Working from home has many temptations, such as wanting to sleep, or watch T.V. when you really should be working. I was so excited to have a designated office space when we bought our home. I was so tired of working on the couch in front of the T.V. or in the bed. Not only is it distracting, but it is just bad all around ergonomically. I cam up with this list of must haves to be productive, as these were the 10 essentials I wanted for my home office.
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- Desk
Having a great desk is a must. As an entrepreneur I spend a lot of time in my home office. Making sure I had a great desk was a Must. I actually built my desk and shelves for my office, because my husband and I wanted a space that we could both share comfortably. But you find a similar one here.
2. A comfortable Chair
It was such a joy to be able to work in my office in a comfortable chair. No more slouching on the couch or laying in the bed, trying not to fall asleep when working. I Found two really comfortable chairs for my husband and myself. I looked for chairs that had support for your back and were adjustable. Check out the one above, which is similar to what we bought.
3. Great Computer
Having a good computer is essential I needed something sleek that could fit in my carry-on, but also durable, with good speed, and memory. My husband bought me a Surface Pro 4 when I graduated with my PhD. Hands down the best laptop/tablet that I have had so far. It is so durable and has so many features. Find a good laptop that meets all of your needs and you will be very productive.
4. Lighting
I adore natural lighting when I am working in the day time. I get really inspired to do my best work when the sun is shining and the birds are chirping. In the evening I like to keep the lights bright but natural. Check the bulbs and lamps I found here and here.
5. Surge protector
One thing that I have experienced in the past was a power outage. Thank God none of my appliances had a shortage, but it could have been bad. I immediately bought a surge protector. Essential to protecting your tech items and giving you peace of mind. Find the ones I bought here.
6. Multipurpose Printer
I always find myself needing to fax something, so it was important that I had a printer that could scan and fax. No need to run to Kinko’s to get that important document off, when you can do it at home. Check out this 4 in 1 printer.
7. Paper Shredder
First of all, I get a lot of junk mail, so being able to keep the clutter down is important. Also, I have sensitive documents that I work on, and if I do not need to keep them I need to safely dispose of them. Make sure you get a cross shredder like this one here, to make sure your documents can’t be put back together.
8. File Cabinet
As I said, keeping the clutter down is a must to a productive office. I have two file cabinets, which have locks on them that I keep important documents. I multipurpose my file cabinets for decorative pieces, so that they flow with my office space.
9. Calendar
I may be just a tad old school, but I love having a calendar I can touch. I also have a wall dry erase calendar that I keep on the wall in the office. I still use my phone calendar, but more as a back-up. You can find similar calendars here and here
10. Plants
There is nothing like having a touch of nature in your environment. Not only is it a good decoration piece, but it gets the oxygen and creative juices flowing for me. Something about the smell of my plants.
Bonus: Feng Shui
There is no sense having all these functional things in your office with no order. Find a balance of items that work with your creative process. The more comfortable you are in a space, the more likely you are to be productive. Consider candles or a Zen Garden to give your space some balance.
Did these must have help you plan your office? Let me know in the comments below!!
Let Your Light Shine