency for the day.

Social Media is another time sink.

Today’s remote worker faces an unending stream of distraction in the form of status updates, pictures, memes and everything else that floods your social media profiles every day. Then they start to feel stressed because the time they have for themselves has disappeared.

But Steven Key recommends giving those up during your work day, at least during your main work hours. “Check before work and maybe then again at lunch. If you wait until the end of the day to follow up, you’ll find you’re more productive,” he writes.

You can also use something like Freedom, a website and social media blocker that helps you keep your focus when it matters most.

Tracking your time like this can help you pick up on any bad habits you may have like such, as well as helping you manage your minutes better, so you have more time for you.  

Set Your Priorities 

Prioritizing your life is a key skill that everyone should practice. For a healthy work-life balance that includes everything and will not only benefit you, but your family too, starts with prioritizing certain aspects of your life. You can start off by making a list of your no.1 priorities at work, and at home.

Analyze your time audit by asking yourself what you need to start doing, stop doing, continue, do less or more of, and what you may need to do differently. 

For example, you may cook for your family, and you may find that it takes up a large chunk of your free time, so instead you can look at faster meals you can cook, there are plenty of cookbooks that give recipes you can make in just 30 minutes, and they are still healthy. 

Another example would be doing laundry. You may do 2 or more loads of household laundry a week. And while this is ideal for many people, you can look to see if there is a way you can cut this down to only doing one per week instead. If you use a launderette, you could try to see if there was a way you could get your own washing machine, so you could cut down on the time taken, and have the washing on while you do other things instead. 

There are plenty of ways that you can alter how you prioritize your time. Sometimes you just need to get a bit more creative with how you do these things. 

Set Specific Goals 

Once you have prioritized certain aspects of your life and your work life, turn them into concrete and measurable goals, setting a foundation for routine.

Block time into your schedule, much like you would for meetings, or appointments. This means setting important times, such as selecting an hour or so for personal time, but blocking it and prioritizing it much like you would a doctor’s appointment. Doing so can often prevent you from needing a doctor’s appointment in the future, because, bad mental health can often lead to bad physical health too. 

Plan Your Work/Time 

Keeping a diary sounds like a cliché, doesn’t it? Well, even if it seems like a cliché, it can be very useful, and many successful people will plan their work and then work that plan. You have one life, so for it have one calendar, one date planner. Be it on paper or electronic, such as a Google Calendar, this is the cog that will help you turn your priorities and goals into reality and real world achievements. 

Help yourself out as well, by setting aside 10 or 20 minutes each day, or evening, to plan out your tasks and activities for the next day and evening ahead. Thus making sure that you have plenty of time. It also is useful to visualize time. Doing so can help you to physically see when you are taking on too much, so that you can reorganize your time and prevent this from happening. 

Establish Boundaries

Boundaries. Something that is becoming more and more important in modern life.

It may be tempting to mix your personal life and business, but keeping a focus on your business during work hours is key to a successful, productive day at home. And the way you spend your days, of course, is the way you spend your life. So instead of worrying about how to focus on the big picture, take each day as an opportunity to practice and hone your focus on work.

You need to set fair and realistic limits on what you can and will do at work and at home.

For many at-home workers, balancing family and work is a continuous challenge. If you have kids in the house, consider making them as aware as possible of your work situation, letting them know what the guidelines and boundaries are for when you’re working.

You should clearly communicate the rules to those around you, including your supervisor, coworkers, partner, and your family. You may commit, for example, to never working late on certain days unless there is a crisis at hand. Also, set a time at home where you will not check or respond to work related emails or messages.

One work-from-home mom told Working Mother that she “used a red light, yellow light, green light system when my kids were little, which indicated to them if (and how) I could be interrupted. …This system worked great when my daughters were younger!”

This is not only true for work but also for out-of-work life too.

Having time for oneself is also important, and this needs to be communicated to work and family.

“As much as possible, avoid answering personal phone calls or doing your laundry during the workday,” writes Lisa Evans, at Entrepreneur.com. If you have kids or a family, it may be even harder to do, but resist the temptation to comingle while you expect to work.

Some people may enjoy a trip to the spa, or perhaps hiking or fishing. Ensure to set aside time for these things, and ask those around you to respect the time you spend doing these things for yourself. They are important as part of you keeping a healthy balance in your life and keeping your mental health on track.

If it’s easier, set aside breaks and a lunchtime pit stop at specific times in order to minimize personal-life distractions.

Put Your Family and Friends As A Priority 

We often forget the importance of those around us when we are wrapped up in keeping a good job, or working hard. But it is the surrounding people who support and love us that we need to appreciate. They are the greatest source of satisfaction, and humans are biologically pack animals.

If you find that your work is damaging your personal relationships, then both areas will start to suffer for you. 

There may be days when you must work overtime, however, this can become a problem when these days become the rule and not the exception. Make your personal relationships a  priority, and your productivity and effectiveness will increase.

And do not forget that jobs are always temporary, the surrounding people can be permanent. If we lose a job, we can replace it, we cannot replace our family or our close friends. 

Leave Work At Work 

Visualization is important. When you leave work, visualize an off switch, turning your brain off from work when you are home. This can help to establish a transitional activity between the two.

For those who commute, the time spent commuting can be a good transition between work life and home life. For those who work from home, listening to music can be useful, much like you may switch on the radio or pop on an audiobook on your way home. You could even hit the gym, run errands, or keep some personal appointments. 

The idea of scheduling in activities immediately following your work hours will help you from spending that extra twenty minutes at the office, which can quickly transition into a few hours. 

Doing so can also give you something to look forward to at the end of the day. For people who enjoy music, listening to music after work, or during your commute can be very therapeutic, and can therefore serve as a form of motivation. Thus increasing your productivity for the day so that you can get to your music therapy at the time you scheduled. 

Make Some Time For YOU 

Briefly mentioned above, it is key to make time for yourself as well. As much as work, health, and relationships are important and priority. You are more of a priority. You need to schedule time for yourself. Only you can manage your time, and only you can look after yourself. You deal with the consequences of your actions, and therefore you need to be mindful of your actions. You need to take a minimum of 30 minutes of uninterrupted time for you. Be it reading a book, laying in the bath, taking a trip to the spa, the gym, or indulging in a hobby. 

Meditation is also highly recommended for this, it is much like charging up your internal batteries, or hitting the reset button. You can come out of it feeling renewed and fresh. If you are religious, spend some time with your higher power, draw inspiration, guidance, strength, and inner peace from this. 

Indulging in a weekly day of rest is also very helpful, and it can help to heal your inner self from the stresses of the week. Many cultures will treat Sundays as the day of rest, if you cannot, choose another day and take this as your rest day. Lounge around, watch some TV, take a walk, or go on a family trip to the zoo. Do something relaxing for yourself, and rest. 

Check Your Options At Work 

As you try to figure out a schedule that works best for you, check to see what options your workplace has in motion. A few more forward-thinking companies have policies and programs that help to facilitate a decent work-life balance. So it is worth finding out what your company can offer you in terms of flex-hours, telecommuting, compressed work weeks, job sharing, or even part-time employment. 

There may be a different arrangement that is better suited to you, allowing you to work more productively, while cutting stress and opening up some time for you to spend with family or indulge in some personal time. 

If your company does not yet have a flexible scheduling program, you can always consider proposing one. Hopefully the company will see the benefits of this, allowing the employees to be happier, and therefore the whole company more productive. 

Use Your Time Efficiently 

Ever heard of the phrase ‘work smarter, not harder’, well this truly does apply to working life. Hard work does not always pay off the way we would like, but smart working does. Using our time more efficiently is part of this. Everyone from the lowest ranking employee to a company’s CEO needs to learn effective time management skills. 

This can be from taking advantage of technology to further develop organization, group emails, voice messages and such.

As well as avoiding procrastination, and learning that it is okay to say ‘no’. You do not need to agree to everything in your job, and using your time most effectively will make everything easier for everyone as long as it is done as a team unit. 

Know When To Ask For Help 

If you are starting to feel overwhelmed, on the verge of a burnout, and it is causing you undue stress, you will suffer from it. It can not only affect your activities and relationships outside of work, but also other aspects.

You may be snappy and irritable, you may be restless and find sleep difficult, your appetite may plummet, or you may find that you indulge in fattier or sugary foods. Spots, acne, and pimples are also signs of stress, stress decreases our immune system. 

And so, if you feel this way, do not suffer in silence. The strongest thing you can do is talk to your boss or supervisor about this. An untenable work situation can often be alleviated, however it does take some assertiveness on your behalf.

If a balanced life eludes you, or if you experience chronic stress, seek out a professional, be they a therapist, a mental health worker, or a clergy person. Take full advantage of all the services offered by employee assistance programs, and those around us in society and day to day life. 

And remember, it is okay to say ‘no’. Your mental health is just as important as your physical health, and no job is worth killing yourself over, so prioritize your mental health over all, and seek out that work-life balance. 

Tips For Maintaining A Good Work-Life Balance 

If we were all independent business people, it would be so much easier to maintain a work-life balance, right? You can so easily switch off, and work the hours you are happy to. But when you aren’t in control of your hours, and can’t simply switch off, it is not so easy. 

In fact, many independent business people actually struggle in this area too, the lines between work and life are so blurred in these situations that it can be painfully tempting to work way more than they should. And financial management is not so easy, especially when you are going at it solo and trying to make enough money to cover all your work expenses and your bills. 

There are a few ways, aside from what we have already mentioned, to help you on the path of a better work-life balance. Sometimes we can get stuck in the rut we are in, simply because it is what we know, and changing it can seem scary, especially when we are taking a chance and hoping that it will work. 

But we do not know until we try. 

Have A Set Work Hours 

If you are an independent business person, then this can be one of the toughest challenges of all. It can be so tempting to work from breakfast until bedtime when you run your own business and are eager to ensure you make enough sales. But this isn’t healthy. If this sounds like you, you can change this. Depending on the type of business you run, you could do one of two things. 

1. You could set your work hours to be active when your customers/ clients are most likely around, i.e. The traditional 9-5. 
2. Or, if your job is more creative, you can work around what you are comfortable with. Heard of circadian rhythms, well some people truly function better in the evenings- especially the creative types. If you are like this, and you do not have to engage with customers all day, why not schedule your work hours for when your brain is at its best. Even if this is at 7pm. 

If you work for a company. This can be a little more challenging as you are typically not in charge of your own work hours. However, you have selected work hours. So, in this case, you must manage your time so that you do not work outside these hours. Ensure that if you work 9-5, you are ONLY working 9-5 and not regularly tipping over to 6pm. Set your hours and stick to them, unless the situation is absolutely dire. Working outside these hours should not be a regular occurrence. 

Let Go Of Always Stepping In To Help Out At Work 

If you work for a company, you will know that oftentimes, management will call upon you to help out. Perhaps if someone calls in sick, or if someone is struggling to complete an assignment, you will often swoop in like the almighty hero, here to save the day.

Stop it. You are not the only person able to help cover required work, if situations like these arise, stop jumping in. 

While it feels good to be appreciated as the person who always helps out, you can not only burn yourself out and take on way more than you should, but you become a go-to-guy, and may end up being taken advantage of in these situations. 

It is important to accept that your workload is enough for you, and while helping out every now and again is okay. It should not be a case where you are the superhero saving everyone else. That is not what teamwork is about.  

Take Care Of Your Health

It’s easy to focus on work performance when talking about productivity, but your physical and mental health and well-being is just as important. So many people forget that mental/ emotional health are in tandem with physical health.

A healthy body and mind is the foundation of clear thinking, which is key to setting goals for work and achieving them. When you have physical and mental challenges, it can slowly begin to erode your productivity and output.

In fact, the National Committee for Quality Assurance found that “depression results in more days of disability than chronic health conditions such as heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes.”

While you’re not working, then, be sure to eat right, get sufficient sleep and take time to unwind and focus on what’s important in your life. Work may be a priority, but it should also be taken as one aspect of a healthy, holistic lifestyle that you enjoy.

This also means taking care of your diet.

“Make sure you eat a good breakfast so you don’t have to stop working when the hunger pangs kick in, and schedule yourself a reasonable lunch break,” writes Julie McCormick at Lifehack.org.

With a good diet, schedule and some activity before and after work, you’ll have a much better opportunity to stay focus and productive during work hours.

Exercising also helps, why not cycle to work if you can, get some fresh air and some vitamin D from the sun. Exercise helps to alleviate stress, and it will also improve your mental clarity, immune system, stamina, and it is one of those things that releases the happy hormone dopamine. There’s an exercise for everyone, find the one that suits you and give it a go, it can even be as simple as yoga, or having a quick jog around the block. 

Use Technology

Take full advantage of technology, why drive to a meeting when you can use Skype, Zoom, or Google Teams. Use these to cut down hours you waste commuting, it does you good, saves you time, and is good for the environment too. If you do use these, remember to switch them off after you are done, though. 

If your company does not use this method yet, discuss the possibility of implementing it, to save time as a whole, and increase productivity this way. 

Book Some Time Off Work

We all get leave time from work, so do not be afraid to take some. Book in breaks, even if it is just one day to give yourself a long weekend. Take a holiday, and relax in a place with new scenery.

Just one extra day off each quarter can give you the boost you need, and a change of scenery on a vacation can do you wonders. Sometimes we love our homes, towns, and workplaces, but seeing something different for a while can give us a much-needed energy boost and refresh our minds. 

If you are in doubt about booking that vacation, this is your sign to do it. 

Summary

Achieving a great work-life balance is a key factor in happiness for any person. Work should not take over our family lives, time with friends, and personal time. In the modern working world, it is getting harder and harder for people to achieve with the increasing work expectations of the many busy industries worldwide. However, employers and employees need to work together to ensure all have a healthy work-life balance. 

A healthy work-life balance is not only important to individuals, but also to the overall productivity of a company. Managing time, taking advantage of what technology has to offer, scheduling your days, and staying social with loved ones are just some of the many ways you can improve your work-life balance. 

If you feel overwhelmed, and are afraid that you are starting to burn-out, do not be afraid to speak up and talk to your employer. If you are seriously struggling, specialists and mental health professionals can help you to improve your mental health and help you better manage your work and home life. 

Finding a defining line between the two is key in living comfortably and avoiding being overwhelmed. It may seem impossible, but it is achievable.

For more work from home tips, check out our Ultimate Guide to Working From Home

The post A Helpful Guide To Achieving A Great Work-Life Balance appeared first on Home Office Warrior.

Working from home is becoming more and more popular. Especially for office workers who produce most of their work on a computer. Working from home has a huge range of benefits. And it is definitely the future of working. But it has its downsides as well. 

Working from home, sometimes also called remote working, allows for a better work-life balance, more flexibility, and a calmer work environment. But, it can also be isolating, and it can be difficult to manage your own time.

To help you find the perfect work from home balance, here is the ultimate guide to working from home.

How To Get Started Working From Home

Before planning to work from home, it’s important to consider whether this is a possible reality for you. Most jobs will allow for a level of home or remote working.

But this isn’t the case for all jobs. If, for example, you work in an office but have a role that is client-facing. You will likely be able to spend some days working remotely. Others will require you to be in the office. Especially if your clients prefer in-person meetings. 

So, if working from home full time is your primary ambition, then it might be a good idea to consider changing your career path. This can be difficult and a little overwhelming. But, if you believe it will be the best change in your life, then you should absolutely go ahead with it. Here are some top tips for finding the right work from home fit.

Go Freelance

Freelance work has become incredibly popular in the last few years. Freelancing is usually associated with creative roles. But this doesn’t have to be the case. A huge number of roles can be converted into freelance jobs. This can include creative jobs, such as writing or illustration, consultancy, and marketing.

If you have worked in a certain role for several years, then freelancing might be the next step for you. As a freelancer, you will be self-employed and so responsible for your own time. But you will also be responsible for finding work and creating a network of clients. As well as the administrative and financial side of things.

Freelancing also offers great flexibility. As you work for yourself, but aren’t responsible for any employees, you can work whenever you like. So, if you can afford to, you can take a week (or a month) off from work whenever you want.

This is, however, the double-edged sword of freelancing. Depending on your work, your output can come in waves. There can be months when you have no work whatsoever. And others where you are inundated with requests. Finding the right balance is integral. To learn more, check out this article on freelancer productivity tips.

If your work is seasonal, for example, wedding photography, you can only work seasonally. Or you can work on more personal projects during the off-season.

Freelancing is also a good option if you feel that you have outgrown your current corporate role, but don’t quite feel ready to start your own business. As a freelancer, you can develop the organizational, time management, and administrative skills to grow your own business. Then move on to establishing your own company.

Open A Business

If freelancing doesn’t quite seem like the best option for you, then you can look into setting up your own business. This is an incredibly risky but incredibly exciting endeavor. Opening your own business means taking control of your time and your profits. But it can also mean working longer hours and putting in more work. Especially at the beginning.

Starting a business is also a huge risk. If you have been working in a certain industry for years and know that you can set up your own business with your own niche. Then it’s worth exploring. Just make sure that you have every potential outcome considered before you jump. As well as everything you need in place. It’s not a good idea to leave a good job to be your own boss if you don’t have the potential to pull it off.

If you have the skills, experiences, and ambition to be your own boss, then starting your own business can be a great way to work from home.

You will be in complete control of your production.

You can make your own hours, work whenever and wherever you want, and essentially regain control of your life. This will likely change if you grow and hire employees. But that is a bridge you can cross when you get to it.

Start A New Career

If you’re not in a position to freelance or start your own business, another way to begin working from home is to find a new job. More and more companies are encouraging working from home. This is because it lowers their expenses as they don’t have to pay rent for an office space, provide parking spots, general maintenance, or other bills.

Another reason companies are encouraging remote working is because it increases productivity. This is because employees are drawn into fewer unnecessary meetings, people can control their own schedules, and it reduces distractions (to an extent). 

Working from home also has many benefits for employees as well. So there’s a good chance that remote working will be listed as a benefit in the job advertisement. If it isn’t, you can always contact the hiring manager for information. Or, if you reach the interview stage, you can also ask questions about working arrangements. 

Make sure to read on to the sections below for a list of the best jobs that allow remote working. As well as the wide range of benefits associated with remote working.

Setting Up Working From Home

To successfully work from home, it’s important to have a dedicated workspace. If you have little room in your home, working at the kitchen table will not be completely detrimental to your work. But, if you have the space, then it’s a good idea to create the most efficient workspace in your home.

Here are the major factors to consider when setting up your remote workspace:

Find A Dedicated Space In Your Home

This one is super important. If you have the space, then creating a home office is a superb idea. It will allow you to separate your work life from your home life. Setting up a home office can also be great fun. Especially if you enjoy interior design. 

Unlike in a corporate office, you can style your own office to your specific tastes. So you won’t have to be stuck working at a cheap plastic desk in an uncomfortable chair. 

Having a dedicated workspace is also beneficial if you have a partner or children. It will allow them to know when you’re intently working and when you are more freely available. It will also help them detach you from your work self. Few of us interact with people at home in the same way that we do at work. So having the distinction is incredibly important. 

If you don’t have the space for a home office, the most beneficial thing you can do is pack away your workspace at the end of the day. This might seem like unnecessary work. But just putting your laptop away in your bag. Or your desktop away in a closet will have a tremendous impact. If you don’t, then you will have your work life impeding on your personal life.

Just having your laptop on the kitchen table when you’re cooking dinner. Or on the coffee table while you watch TV in the evening can be detrimental. Putting your workspace away will allow you to have a distinction between your work life and personal life. It will also stop you from being tempted to do extra work off the clock. 

Get A Good Desk

As mentioned above, creating your own workspace means you can add in furniture that suits your style and needs. This can mean investing in a standing desk, a beautiful wooden desk, or a colorful desk that brightens up your workday. You are no longer restricted to company colors or corporate budgets. Also, your company might allow you to claim back the cost (or a proportion of it).

Get A Good Chair

This is also great to bring your own style into your workspace. But it can also help in more practical ways. You will be able to invest in a good quality office chair that will give you the best comfort and support.

So, if you have problems with your back, need a specifically designed chair for a disability, or just need something at a specific height, you have complete control. You might also be able to claim back the cost of this chair. Especially if you need one with a specific shape and style.

Get Some Lighting In The Room

Lighting is something that few people consider, but really should.

Good lighting is necessary to help you see your work clearly. But it can also help you to stop straining your eyes. This is especially important if your job requires a lot of reading or staring at a screen.

Good lighting can mean a specially designed lamp that will help prevent eyestrain, especially when working on a computer. Or it can be setting up your workspace in an area of your home that receives a good amount of natural light.

Natural sunlight and vitamin D are incredibly important. Especially as working from home means cutting out your regular commute. This means that you won’t be getting the regular fresh air, sunlight, and vitamin D that we all need to stay healthy.

Set Aside a Place for Gadgets

One of the fundamental problems with working from home is that no one can see you. So you don’t feel as though anyone will notice you taking a sneaky look at your phone. But this can become detrimental to work if you don’t try to manage your breaks. 

Have a dedicated space for your devices. This can just be the other side of the room. Or, if you really don’t trust yourself, it can mean giving your device to your partner or roommate to look after.

You can even invest in a safe with a timer. This is a last resort option. (But it is one that many people need.)

How to Work Effectively From Home

Working from home has a vast range of benefits. But these benefits can only be realized if you work effectively and stick to your schedule and goals. Here are some tips for working effectively and efficiently from home.

Establish Ground Rules

These can be rules for yourself, your colleagues, your manager, or all three. These rules can simply be basic contract obligations such as the number of work hours and how long your lunch break will be.

If you work for yourself, then this can create your own work schedule. A routine is the best structure for most people. So finding the time when you work best is important. And so is sticking to this routine.

Set Up A Functional Workspace

If you can’t set up a fun and stylish workspace, then at the very least your workspace needs to be functional. This doesn’t just mean having a computer. It also means sitting in a chair that supports your back. And having a desk that is at the right height and strength.

This also means having the correct work accessories. For example, a work phone or the right tools if you’re an artist. It also means finding the right atmosphere for the most efficient work.

Make Sure You Have A Good Internet Speed

This is super important. If you are planning on working from home, then check your internet speed. Do it now. Your internet speed might seem perfectly fine now. But you likely spend most of your time just scrolling online or streaming movies and TV shows. 

Working from home is going to require a much stronger and faster internet connection. This will make online meetings easier. But also help if you use specific software for your work.

Minimize Distractions

We have already mentioned creating an ideal working atmosphere. And this is really important. But not everyone can work in the same environment.

For example, some people can only focus in silence, which can be a reason for wanting to work from home. Whereas others get distracted and unnerved by silence and can only work with a low buzz of white noise.

Whichever atmosphere you prefer, it’s important to minimize distractions. This can mean putting on headphones so that your partner or roommates know that you’re working. Or it can mean putting your phone on silent or turning it off.

If you have children or roommates who don’t work, you might have to block out the sound of the TV or other noises. One way to do this is by putting on noise-cancelling headphones. But this isn’t a good idea if you have small children. As you will always need to have one eye and ear out for them. 

Plan Extra Social Interactions

Minimizing distractions and working as efficiently as possible is important. But working from home can also cause you to work too much. Especially as you won’t be commuting. It can be tempting to spend that extra time finishing off a project.

But this really isn’t a good idea. Burnout is real, and it is difficult to deal with. And so is the guilt of not working. This kind of working can also be incredibly isolating. You will often miss those five minutes you spent having a quick chat with a colleague at the coffee machine or on the walk to a meeting.

Working from home should mean that you have more free time. So make the most of it.

Don’t work for too long. This will only cause you to become overly tired, stressed, and overwhelmed. All of which will stop you from producing your best work. So it is detrimental in the long run.

Enjoy your life outside of work. No matter how important your work is.

Jobs You Can Do From Home

Writing/Proofreading/Editing/Graphic Designer

This one can be a little trickier, as you will need more space. But if you have a big enough table, big enough computer screen, and all the tools that you need, then you can work from home.

Consulting/Marketing

Consulting can easily be done from home. But will usually require a lot of client meetings. So you will need to maintain a professional appearance most of the time (so you won’t usually get away with working in your pajamas). You will also need a strong internet connection for these meetings.

Crafting

If you start your own crafting or creative business, you can pretty much do this entirely at home. Especially if your business is on a small enough scale to not require other employees. This will require some computer work for selling, interacting with customers, and marketing. But you will mostly be able to spend your time away from a screen.

Tips for the Work-at-Home Life

So, now that you are determined to work from home, here are some of the best tips for making sure you make the most of your time. (But don’t spend all of your time working.)

Stick To Your Work Schedule

This can be a schedule that you have agreed with your manager. Or it can be one that you have created yourself. Identify when you are most productive. And work within those boundaries. This will ensure that you can ride waves of energy and productivity. You will produce your best work, rather than force through work that will only need editing or redoing.

Sticking to your schedule and creating a routine will help with your productivity. But it will also help your mental health. Sticking to a routine can help calm stress and anxiety. Especially if you have your day planned out in advance. (Plus, this can also help the work day pass more quickly.)

Beware Of Workaholic Tendencies

Working from home risks blurring the boundaries between your personal life and your work life. But, even if you enjoy your work, you need time to switch off. Working from home frees up time, mostly from your commute. But also from meetings and other delays during the day that you would otherwise experience in the office.

When it comes to missing unnecessary meetings, you can repurpose this time for work. But when it comes to your commute, use this as free personal time. Unless you own your own business, your employer only pays you for the hours that you work. If you spend more than your agreed hours working, then you will not be paid for it. And your personal life and mental health can deteriorate.

No matter how important your work is, it’s incredibly important to find a healthy work-life balance. Even if you absolutely adore your work, you shouldn’t be living to work. You should work to live. And any pleasure and enjoyment that comes with that work is a bonus. 

Beware of Slacking Off Work

On the flip side, working from home can also cause you to slack off more. If you don’t feel like anyone is watching your or tracking your hours, it can be tempting to work less than your agreed hours.

But it’s important to remember that “slacking off” doesn’t necessarily mean that you are lazy. Some people thrive in a Monday to Friday 9 to 5 environment. But not everyone works well in those conditions. Working from home means that you can acknowledge when your mind begins to drift. So you can stop working, go for a walk around the park, and then come back refreshed.

This will help to ease any stress you feel from trying to work when you’re not feeling motivated. 

Separate The Professional From the Personal

When it comes to home working, separating your professional life from your personal life is essential. If you don’t, then the likelihood will be that your work will become the primary focus of your life, and you will not be able to switch off from it.

When working in an office, you leave your work there when you leave for the day. And only pick it up again when you return in the morning. But when working from home, it is much easier to take a quick call in the evening or catch up on some work over the weekend.

The opposite, where your personal life invades your work life, is also possible. Especially if you have young children who are at home often. But this is very rarely the case.

The best thing to do is to have a separate workspace (as covered above). But also to have set hours when you work. So that you know when to switch off. If you have a tendency to overwork, then set a timer or use a project management tracker. 

This will also help at the end of the day or week. You will be able to look over all the hours you have spent working, as well as the work you have completed, and (hopefully) see just how much you have done.

This will give you a sense of accomplishment that you might not otherwise feel if you aren’t conscious of your work. So you can finish your work knowing that you have done enough and deserve your free time.

Benefits of Working From Home 

Working from home appears it is here to stay. And will probably become the most popular working style in the coming years. So, if you’re not yet convinced that home working is for you, here are just some of the major benefits of working from home.

Better Work-Life Balance

With no commute, you will have more free time. You also won’t need to get up to get ready any earlier. This means you can spend more time working out, having breakfast with your family, or just having another hour lie in.

You will also be able to spend more time with your family and friends in the evening. Knowing that you can have more control over your hours and structure your own work day.

Less Commute Stress

When working from home, you can tumble out of bed at 8:55 and start working. Rather than waking up at 5:30 to run to catch a train that will be overly filled and probably late.

You also won’t have to worry about being late for work because of busy traffic when your route to work is only a few steps.

Location Independence

Home working is sometimes referred to as “remote working”, but this can be a little different. Remote working means you can work wherever you like. If you feel that your distinction between your home and your work is blurring, you can go to work in a coffee shop or library. Or in whichever location you are most comfortable and productive.

Improved Inclusivity

This is often a surprising benefit for many people. But home working can broaden the job prospects of many people. This includes people with disabilities who otherwise could not work in an office or need more flexible hours. It can also broaden the scope for employees as companies can hire across the country, if not around the world.

You Might Save Money

This can be gas money, bus fare, or buying your lunch when you’re at the office. Your home electricity and heating bills will increase. But you should be able to claim home working tax breaks. Or you can ask your employer to subsidize these costs.

Positive Environmental Impact

With a reduced commute, there will be fewer cars and buses on the roads. So there will be a greater reduction in fumes and pollution. But, as mentioned above, there will be an increase in your use of heating, electricity, and water in your home. So, there is yet to be a final verdict on the environmental impact and sustainability of home working.

A Customizable Office

This is definitely one of the best things about working from home. Especially if you have your own home office. You will be able to decorate and style it however you like. This can improve your comfort and productivity.

A Happier, Healthier Work Life

Generally speaking, having control over your hours, having more free time, and being in a peaceful and personal environment will make your job much nicer. Working from home allows for a healthier and happier work life. Away from the gray corporate drudgery of most offices.

Summary

Working from home has a vast range of benefits. This includes productivity. But most of the benefits are for workers’ personal lives. Home working allows for a healthier work-life balance, saving money on travel and food, and having your own styled workspace that fits your tastes.

That said, there are some drawbacks to home working. Such as a feeling of isolation. As well as employees feeling as though they can’t as easily reach out to ask questions and get help.

But you can easily rectify these drawbacks. The benefits of home working definitely outweigh the negatives. 

Home working is, without a doubt, the future.

The post The Ultimate Guide to Working From Home appeared first on Home Office Warrior.

As time goes on, working from home is becoming more and more popular. As the 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic showed, many people can even be more productive when working from home. 

Of course, while there are a lot of benefits to working from home, there is one hurdle you need to get over before you get to work: setting up your home office.

There are a lot of things to consider, from the type of chair that you need to buy to the sort of laptop and internet you need to work to the best of your ability.

If you’ve never set up a home office before, then you will be pleased to know that we’re here to help. Read on for our total guide to setting up a home office for the best productivity. 

Find the most suitable for your workspace (dedicated workspace)

If you aren’t careful, working from home can mean losing the distinction between work life and home life. The first step to making the perfect home office is picking where you’ll be working every day. Although you technically could just use whatever space seems most convenient at the time, a designated spot is better.

So, the first thing that you need to do when it comes to setting up your home office is to find the best possible location to set up.

Having a dedicated home office will help you step out of home mode and into the work mentality, and you’ll end up getting more done. It also comes with the benefit of being able to step out of your office space and switch into a more relaxed, leisurely attitude when you’re done with work for the day.

This may be a little challenging if you have a cramped home, but here are just a couple of ideas. 

Spare Room

If you have a spare room, then it may be worth setting up your home office there.

A spare room could be a good place to get some peace and quiet so you can do your work.

Not only that, but you could permanently locate your office in this room and use it as a guest bedroom and home office combo.

This will really allow you to maximize the space in your home.

Of course, make sure that you have enough space for all of the essentials – your desk, a chair, etc. More on that later! 

Office

Of course, the most obvious choice for a home office is in an office.

Not every home has an office space, but if you happen to have one then it’s probably the best choice.

Home offices are quiet and you can design them in such a way that will allow you to concentrate the best.

You can also keep your office there permanently without having to make space for a guest who’s coming to stay, as you would with a spare room office.

You can make the color scheme and set it up completely to your liking – it could even double as a home library if you’re fond of reading! 

Living Room

Not everyone has enough rooms in their house for a dedicated office or a spare room, and that’s okay!

Setting up your home office in your living room is also a good choice.

But where exactly would you put a desk? Here are just a couple of ideas:

Behind the Sofa

If you have a pretty spacious living room then you could set up a desk to go behind the sofa.

This is especially good for open floor plans. All you need to do is grab yourself a lamp and a swivel chair.

You can even sit at your desk and watch TV during your lunch break – though, maybe not while you’re working as you may end up getting distracted! 

Nooks and Crannies

Again, if you have a spacious living room, the chances are that you have a whole bunch of little areas in your home that are just dead space. You can fill up that space with a home office.

If the space is small you can invest in a slightly smaller desk, and you can decorate by adding a bit of art. It shouldn’t be too difficult to get it to fit in with the rest of your living room. 

Try to find a place where you can get some peace and quiet when you’re working. You can always hang a curtain or use a closet space if you’re working with a studio apartment.

Passageways

You could try to put a desk into a passageway from the living room to another room to save a little bit of space.

In fact, you can make it look like a console table when it’s not in use and put a mirror above it. That way it will look welcoming even when it’s not being used as an office.

Dedicated Space

Once you’ve chosen your home office space, make a rule that you’ll only use it for work-related tasks.

If you start playing Sudoku puzzles or texting at your desk, you may have a harder time switching back to work mode when you need to. Keeping your work and leisure activities separate will ensure you can more adequately focus on both.

Tips For Small Spaces

Thankfully, with some creative thought and the right organizing of items, you can create a small home office quite easily. Your needs will differ based on how much room you have, of course, and whether or not you have roommates or live with family.

Here are some tips for furniture to select, along with ideas for reducing clutter and making the most of the space you have.

Organize, Organize, Organize

If you don’t know where to start, start by cutting out everything unnecessary to your work. Everything on your desk must help you work and be within reach. Decorative items should be left to the walls or shelves. Keep wires organized by tying them together neatly, or attached to the sides of desks or to the wall to keep the floor clear.

Organization is one of the most important factors when it comes to creating a home office in a small space. Get specific, labeled compartments for keeping different types of documents, such as “to sign” papers or outgoing mail. Make sure that you throw away unneeded papers as soon as you can to help yourself stay organized and free from clutter.

Another method for better organization in a small space is consolidating your devices. As of now, you probably have multiple office machines doing different tasks. You may want to consider upgrading to combination faxing, copying, and printing machines.

Consider a Paperless Office

Piles of paper can clutter your space within no time after you organize, so going paperless in your home office is one potential solution to this. There are many advantages to reducing or eliminating paper use:

• Fewer costs: Every piece of paper costs something, whereas every email is free. By reducing your paper usage, you’ll save on postage by using email instead of snail mail, and using less paper is better for the environment.
• Saving time: Hunting through a large file cabinet to find information can be a thing of the past if you move your information over to digital files. A digital storage method for your files will allow you to easily search your documents make them much easier to access quickly.
• Less clutter: By going paperless, you’re simply creating less clutter. Without a ton of pages to keep track of, you’ll use a lot less space.

Use Wall Shelving

Wall shelves don’t require as much space as other storage methods and take up no floor space. They’re also easy to install and can be used to put anything you want on them.

You can use wall shelving to hold papers, photos of loved ones, your clock, or whatever else you need.

Divide an Existing Room

If you’re working with a single bedroom apartment, you may have trouble finding the appropriate space. If this is the case for you, you can divide up an existing room for multiple uses.

For an office space, it’s best to use a corner so that you aren’t facing the rest of the place and getting distracted by your family or roommates. Bookshelves or bamboo dividers are great options for splitting up a room.

Spaces to Avoid 

Of course, just as some places are perfect for home offices, there are also places that you should try to avoid when setting up your working from home layout.

The biggest thing to avoid is putting your home office in your bedroom.

Despite the fact that this is a bad idea though, around 80% of people work from home from their bedrooms! 

The biggest reason for this is actually work life balance. You need a space where you can relax, and ideally that should be different from the place where you work.

When you’re working from your bedroom it can be difficult to switch off – you may be drawn to the laptop to answer some late night emails, and find yourself feeling like you never have a break.

Besides this, avoid working in any areas where there are dangers to your electronics, such as areas with lots of water. Seems kind of obvious, but we just thought we would mention it!

Home Office Money Saving Tips

Don’t have tons of cash to spend on a fancy setup? Thankfully, you can get creative and save money, while creating an awesome workspace.

Here are some tips to help you along the way:

Use What You’ve Got

You might already have some items around the house that you can use to create a great home office space. Search your closet for printer paper, staplers, and other small items you may need.

Also consider ideas like repurposing your old dresser and using it to store your office files.

Paint Your Space Yourself

Instead of hiring a company to paint your office space, consider doing it yourself. If you aren’t very experienced or confident about this, ask around and find a friend or relative willing to help you.

Choosing an inspiring color to paint your office will help you feel better in your space and get more work done.

Go Paperless

Using paper for all of your work duties is not only outdated but unnecessarily expensive. There’s the cost of paper itself to consider, in addition to the cost of running the electronics involved in printing, faxing, and scanning.

While you’ll still likely need these devices in your workspace, you’d do well to depend on them less. Set up a paperless home office to save some cash. You’ll also find that it gives you more peace of mind and enhances organization in addition to saving you money.

Buy Used Items

Need a desk lamp or filing cabinet for your home office? Instead of buying new items, try looking at Craigslist or going to yard sales to find what you need. When people move or renovate their homes, they often get rid of high-quality, brand name items that they just don’t have room for any more.

Ask Your Friends

You might not have to spend anything to get the basics set up in your home office. You can make a Facebook post asking your friends or family if they have any old office furniture or supplies you can use. You may even be able to trade some old items you don’t need anymore. This will be much cheaper than buying office products new.

 Buy High-Quality Items

This may sound counterintuitive since higher quality items cost more. But when you buy great products the first time, you don’t have to keep replacing them, and you’ll save money in the long run.

One example is opting for a glass chair mat instead of a polyurethane mat. A glass mat is much sturdier and won’t crack or fade, so you only have to buy it one time.

When furnishing your office, emphasize value for the money rather than the lowest cost.

Decorate Your Space Yourself

You don’t need to hire a designer to get your office set up the way you want it. Look into creative office décor ideas to get some inspiration.

Learning a little more about DIY projects or crafting, like building furniture, will help you customize the space to your exact tastes on a budget.

Buy in bulk

Whether it is groceries or office supplies, buying in bulk is a great way to save money. You might not use that giant box of paper clips in the next two months, but buying them in bulk now means you will not have to shell out more money later.

Choose furniture that does double duty

There is no reason your office bookcase cannot also hold your DVD collection, so make your furniture do double duty. The fewer pieces you have to buy, the more money you will save. 

Finding creative ways to use wall space is another way of maximizing the utility of your space.

Save on Printing Costs

If you are not able to go totally paperless, here are some ways to save on printing.

Inkjet refills and replacement laser toner cartridges can really take a toll on your budget, but doing your own refills can save you a lot of money. Look for printers whose cartridges are easily refilled – it will save you a ton of money in the long run.

Printing on just one side can be very wasteful. Use the double-sided feature on your printer to double the capacity of your paper supply and make your dollars stretch twice as far.

“I have reports and proposals I sometimes send out to clients,” says Sarah over at The Toddle. “You’d be surprised how much I save simply by double-sided printing everything that comes out of my home office.”

Consider getting a monochrome printer. Save the full-color printing for business-critical communications and use black and white for everything else. Even if you are printing a full-color website or document, choosing the black and white setting can conserve your ink and save you money.

Office furniture

Now that you’ve decided upon the location of your home office, it’s now time to figure out what furniture you need. It’s hard to know where to start with buying furniture, so here are the key things that you need. 

Ergonomic Chair / Office Chair

The first thing to think about is your office chair.

The right chair will improve your posture, provide lumbar support, and keep you comfortable while you work.

Some people may wish to stand at their desk (more on that later) but most people like somewhere that they can rest their legs while they work.

For that, you need a good office chair.

One of the most important parts of a productive workspace is the furniture. You’re going to spend a lot of time in your chair (unless you get a standing desk), so you must make sure it’s both comfortable and good for your posture. 

Ideally opt for an ergonomic office chair if you have the budget for it.

When you’re working at any job that requires you to be stationed at a computer screen, you’re sitting for a long time, so it’s important to think about your health while you’re sitting.

Neglecting to think about your comfort and posture can cause health issues later down the line.

So why get an ergonomic office chair? 

• They’re designed to support you as you sit for long time periods. They’re more comfortable than normal office chairs, and this is usually because you can make alterations to the chair based on your personal needs. You can adjust things like the backrest, the arms, the height of the chair and more. 
• Ergonomic office chairs help to encourage you to have good posture. They tend to curve around where your lower back would be, which mimics the shape of your spine. It encourages a natural posture.
• Ergonomic office chairs are also good as they align your pelvis and hips. This means that there’s less stress on these areas, meaning you’re less likely to damage your body and you will feel comfortable for longer.
• They’re comfortable! One of the principal reasons that people invest in ergonomic office chairs is that they are much more comfortable to sit in for long periods of time. Not only are they made of much better materials, but the cushioning is usually thicker and designed to perfectly reflect your body. You can keep everything from your elbows to your knees comfortable – this isn’t always the case with all office chairs. 
• They’re good for people with chronic pain conditions.

Of course, there are a few key things to look out for when you’re buying an office chair, whether or not it’s ergonomic. 

The price is the first thing to keep in mind. Ergonomic office chairs can be pretty expensive, so it’s no wonder why some people opt for models without that extra support.

With that being said, still look for a chair with a good amount of support, especially if you’re going to be sitting in it for a long period.

You also need to think about whether the chair has adjustable height. We aren’t all the same height, and maybe a chair’s standard height is too high or low to allow you to work properly.

If you can adjust it, then you don’t need to worry as you can get the right height for you.

Remember, when sitting you need to be able to sit with your feet totally flat on the ground, making sure you don’t compress the thighs while doing so. 

If you have the budget or you’re particular about it, it’s also worth considering the color and design of the chair.

It’s nice to have an office chair that fits the rest of your decor and style – you may even feel more comfortable working if it does! 

Always consider lumbar support too, as it will make you feel more comfortable in the lower back.

You may end up spending a bit more money for this feature, but it’s certainly worth the investment. Adjustable lumbar support is even better if you can find a chair that offers it. 

Desk / Standing Desk / Alternative (Laptop Stand)

The next thing to consider is your desk. There are a few options available.

Standard Desk

The first option is a standard desk. This is basically what you would expect to see in pretty much any kind of office environment.

It’s a flat surface that you can put your computer and paperwork on so you can go about your workday, sitting comfortably in your office chair.

These desks are usually roughly 30 inches tall, and this works fine for most people. With that being said, it’s not always a suitable option for taller people.

Some standard desks also have things like adjustable leg heights which are particularly handy.

Standing Desks

You could also invest in a standing desk. But what exactly is a standing desk?

Standing desks can also come in a range of forms, some designed for treadmills, and others that can actually be used with a stationary bike or treadmill. 

There are a wide range of different benefits of standing desks, or even sit to standing desks that can be completely adjusted based on whether you want to sit or stand.

We all know now that being sedentary and staying sat down for too long can sometimes be bad for your health, and so a standing desk is great for combatting the problems caused by having a sedentary lifestyle.

If you opt for a version that you can use with a treadmill, you can even get some exercise in as you work!

Here are some great home office standing desk options.

Alternative Desk Options

Perhaps a home office desk is not convenient for you – it isn’t the best choice for everyone.

Maybe you don’t have a great deal of space, or you don’t want a desk looking out of place in your living room. Thankfully, there are a wide range of different alternatives you can use for desks, including:

• Ironing Board

So maybe right now you’re only using your ironing board to, well, iron your laundry. It may surprise you to know is that an ironing board is much more versatile than just that – you can also use it as a desk!

This only really applies to a height adjustable ironing board, but you can often change the position so it can double as a sitting and standing ironing board. 

• Bookshelf Desk

If you’re a big fan of reading, you’re going to love this desk idea. Have a look for desks that have built-in shelves where you can put things such as books and work. Multifunctional desk spaces? Yes please! 

• Portable Desk

Do you fancy working straight from the sofa for a while? If so, then a portable desk may be a good idea for you. These desks can fit right on top of your lap, and you can usually fold them down afterwards.

This means that once you’re done, you can simply slot the desk into a small nook in your living room and it won’t take up a great deal of space.

Also ideal for working on a commute where there are no desks available on your mode of transport. 

The Benefits of Good Posture 

So why is it so important to have the right choice of office chair and office desk? That’s simple – it all comes down to posture.

Posture is important in general – after all, why else would your mother have told you not to slough as a child?

It’s especially important when you’re sitting for long hours, however. The benefits to having good posture truly are endless, but here are just a few.

• Better Breathing

As you most likely know by now, considering you’re reading this article, breathing is pretty important! What you may not know, however, is that poor posture can negatively affect your lungs and your breathing capabilities.

The muscles around your lungs can start to shorten as you slouch, and this means that it’s a lot harder to breathe in deeply. If you simply sit with a good posture, you can improve your breathing capabilities. It certainly makes living much more comfortable! 

• Relieves Back Pain

If you struggle with back pain, it may help to reassess your posture.

Sitting correctly can help to ensure that your joints, bones, ligaments and muscles are all aligned correctly, and this means that not only are you less likely to have back pain in the first place, but if you are currently struggling with it, then you may get a little relief.

If you continuously get back pain regardless of this, then it’s worth seeing a doctor as there may be something deeper going on, but having good posture can certainly help for many people. 

• Better Digestion and Circulation

Having better posture helps to ensure that all of your organs will stay in the position where they best operate naturally.

If you aren’t sitting properly then the way that your organs function and flow can be disrupted, which could cause issues like constipation, acid reflux and more.

Making the conscious effort to sit in a good posture can help with this. 

• Better Concentration

It stands to reason that if you have better oxygen and blood flow from improving your posture, that you can also concentrate and focus that much easier. Your boss will certainly be pleased! 

• Reduced Fatigue and Depression

Wait – your sitting position can influence your mood?

You bet!

A study by the San Francisco State University showed that changing body posture can actually improve both your mood and your energy.

Your posture can influence your state of mind, as when you’re feeling happy and optimistic your posture is more likely to be upright and open rather than slumped over.

Little things like this can really help if you want to change your mood. 

Office hardware 

So now you’ve got your desk and your office chair at the ready, but you can’t do your work without that all important office hardware!

An office is only as good as its office equipment.

The specific tools you’ll need for your business will depend on the nature of your work, of course, but you can get the common staples set up first. Designate a spot for your laptop computer or PC.

One of my home office pet peeves is having an unorganized jumble of cables near my desk.  Here’s our article on keeping your office equipment cables organized.

Here’s everything that you are going to need to make your home office a success. 

Laptops

Laptops are by far one of the most important pieces of office equipment today.

Accessing the internet is essential for everything from data management, to accessing CRM systems, to doing research and more.

For that reason it’s important to ensure that you get a laptop that will fit your purpose.

For instance, if you work in cyber security then you may need a more powerful laptop than someone that’s mainly using their laptop to access the internet and Microsoft Office packages. 

Now you aren’t necessarily restricted to a laptop if you don’t want one. If you are going to be solely working from home then you could invest in a desktop computer.

These are pretty handy for when you want to upgrade later down the line, as you can often just replace the hardware inside – something much harder to do when you use a laptop.

If you are going to be working in several locations though, consider getting a laptop as they are portable. 

Other things that you will need to consider are the speed of the laptop, the RAM, the amount of hardware space on the laptop and the type of hard drive that the laptop has.

Make sure that you fully consider your needs before you invest, though, and consider whether you are going to be using the laptop for other things such as gaming that will require more power. 

Monitors

Monitors are pretty crucial if you choose to go for a desktop computer.

Without one, you won’t be able to see what you’re working on, making the machine basically redundant.

Of course, that’s not all that monitors are useful for.

If you’re using a laptop, it can often be handy to have monitors.

This isn’t applicable if you’re working out of the house or from a location without a lot of desk space, but having multiple monitors means you are looking directly ahead of you instead of looking down, which may mean that you have less strain on your neck.

Besides this, if you are doing work that requires you to focus on a few different things at once, then getting dual monitors can be handy and can save you a lot of time on changing tabs. 

To buy your monitor, consider key factors such as the display quality, the size of screen that you will need and how easy it is to set up.

Keyboards, Mouse and Web Camera

There are a few other things that you will need for setting up your home office – a keyboard, a mouse, and a web camera.

First of all you need to think about your mouse.

Now, what you get will largely depend on your preferences, but there are a few things to keep in mind.

Would you rather have a wireless mouse or a wired mouse?

Both have their own benefits and weaknesses.

For instance, you may need to consider replacing batteries if you have a wireless mouse, whereas this likely wouldn’t be an issue if you had a wired mouse.

Consider other purposes too – a mouse you’re using purely for work may be very different from one that you also intend to use for things like gaming.

Also, since you will be using your mouse for hours on end, consider an ergonomic mouse if you have any pain issues.

Second, your keyboard.

Typing can be a little difficult if you don’t have a decent keyboard which is especially important if you write for a living.

Consider whether the keyboard’s keys are well spaced apart to allow you to type efficiently. If you’re a night owl that likes to work in the twilight hours, perhaps you could opt for a backlit keyboard.

There are also wireless Bluetooth keyboards that can be rather handy, especially if you want to type on a device like a tablet or iPad as Bluetooth keyboards can sometimes link up to them.

It’s an excellent choice if you’re often on the move!

Finally, your web camera. A lot of laptops and monitors will come with a web camera built in, but this is not always the case.

In addition to this, the web camera that comes with your device may not be that good, which is inconvenient if you will often have virtual meetings with clients and coworkers.

Mobile Phone

There’s usually no need to set up a landline telephone anymore, except for a few special situations. If you spend a lot of time on the phone for your business, you may want to consider getting a landline instead of a cellphone for your business calls.

In some cases you may need a conference phone but for most a mobile phone is all you need.

These days, you can use a mobile phone virtually anywhere.

In fact, today it’s pretty much essential to invest in a decent mobile phone with plenty of calls and texts if you’re working from home.

Have a look at what your local providers can offer you if you’re running your own business, as there are often plans available for businesses.

Otherwise, your employer may provide you with a phone of your own. 

You may wonder whether you should really invest in a new mobile phone for work when you already have a personal phone.

It’s often best to invest in a mobile phone specifically for work if you can, as this can help you with work life balance. 

Other Office Equipment

There are a few other items you may need depending on the type of work.

Having a printer set up can save time if you need hardcopies of a document. Personally, I also prefer reading paper documents vs reading them on a computer screen.

Some lines of work, such as real estate agenst, frequently require a fax machine to send a receive documents.

To safely dispose of old bank statements, documents with personal information, and other types of confidential documents, invest in a good paper shredder to safely dispose of documents.

Microphone

Going back to the point about getting a decent webcam, you will also need a good microphone if you are going to be doing a lot of video conferences.

Consider a quality microphone that will help your coworkers and clients to hear you well.

As with webcams, many laptops and monitors will already come with microphones but they often won’t give you the best audio quality. 

Accessories e.g. USB Adapters, Cables and AC Adapters

You should also think about investing in some extra accessories so you can do your job well.

For instance, a Wi-Fi USB adapter will be handy if you’re out on the go without access to your usual Wi-Fi network.

You should also invest in other things such as memory sticks, external hard drives, and other data storage systems.

AC adapters and Cables can also come in handy when you need to connect things to your laptop or computer. Just don’t forget the cable management solutions.

Read more about essential home office technology.

Headphones

When you’re working from home, there’s a chance that you may not be alone.

No, we don’t mean that your house is haunted – you may have your spouse nearby, or your children, or your housemates.

The last thing that your friends and family want to deal with is hearing your clients on your computer, and you may also have a call that’s confidential that you don’t want anyone hearing.

For this situation, investing in a good pair of headphones can be incredibly beneficial. You can also get some noise-canceling headphones to help to ensure that you don’t get distracted by the ambient sounds.

Speakers

On the flip side of that, sometimes you may enjoy blasting some music to entertain you while you work.

Or perhaps you aren’t alone and you would prefer not to wear headphones.

Your laptop may have speakers, but they may not be particularly powerful.

In this case, you may like to buy a pair of speakers online that can help you hear things more clearly. 

Notepad / Whiteboard

There are very few people out there that have impeccable memory.

If you have a photographic memory, this tip may not be helpful, but for the rest of us having a notepad on hand with a lot of paper inside can be very handy. I often use it for taking notes during meetings or to give myself memos.

If you’re in a Zoom meeting or you’re trying to do some planning, having a whiteboard can also be helpful for you to jot down your ideas and notes.

Alexa or Google Dot

A recent addition to the office equipment world, devices such as Alexa and the Google Dot can be incredibly helpful.

Have a question? Ask Alexa.

Want to set a reminder that you have a meeting at noon? Ask Google Dot.

You can also ask them to do other things such as play music and games, for those times when you have a rare 15 minute break to enjoy. 

Software and Apps that enable productivity 

Working from home poses its own challenges as well as benefits, but one of the biggest issues for working from home is trying to stay connected to those around you.

This can be challenging when you’re trying to get a remote team to work together.

Of course, technology has also advanced to the point where this need not be an issue. Here are some apps and software that can be incredibly helpful for remote teams working from home. 

Zoom

If you’ve lived through 2020, it’s pretty unlikely by this point that you haven’t heard of Zoom.

This video conferencing software has revolutionized the way we communicate to people from a distance – it’s not even just for businesses either.

We’re sure you’ve heard of a Zoom quiz before! 

With Zoom, you can continue to have regular meetings both with coworkers and with your clients just by clicking a few buttons.

You don’t even need to change out of your pajama bottoms if you don’t want to – though, we certainly recommend doing so! 

Zoom is pretty simple to use. You can visit the Zoom website and set up an account using either your personal or work email address.

You can use it for free up to a point, but if you want extra things such as admin controls and recording, you can invest in Zoom Pro. This is often an excellent choice for businesses.

Once you have chosen your plan, you can then download Zoom onto your computer or on your mobile device.

You are going to need to have a microphone and camera in order to use Zoom, so make sure that you have decent ones available to you. 

If you want to spice up your weekly meetings, you can also do things like change the backgrounds of the video.

This is useful if you have an enormous pile of unfolded laundry lurking behind you that you don’t want anyone to see.

If you have weekly meetings, you can also set up Zoom to connect with your calendar so you will have a weekly reminder that it’s time to jump on a call.

Slack

Another useful tool is Slack.

Slack is a direct messaging software – sort of like WhatsApp or Facebook messenger.

The difference is that it’s designed for remote teams. 

Using slack, you can speak directly with your coworkers and employees without needing to have a meeting every time.

Simply send them a direct message.

Need to write a message to a group of different people? You can set up ‘channels’ where you can talk about specific things.

You can create channels for certain teams and set them to private so that nobody else on the team can view what you’re saying unless you want them to.

You can also save messages and pin important information on certain channels.

If you need to, you can also see older messages, though you will need to upgrade your plan if you want to see messages from a couple of months ago. 

Slack is ideal for remote teams – in fact, if your team wants to get a little silly you can even set your own emojis and reactions! Pretty cool, huh? 

Office / Google Drive 

Microsoft Office Drive and Google Drive are also pretty useful, both for individuals and remote teams.

With these tools, your team can save documents all in one place.

On your office or Microsoft drive, you will have access to all key documents for your company, and your staff can save things on the drive that other members of the team can access.

It’s a great way to ensure that all of your information and projects are in the right place, and you can share anything from videos, to spreadsheets to word documents. It’s very versatile.

Asana

Asana is another fantastic tool for organizing remote teams.

With this program, you can set up projects and you can assign them to members of your team – or they can assign themselves!

You can set it up by order of priority so you can ensure that all projects and tasks are done in a timely manner.

It’s a great way to ensure that everything in your business is running smoothly, and for managing the workload of your team. 

Lighting 

Lights, camera, action! When working from home, it’s essential to make sure that you have the right kind of lighting so that you can do your work effectively.

Natural lighting is ideal for productivity, reducing eye strain, and general health. But if you tend to work at night or your workspace doesn’t have a lot of natural light, look into getting a desk lamp for your home office.

Having adequate lighting will help you stay focused on your work tasks. Also, some people get headaches working for long stretches with poor lighting. Here are some lamp options if you suffer from migraines.

So let’s talk about natural and artificial lighting. 

Natural or Artificial 

So what’s better – natural or artificial lighting? 

Natural lighting is pretty important for a home office. See this NREL report on the effects of natural lighting (pdf from nrel.gov.

Natural light can help you to save some energy bills during the day, as you won’t need any other lighting.

Seeing the natural light can also help to improve mood and reduce fatigue.

In fact, the Harvard Business Review actually found that having a significant source of natural lighting was a huge priority for employees. 

With that being said, natural lighting isn’t always an option. Perhaps you’re in a location with smaller windows, or maybe you’re working during the nighttime.

In this situation make sure that you have some good artificial lighting too.

It’s good to have some bright overhead lighting (not too bright – you don’t want to get headaches!) and also invest in a desk lamp to allow you to see things like documents more easily from up close. 

Plants

Once you’re done with all of the essentials, it’s time to start making your home office really feel like your own.

Just because you’re inside working doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy nature a bit at the same time.

A clinical space may mean that it’s harder for you to focus or stay in one place, but giving your space a little bit more personality is key in optimizing your performance.

One way to give your home office some life is to invest in a bit of greenery to adorn the room.

There are a wide range of benefits to having plants in your home office, including:

• Stress Reduction

One study from the University of Technology in Sydney showed workers were significantly less stressed in work when there were plants in the area.

People are far less anxious and tense when there are plants around them.

This could be because some psychology studies have shown that the color green can relax and calm people. So keep some houseplants in your office to improve your mental health and productivity.

Perhaps you could paint your home office green too? 

• Better Productivity

Having plants in your home office may also help you be more productive. Human beings are designed to be around nature, so we work well in an environment with a lot of plants.

Plants make you feel good and give you a deeper connection with the surrounding environment, so having them nearby can be a good way for you to enjoy your time working a little more.

• It’s Healthy! 

You probably won’t be surprised to learn that having plants in the home is very good for you.

Plants release oxygen and take in carbon dioxide, which makes your office space much healthier to live and breathe in. They’re also very good for your skin. 

• They Look Attractive

Let’s face it – sometimes an office can look pretty boring. You can add some natural beauty to your home office just by adding a plant or two to the room.

This can help to uplift your mood, and they look good both to you and to any visitors. 

So, if you needed an excuse to go to your local garden center, you can use any of these! 

If you’re like me and aren’t blessed with a green thumb, try at least to position your work desk so that you can see some greenery outside.

As a bonus, take frequent walks out in the fresh air to keep your mind and body alert and awake.

Make it Personal 

The last step in creating your perfect home office is adding your own personal touch. 

Some days, you’ll spend more time in your home office than in other parts of your home. It’s in your best interest to personalize the place and make it feel a little more like home. 

Have Music Available

Music is powerful. Used correctly, it can improve your focus and productivity. Just setting the right music can help get you in the right mood – and you’ll need to do that at some point.

The grind will get to you as it gets to everyone. Music can help you focus on an important task. It could inspire you or calm you down, depending on your needs.

Photographs of loved ones

Why are you working? For many people, the enjoyment of working is their driving force, but this isn’t the case for everyone.

For some, a reminder of why you’re picking up your laptop and making calls is exactly what you need to stay motivated.

For this reason, it’s helpful to have a few photos of your loved ones in your home office to remind you why you work in the first place.

Art Prints

Get yourself on Etsy or Amazon and look for a couple of art prints to add some extra fun to your home office!

There are a range of styles available – you can even get some custom prints if you want to! If you’re feeling extra creative, you could also make your own.

Having a few prints on the wall is a great way to make your home office look and feel a little more lively.

Conclusion

So that’s everything that you need to know about creating your own home office!

With the right set up, working from home has never been easier and you can be sure that you will be just as productive as you are in an office building! 

Citations

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0003687019300304?via%3Dihub

https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887323551004578116922977737046

https://news.sfsu.edu/research-posture-yields-insight-treating-depression

https://hbr.org/2018/09/the-1-office-perk-natural-light

https://www.greenlifeindustry.com.au/Attachment?Action=Download&Attachment_id=1430

The post The Complete Guide to Setting Up A Home Office appeared first on Home Office Warrior.

You don’t have to look far to find several types of printer paper available for different uses. The paper you use to print photos, for example, will differ from what you’d use for work print-outs.

It’s important to choose paper with the right weight to get the results you’re looking for. Printing that includes a lot of images, for example, should be done on paper at least a bit thicker than standard copy paper. For super high-quality images, buying specific photo paper is advisable.

Using the correct paper for your printer will help you avoid waste and save money on printer ink.

To help save you some time, I’ve put together this guide outlining the best types of paper for different uses. I’ll also cover some frequently asked questions about printer paper.

Best Paper for Inkjet Printing

Inkjet printing recreates digital images with ink droplets and plastic substrates. This type of printer is the most commonly used type. You’ll find models in all price ranges, from budget friendly to high-end choices.

Our top pick for inkjet printing paper is the  No products found.. Made with renewable resources, this paper is acid-free to maintain quality over time.

The paper is whiter, brighter, and thicker than other types of multipurpose printing paper. Brighter paper leads to a crisper final result.

Best Paper for Photos

While you can print photos on ordinary paper, the images will never look as crisp as they do with photo paper. Our favorite type is the No products found..

This glossy, vibrant option gives you clear, high-quality pictures at an affordable price. Canon photo papers also use a coating that will absorb ink quickly to prevent smearing.

Best Paper for Color Printing

Color printing reproduces colored text or images rather than creating standard black and white results. Our favorite paper for color printing is the No products found.. This bright paper has heavyweight quality for premium full-color images.

The super smooth surface is dependable and has been optimized for HP technology. However, it will also work well with all standard printers.

Best Paper for Laser Jet Printing

Laser printing produces high-quality graphics and text using a laser beam. Note that laser jet printing can produce moderate quality photos, but won’t work as well as photo paper.

Our top pick for laser jet printing paper is the No products found. Multipurpose Copy Paper. Made in the United States, Hammermill Multipurpose Paper is jam-free and offers bolder blacks, brighter colors, and faster drying ink.

Best Printer Paper for Documents

The best type of paper for printing text is ordinary lightweight paper. Our favorite option for documents is the No products found..

This paper is made in the USA and guaranteed to be jam free. Hammermill paper is acid-free, preventing your sheets from turning yellow over time. It also helps ink dry faster than average so you’ll have fewer issues with smearing.

Photo Printer Paper Types

Photo paper is typically bleached and has a higher quality. It’s coated with wax so the ink stays in place and produces a super clear image.

You can choose from a variety of choices for photo paper depending on your needs. Popular options include matte, glossy, canvas, and woven photo paper.

We’ll look closely at a few of these below:

Glossy Photo Paper

Glossy photo paper, like the CanonInk Paper just mentioned above, has a reflective, smooth surface. This finish allows for the slick feel and high-contrast appearance of images printed on glossy photo paper.

Matte Photo Paper

Matte options for printing, such as the No products found. have a non-glare, smooth surface. Keep in mind, it produces a lower-contrast image than glossy paper.

People often choose matte photo paper to enhance a print’s texture. The Canon 7981A004 Matte Paper works great for paper crafts, displays, and greeting cards.

Canvas Photo Paper

Canvas photo paper uses a pronounced and decorative fabric texture. Due to its cloth-like look, this type of print is great for gift ideas, framing, and scrapbooking needs.

Our favorite type of canvas photo paper is No products found. Sheets. This printable canvas is made with 100 percent cotton.

It has a light texture and a high-resolution coating for super clear images. You can print with your printer, or even pigmented or dye-based inks.

In addition to the types of paper already listed, you can find transfer photo paper, magnet sheets, textured photo paper, and sticker printer paper.

Frequently Asked Printer Paper Questions

Below, I’ll cover some common questions people have about printer paper:

Q: What is the difference between copy paper and printer paper?

Printer paper is thicker and a bit more expensive than copy paper. If you’re printing text documents, either type will work fine. The only difference will be how much light shows through the paper, which is related to its weight.

If you’re printing something with images, thicker paper is better. While you can print on non-printer paper, it will lead to a slightly wet, heavily saturated result. And the images won’t be as clear.

Q: Can you put photo paper in a normal printer?

Most recent computer printers allow you to use photo paper with printing. To find out whether yours has this capability, look at the instructions that came with your purchase. If it’s compatible with photo paper, there will be specific directions on how to print with it.

Q: What’s the maximum paper weight for Inkjet printers?

Inkjet printers can usually handle thicker paper, such as card stock. There is no limit for inkjet printers that applies to every model across the board.

If you need to know whether your printer accepts a certain weight of paper, look at the manufacturing instructions. Always check before attempting to put heavy paper through the machine, or you’ll risk damaging it.

Ready to Choose Some Paper?

Now you know a bit more about the best type of paper for different needs. Using thicker paper tends to result in a more professional look. It also works better for print-outs with a lot of images.

Always make sure the paper you’re using aligns with your printing goals before you print. Many home offices will benefit from keeping a few different types of paper on hand for this purpose. Thanks for reading!

Featured Image: Photo by Fernando Arcos from Pexels

The post How to Choose the Right Printer Paper appeared first on Home Office Warrior.

If you travel often for work, a webcam can mean the difference between making it to important meetings and missing out on essential information. Not to mention that, with a quality option, you’ll never have to worry about sound or picture issues again.

We’ll cover what to look for in a webcam to use with GoToMeeting. Then we will talk about the 5 best picks on the market right now.

What to Look for in a Webcam for GoToMeeting

If you’re considering a new webcam for work purposes, it’s important that you know what to look for. Below, I’ll go over some essential features to make sure your webcam has:

Autofocus

Autofocus is an important feature for people who need their camera to capture moving subjects. If you plan to use your webcam for meetings where everyone is sitting, this is less important. However, it’s an invaluable feature if your camera will capture any movement.

Quality Sound

Sound is one of the most essential features when it comes to choosing a webcam.

Do you need to capture 10 people’s voices?

How large is the room you’ll be using the webcam in?

These are important questions to ask yourself before you buy a webcam. And check the manufacturing details and user reviews to find out whether the product you’re considering is powerful enough.

Construction

There are several factors to consider when you’re looking at the construction of different webcams.

• How large is the device, and is it suitable for travel?
• Is the lens made of plastic or glass?
• Is the body of the webcam plastic or metal?

If you plan to travel with your webcam often, durable materials are better.

The Best Webcams for GoToMeeting

Now that you know what to look for in a webcam, it’s time to discuss the 5 best options. I’ll cover a high-end pick, a budget option, and a few in-between choices.

Best High-End Webcam

The Meeting Owl Pro

Our favorite high-end webcam for GoToMeeting is the No products found., which is the top pick with 1080 resolution and 360-degree video. The camera automatically shifts focus to whoever is speaking, so you can easily follow the conversation.

The Meeting Owl Pro combines the speaker, camera, and mic into one convenient device. It uses 8 smart mics and works within an impressive 18-foot radius.

Pros

• Android and iOS mobile apps
• Works within 18-foot radius
• Easy to set up and use
• 360-degree view

Cons

• Meeting analytics not available with Android app yet
• Wi-Fi connection is shaky in some work spaces
• Expensive option

No products found. at Amazon.

Best Budget Pick

The Logitech HD Pro Webcam C920

Our favorite budget webcam for GoToMeeting is the No products found.. This option features a 5-foot cable, 720p HD video calling and HD video recording. It also uses built-in dual stereo microphones, automatic correction for low lighting, and automatic noise reduction.

The universal clip is tripod ready and fits monitors, LCD, and laptops. Note that this camera works better for closeup video and doesn’t focus very far away.

Pros

• Top-quality picture and video
• Great lighting adjustments
• Fast, smooth video
• Widescreen
• Affordable

Cons

• Doesn’t focus well at a distance
• Built-in mics could be better
• Cord is short

No products found. at Amazon.

The AVer Information CAM520 Plug-N-Play Conference Camera

The No products found. is another exciting prospect for GoToMeeting use. This plug-n-play conference camera offers 10 camera presets and high definition video with 1080p quality.

The AVer Information CAM520 Conference Webcam delivers smooth panning. And it even captures tiny details with clarity.

You can use it with virtually any laptop or desktop using a USB cable. It’s easy to operate, even for webcam newbies. This system is compatible with several applications including Google Hangout, ZOOM, and Skype in addition to GoToMeeting.

Pros

• Focus and zoom are quick and accurate
• Works well in a large conference room
• Good brightness control
• Great for broadcast

Cons

• Remote doesn’t always work great
• Expensive

No products found. at Amazon.

The Logitech Conference Cam BCC950

The No products found. is great for small-group conferences. It features superior audio for speakerphone calls and professional HD video quality. The Autofocus feature results in detailed close up images and razor-sharp video.

The Logitech Conference Cam BCC950 utilizes plug-n-play USB connectivity. It works with most meetings services or video conferencing apps. It also uses zoom, tilt, and remote-control video pan to ensure visibility for the whole group.

Keep in mind that the Logitech Conference Cam BCC950 isn’t cheap, but you get what you pay for. This webcam is best suited for people who don’t have to travel and bring their camera with them often. It’s sturdy and better designed for keeping in one place.

Pros

• Omni-directional microphone pickup
• Base control or remote control
• Works up to 8 feet away
• Echo cancellation audio
• Easy, simple setup

Cons

• Not the most portable option
• Limited additional software
• Expensive price

The Logitech Conference Cam BCC950 utilizes plug-n-play USB connectivity. It works with most meetings services or video conferencing apps. It also uses zoom, tilt, and remote-control video pan to ensure visibility for the whole group.

No products found. at Amazon.

CAM340+ USB 4K Conference Camera

The No products found. provides super sharp video. The CAM340 is made with a multi-lens glass and top-notch quality sensors for accurate, beautiful color.

It uses a 120-degree wide angle free from distortion. It’s great for huddle room environments and works well in any lighting.

The CAM340+ provides tilt, pan, and 4x HD optical zoom. You can zoom in and move around with no worries.

The CAM340+ USB 4K Conference Camera doesn’t require a power cable or additional mount. There are no drivers to install, and it works with all your favorite apps.

Pros

• Plug-n-play capabilities
• Great picture quality
• Good zoom feature

Cons

• Driver issues may be present
• On the expensive side

No products found. at Amazon.

Webcams can make a vast difference for the quality of your remote meetings. Make sure you choose one that’s compatible with the size room you plan to use it in.

Some only work for smaller rooms, so this is essential to consider before you buy.

And, once you purchase a high-quality webcam, you’ll wonder how you ever survived without one. Good luck!

Image by mohamed Hassan from Pixabay

The post The Best Webcam for GoToMeeting appeared first on Home Office Warrior.

Even as the world has moved toward cell phones and videoconferencing like GoToMeeting, there is still a place for a landline conference phone.

When having a more serious meeting in a professional setting, a regular desktop speakerphone simply won’t cut it. Beyond the inconvenience caused by not having a real conference phone, you’re sending a message of mediocrity.

If you can’t even invest in the right equipment to ensure the best communications with your business partners and clients, they will have no reason to trust the quality of your work.

If you’re in a hurry our two best picks are the No products found. (full featured), or the No products found.  (budget pick)

A conference phone is an indispensable tool for any self-respecting professional. It’ll provide you with higher sound quality and added features to make your calls a much better experience in every respect.

But to choose your conference phone, there are several key features to look for.

How to Choose a Conference Phone

Picking the ideal conference phone for your needs will depend on the context and conditions in which you’re going to use it. Conference phones may seem like they’re all the same, but the slight differences could be game-changers for your specific situation.

To get the perfect fit, there are a few essential factors to take into consideration. Let’s review them.

Power Source

Conference phones generally use AC adapters or Power over Ethernet (PoE), but some of them can also be powered by USB or rechargeable batteries.

Connection Type

Depending on the power source you use, there are different connection types. Modern conference phones can connect via DECT, USB, cell phone, or wirelessly. You’ll want to pick the most convenient option for your needs.

Portability

You may have to have meetings while you’re out and about. In that case, you’ll need a portable conference phone. You’ll need the right connection type, as some conference phones are wireless, battery operated, and can connect to PCs via USB or mobile networks such as 4G.

Room Size

Microphone pickup range and speaker quality can vary depending on conference phones. The larger the room, the more powerful and robust your device will need to be.

There are also expansion microphone kits you can use to widen the audio range of your phone if you find yourself in larger rooms.

Call Recording

You may need to record meetings for various purposes, such as sharing them with coworkers, reviewing them later, or for training purposes.

If that feature is important to you, you might want to go for a newer model. They often have a built-in recording function with an SD Memory Card that makes recording your meetings as easy as ever.

The 5 Best Conference Phones

Now that we’ve seen what to look for in a conference phone, let’s review the best picks:

Best Budget Pick

The eMeet M1 Black Conference Speakerphone

No products found. Click image to learn more at Amazon.

The No products found. boasts quite an affordable price. It’s very compact and easy to use. It works best in smaller- or medium-sized rooms, with meetings not exceeding 5 people.

Pros

• Good battery life, you can easily have calls that last a few hours
• Good control of the volume thanks to the color ring
• Useful MUTE button in the middle
• Allows you to charge your phones
• Small size and good build quality

Cons

• Different units will show up under the same name on smartphones
• The volume of phone calls is low
• Music playback may be too loud

No products found. at Amazon.

Best High End Pick

The Avaya B189 IP HD Conference Phone Station

No products found.Click image to learn more at Amazon.

The No products found. is another great pick for those who seek a high-end option. While the Avaya B189 IP isn’t for the tight purse, it will satisfy the most demanding customers. This modern conference phone has a sleek design, incredible HD-quality sound, a 5-inch color touchscreen display, and a host of useful features.

Pros

• The best speakerphone for H323 when it comes to Avaya systems
• Will easily pick up on everyone’s voice in a large room
• Great range without the need for any expansion kit
• Very clear sound for everyone in the room

Cons

• No wireless microphones
• The touchscreen can be slow to respond

No products found. at Amazon.

The Polycom SoundStation 2 Non-Expandable Analog Conference Phone

No products found.Click image to learn more at Amazon.

The No products found. is a corded phone with an LCD display, and is meant to be used with analog telephone lines. It has an excellent range with 360° microphone coverage and dynamic noise reduction.

Pros

• Good range from far away, even when speaking at normal volume
• Great volume on the speaker
• Easy and intuitive set up
• Ideal for home offices
• Great longevity

Cons

• The cable required to use this phone with a computer isn’t included
• Does not support the expansion microphone
• There can be a lack of high-end frequencies
• Does not have Call Waiting Caller-ID

No products found. at Amazon.

AT&T SB3014 DECT 6.0 Conference Phone with Four Wireless Mics

No products found.Click image to learn more at Amazon.

The No products found. features 6 microphones, including 4 wireless and 2 fixed to optimize room coverage. With an autonomy of 8 hours of talk time, this conference phone has more than enough to ensure smooth meetings. Also, the charging bays are there to make sure the wireless microphones don’t lose their charge.

Pros

• The wireless microphones make it easy for everyone to hear
• Easy to set up and to use
• Clear sound quality

Cons

• The conference phone isn’t cordless
• Does not work on a digital system

No products found. at Amazon.

The Yamaha UC YVC-200 Wireless Mobile Conference Phone

No products found.Click image to learn more at Amazon.

The No products found.  is an affordable pick. It has a 10 hour battery life and is meant for portability. It features echo cancellation and supports USB, Bluetooth, and NFC connectivity.

Pros

• Works well with videoconferencing applications
• Portable design for travel
• Good sound quality
• Affordable price

Cons

• Limited range (you must be within 5 feet to hear clearly)
• May not work as well if you connect the phone to 2 devices

No products found. at Amazon.

As you can see, adding a conference phone to your home office can serve you in a number of ways. Make sure you find one that has a wide enough range for your needs. Hopefully, our list included a good fit for you.

Featured Image by novologic from Pixabay

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To address these concerns, the answer is naturally to sit less and stand more. However, many jobs require you to sit at a desk in front of a computer or to face clients for prolonged periods of time. So, how to solve this conundrum and maintain your health?

The leaning stool was introduced as a way to allow you to stand and still be able to do your job properly. It’ll also help you feel better about your work as you won’t have to be stuck sitting down all the time, meaning it could actually make you more productive. A leaning stool could completely transform the way you view and perform your job.

In this article, I will outline for you the benefits of using a leaning stool and present you with the 4 best leaning stools on the market.

The Benefits of Using a Leaning Stool

Below I’ll cover some of the advantages of using a leaning stool at your standing desk:

Less stress on your knees

The sit-stand stool has a leaning configuration which is ideal as it greatly diminishes the strain on the knee joints. The reason for this is that it makes it extremely easy to go from leaning to adopting a completely vertical position. By contrast, in a regular chair, you have to expend much more effort to stand up from sitting.

Core Muscle Engagement

When you’re sitting in a traditional chair, your core muscles completely loosen up. With repetition over time, they’ll become softer and reduce your muscle mass. By using the leaning stance, you’ll actually have to contract your back and core muscles to maintain a proper posture. However, they won’t have to be overly engaged. You’ll have a good balance of effort and relaxation that’ll help you keep all your muscle tone.

Fewer Circulation Problems

Simply standing still will cause swelling in your lower legs over time. This happens because it doesn’t require you to flex your muscles, so their capacity to pump blood is reduced.

In a standard seated position, other circulation problems occur as blood flow to the internal organs is constricted. The leaning stool promotes better blood flow as it allows you to use your leg muscles. Furthermore, it prevents circulation problems in your core resulting in better overall health.

Better Focus

Thanks to the improved circulation in your core, the heart naturally becomes more active. This upsurge in activity means that the brain gets a lot more oxygen, which will cause you to feel much more alert and creative.

The 4 Best Leaning Stools for a Standing Desk

Now that you know the benefits of a leaning stool, it’s time to look at the best products available on the market:

The VARIDESK Adjustable Standing Desk Chair

The No products found. has a polished, modern look that will seduce you. The elegant plywood seat base has a stylish espresso finish. Thanks to its excellent range of movement either sitting or standing, it’s a perfect complement to your regular desk chair. It offers the benefit of a firm but comfortable cushioned seat and will support up to 250lb.

This adjustable chair is ideal to enjoy a moment of respite after standing for a while. Its rotating and leaning features make it very adaptable and offer a great equilibrium that guarantees your safety.

The Ergo Impact Best Standing Desk Chair

The Ergo Impact No products found.isn’t for the tight purse, but it’s a great buy if you can afford it. This state-of-the-art leaning stool won several awards and conforms to all BIFMA standards of Seating Durability and Stability, and was approved by (UL).

It’ll help you maintain a neutral posture, which is good to keep for spinal health and general back strength. As it’s quite versatile, you’ll be able to change positions effortlessly, which makes it optimal to use through your workday. It’s also extremely dynamic even when used as a stool.

Its sturdy build and anti-fatigue mat make it safe to use, as it won’t topple over or make you slide. It is also very comfortable thanks to its cushion pad, and the setup is effortless even if you’re not a handyman.

Uncaged Ergonomics Wobble Stool Standing Desk Chair

No products found.

The Uncaged Ergonomics No products found. offers the benefit of being inexpensive. An assembly option is proposed, but it’s so easy to put together that you probably won’t need it. removing the seat cover is easy, which facilitates making any adjustments you might require.

This leaning stool allows you to rock or swivel at 360°. However, you can also sit normally without having to rock or balance at all. Its seat has a broad, frameless structure. 13” in diameter and with a 3” thick foam cushion, it was designed to be comfortable. It also offers an adjustable height, between 23 and 33” to bring you further comfort.

The SONGMICS Active Adjustable Height Standing Stool

The No products found. is another inexpensive option. This leaning stool will satisfy more modest purses but still offers great value for its price.

Its seat is quite large with a 14.6” diameter and is covered with 2.6” thick reflex foam which makes it comfortable. It’s sturdy and stable, rendering it reliable and safe to use in all positions. Its height can be adjusted from 19.7” To 27.6” thanks to two levers placed under the seat. This leaning stool is also assembled with hardly any effort, and without any tools.

As more people try to balance work life and health, sitting all day in a chair will soon start to look like a thing of the past. Sitting in a regular chair for too long is simply too detrimental to physical health, and this affects mental health. Leaning stools allow you to remain dynamic by using your muscles throughout the day. The 4 leaning stools presented here will fulfill your work needs while keeping you healthy.

The post The Best Leaning Stool for Standing Desk appeared first on Home Office Warrior.

Most of them measure mail and parcels in ounces, grams, kilos, and pounds. This versatility will enable you to measure any item any time you want. Below, I’ll cover the 5 solid picks on the market right now.

Photo by Bench Accounting on Unsplash

Benefits of Owning a Digital Shipping Scale

Owning a digital scale can save your company thousands over time. Overpaying on postage costs is a common issue when it comes to shipping items for your business. Here are a few of the advantages of adding a digital scale to your home office:

• Weighing packages at home: Rather than packing an item and carrying it to the post office, you can weigh your item right at home. Just create the label and you can arrange for your mailman to pick it up directly from you. This is much less of a hassle than having to run around every time you need to sell something.
• Saves you time: You likely have a busy life, and time is the most precious resource for your business. Going to the post office takes a while, especially when you consider the long lines. With a digital scale, however, you can print off your shipping label at home and save lots of time.
• Easy to calibrate: Compared with mechanical scales, digital models allow you to calibrate their accuracy easily without needing to replace worn-out springs. They also maintain their accuracy longer than mechanical options, so you can keep your scale for a long time. In addition, most companies that sell these items have warranties to protect your purchase.
• Versatile options available: Digital shipping scales come in a variety of sizes. You can find small versions that fit on your desktop and large products that will take care of your weighing needs for heavy items. They’re an essential item for your business if you regularly ship packages.

The 5 Best Shipping Scales

Now that you know the advantages of having a digital shipping scale, it’s time to go over some potential products to buy. Here are the best scales for checking the weight of your packages before delivery:

The Weighmax W-2809 Stainless Steel Digital Postal Scale

No products found.

The No products found. is improved from the previous design with a newer, more solid structure. It’s easy to maintain, built to be durable and uses an integrated platform for your convenience. The Weighmax W-2809 Stainless Steel Digital Postal Scale can weigh items up to 90 pounds and uses 0.1-ounce graduation.

The product uses a 10-gram minimum starting weight. Due to the precision and enhanced capacity, this scale will meet your most important shipping needs. It also has a large LCD display, so you won’t have to strain your eyes and can work in any lighting. Some users even weigh their packages outside.

No products found. at Amazon.

The TUFFIOM 661lbs Electronic Digital Platform Scale

No products found.

The No products found. is a stainless steel product designed to accommodate a wide variety of items. It comes with skid-proof feet with an adjustable design for maintaining stability. It’s also made to be detachable so you can carry it around and store it easily. This is a good feature if you need to weigh items in several locations for your business.

The screen is LCD and high definition with upgraded buttons that are easy and simple to use. Assembling the TUFFION 661lbs Electronic Digital Platform scale is straightforward, and so is using it. You may weigh your items both indoors and outdoors with the high-precision sensor. No more straining your eyes to read the weight of your packages.

No products found. at Amazon.

The Accuteck ShipPro 110lbs x 0.1 oz. Digital Shipping Postal Scale

No products found.

The No products found. measures in ounces, pounds, grams, and kilos. It has a backlit display designed to conserve energy and uses an extended cord. You may also use a USB cable, or batteries (included).

Need to ship tube-shaped items, such as posters? The scale uses a two-way fold up mail holder for oddly shaped packages. It works well with both light and heavy items, for those of you who sell a variety of packages. You can choose between a gray or black; whichever fits your décor best.

No products found. at Amazon.

Angel USA 400 Pound Capacity Digital Shipping Scale

No products found.

The No products found. is a stainless-steel item that weighs in both pounds and kilos. It comes with a tare function, automatic shut-off, and auto backlight. The scale uses a large LCD screen, so you can read it easily. You may use it both portably (with 4 AA batteries) or a DC adaptor (included in your purchase).

This high-end scale is especially useful for heavy, large packages. It works great for industrial, manufacturing, shipping, or postal needs. In addition, it looks stylish and will suit the décor of your home office well. The price is very reasonable for what this scale can do. It’s made to stand the test of time with its durable frame and high-quality components.

No products found. at Amazon.

The 330 Lb Digital Shipping Scale by WeighMax

No products found.

The No products found. by WeighMax is an industrial postal scale with a heavy-duty design. This durable product can measure items up to 330 pounds and uses a wired remote display. It’s great for industrial, manufacturing, shipping, and postal needs as well as packaging requirements.

The on/off button is simple to use and the machine has an auto-shutoff feature to save energy. You can use it with batteries (included) or an adaptor) also included. The 330 Lb Digital Shipping Scale by WeighMax is super accurate and versatile. If you use it with batteries, you can expect it to last a long time.

No products found. at Amazon.

As you can see, having a scale at home to weigh packages before you ship them out is undeniably convenient. It will save you money and is much better than visiting the post office and waiting in long lines for an hour every time. Why waste your day in line on a regular basis when you could be putting that time (and energy) into growing your company?

Featured Image: Photo by bruce mars from Pexels

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While a stackable metal chair or kitchen barstool can work temporarily, they aren’t the right choice for comfort long-term. Fortunately, you have plenty of high-quality alternatives to pick from if you want to buy an option that works well for your desk.

Factors to Consider when Choosing a Desk Chair Without Wheels

If you want to choose the right product, you’ll need to know what you’re looking for before you buy it. Below, I’ll cover some essential qualities your office chair without wheels should have:

• A Breathable Back: If you, like many people, sit in your office chair for long hours during the day, comfort is important. I recommend choosing an option made with breathable material, so you won’t get too hot while you work.
• Ergonomic Contours: The shape of your chair matters, as anyone who has sat in a seat with too straight of a back, can attest to. A quality office chair will come with ergonomic contours designed to support your body comfortably during long days in the office.  You can also customize the fit of the chair with a back support cushion if necessary.
• Affordable Price: You shouldn’t have to break the bank to get a good seat for your home office. While you should expect to make a small investment, look for an option that’s affordable and ideally comes with a warranty.
• Quality Materials: While buying the cheapest pick can be tempting for those of us on a budget, quality materials are important in a chair. The surface you sit on will play a large role in how you feel at the end of the day. So, choose an office chair made with materials that will stand the test of time.
• A Neutral Style: Most office chairs without wheels are designed to be functional rather than stylish. However, you should be able to find an option with a simple look that fits well into your workspace. It’s best to pick a neutral color such as black, gray, or brown, so you can be sure it will match.

The Best Office Chairs Without Wheels

Considering the factors listed above, you’ll have plenty of options available to you for your office. Now that you know the key features to look for in a chair, let’s review some of the best picks available on the market.

The Office Factor Reception Guest Chair

No products found.

The Office Factor No products found. is a heavy-duty chair with flippable arms. You can use it as a guest chair when friends come to visit or an armless seat for your office. It’s built to be adaptable and made with high-quality materials that are designed to last.

The flip-up feature on this chair is unique and convenient, while the cushioned seat keeps you comfortable during long days. Another benefit of the Office Factor Reception Guest Chair is that it’s easy to assemble.

You can choose to put it together yourself or have a friend help you to make the process even faster. It also comes with extra fasteners in case you lose track of one.

No products found. on Amazon.

Budget Pick

The AmazonBasics Mid-Back Guest/Reception Chair

No products found.

The AmazonBasics No products found. works well for temporary seating, reception areas, and guests. It comes with a contoured plastic seat that’s comfortable to sit in for long or short durations. The mesh backrest is breathable and encourages airflow to prevent a sweaty back.

The chair is comfortable to move due to its lightweight design. And the metal frame is stable, stylish, and modern. With the AmazonBasics Mid-Back Guest/Reception Chair, your lower back will be held in an ergonomic position. Assembly is easy; connect the arms, backrest, and seat, and you’re ready to use it.

No products found.

More Firm Option

The SPACE Seating Professional AirGrid Chair

No products found.

The No products found. is a firm, supportive chair with fixed angled T-arms. It has a breathable backrest, so you don’t have to worry about overheating when you use it. The built-in lumbar support will keep you comfortable during long hours at work. The seat on the SPACE Seating Professional AirGrid Chair is thick and padded, and the base is durable.

Note that this chair isn’t the most luxurious or soft option, so it’s better for people who are looking for a firm seat. Overall, this chair is simple and straightforward, with an unassuming design that will match any office.

No products found. on Amazon.

Heavy Duty Option

The CLATINA Office Guest Chair

No products found.

The No products found. is another comfortable and supportive office chair without wheels. It has a built-in lumbar seat to keep you seated comfortably throughout the day. The fixed angled arms are supportive and made with quality in mind, and the mesh back is breathable. You can sit on the thick padded seat without getting sore due to its high elasticity sponge design.

With the CLATINA Office Guest Chair, you’ll feel pleasantly supported due to the heavy-duty base. It’s a lightweight chair that’s easy to move but plenty durable and it won’t damage your wooden floors (for extra protection, use a floor mat). The chair is simple to put together and has a reasonable price that won’t break the bank.

No products found. on Amazon.

Modern Design

The Wahson Heavy Duty Leather Office Chair (Set of 2)

No products found.

The No products found. come with larger seats and 20-inch wide backrests. This makes them a great choice for those who are overweight or simply have a bigger frame. The ergonomic chairs provide quality lumbar support, and the armrests are padded.

These seats are easy to maintain, with water-resistant synthetic leather design. Take off the removable leather sleeves when you need to clean them.

You can expect the Wahson Leather Office Chairs to last a long time due to their stainless-steel frame. The chairs come with nylon pads beneath the base, so your floor won’t get scratched up.

The chair is stylish with a neutral gray color that will fit into any office. They’re also easy to assemble for a hassle-free setup.

No products found. on Amazon.

Finding the right office chair without wheels for your workspace doesn’t have to be a hassle. Now, you have access to some of the best options available.

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Whether you’re in college or simply a reading enthusiast, a collection of volumes (including magazines and newspapers) can easily cause disarray in your apartment when you don’t have a shelf for them. In an ideal world, you would have several high-quality bookshelves to organize your favorite books on. This would enable you to easily find the one you’re looking for any time without any hassle.

But this type of furniture can be quite expensive, and not everyone has enough room for that in their place. Fortunately, there are some creative ways you can showcase and even find a double use for your books that don’t involve shelves. You also won’t have to put together any flat-pack furniture or hall any heavy items, which is a major plus!

Stacking on the Floor

If you’d rather not spend any money on storing your books, stacking them on the floor is a simple and straightforward method for keeping them organized. You can place your books up against the wall, putting them on top of each other to form little towers.

There are several ways you can choose to organize them: by size, color, genre, or alphabetically. I recommend placing the titles you’ll need to access most often at the tops of the piles. Otherwise, you’ll risk toppling your stacks each time you need to grab a book.

Use a Table

If you’re a bookworm, you may already know that any available surface can work for storing your prized collection. If you have a coffee table, nightstand, or even kitchen counter that isn’t being used, you already have a suitable bookcase alternative ready to go.

As mentioned before, you can organize your titles however you see fit for making them more accessible to you. But it’s best to keep the books you’ll want to reference most often at the top of the piles for easier access.

Windowsill Storage

If you don’t already have any items on your windowsills, they can work as makeshift shelving for your books. Make sure you arrange them in a way that allows you to still open and close your windows without too much hassle. You can use any heavy decorative items (such as a vase) as bookends to hold them in place.

Make a Table

Books can be used to create a table in the center of your living room. Simply stack them so that the towers are all leaning against each other. You can make the table whatever size you want.

You may also add a sheet of glass over the top if you want more surface area for placing items. Keep in mind that this technique is best for books that you don’t use very often.

Switch to an Amazon Kindle

Another way to organize your books without a bookcase is by eliminating the need for physical books at all. Switching to a Kindle is an easy way to access your favorite titles without having to hunt through stacks and stacks of volumes.

This convenient, handheld device can store hundreds (or even thousands) of books and makes them simple to find when you need them. You can also use the device to shop for new novels to read, in addition to magazines and newspapers.

We’ll cover a few different models to choose from below:

The Kindle

No products found.

The No products found. is a convenient device with an adjustable front light that allows you to read comfortably outside or inside. The Kindle reads like real paper, even if you use it by the pool in direct sunlight.

You can read without distractions by adjusting text size, translating words, looking up definitions, and highlighting sections without having to leave your story. Choose from nearly unlimited audiobooks, newspapers, and books that can all fit effortlessly in your bag. You won’t have to charge your Kindle very long as it can hold a charge for weeks, depending on the frequency of use.

Kindles are comfortable to hold in your hand for long periods so that you can get lost in your novel. Pair the device with Bluetooth speakers or headphones if you’d like to use it for both listening and reading. Prime Reading offers Amazon Prime members access to hundreds of titles for free.

The Kindle Paperwhite

No products found.

The No products found. is the lightest and thinnest Paperwhite model yet. Like the Kindle mentioned above, it reads just like paper, even when you’re outside in the sun.

The device now comes in Twilight Blue and Black. It offers a waterproof reading experience for reading in the bath or pool. The Kindle Paperwhite battery lasts very long when it’s in hibernation mode. It can even stay charged for weeks if you aren’t using the device. Its built-in light is adjustable and can be used to read day or night, inside or outside.

You can select the storage capacity necessary for your needs, with 32 GB available for those who need to store many audiobooks, magazines, and comics. One thing to note is that the screen has a slight glare, though that’s to be expected with digital devices.

The Kindle Oasis

No products found.

The No products found. has a light, thin design that’s comfortable to hold and comes with page turn buttons. It has a Paperwhite display with an adjustable light that allows you to switch from white to an amber hue. The Kindle Oasis is waterproof so you can bring it to the pool or read in the bathtub and gives you instant access to millions of audiobooks, newspapers, and novels.

It reads like real paper and with fast page turns and two easy physical controls. The aluminum design is sleek and attractive. You can adjust the screen temperature display manually or set the device to change the temp along with sunrise and sunset. Pair your Kindle Oasis with Bluetooth speakers or headphones so you can switch between listening and reading.

As you can see, there are plenty of creative ways to organize your books without a bookshelf. Or even to make them a decorative accent in your home. If you’d rather get rid of some (or all) of your books, an Amazon Kindle is a great choice.

Featured Image: Photo by Dom J from Pexels

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