With the spread of the coronavirus, more employees are working from home than ever. Even before COVID-19 was declared a nationwide pandemic, remote work was on the rise. And as companies around the world adjust to the work from home lifestyle, we can expect more people to get creative with their home office setup. With that in mind, here are seven home office tips for easier remote working:

1 – Art & Inspiration

 Working from home requires you to have plenty of motivation. With no one to hold you accountable each day and check in on your physical daily tasks, it’s up to you to make sure you have the inspiration to walk a few feet over each day. With that in mind, deck your wall space out with inspiring art. If you’re working towards a degree, inspire yourself with a fake diploma. If you want to support independent artists, why not buy some paintings from Etsy? There’s plenty you can do with artwork. Take a look at these home office artwork walls for some design inspiration of your own.

2 – Tech Tools

 Remote work requires an arsenal of tech tools, some of them which you may already be familiar with. For example, for work communication you might use Slack and for project management you might opt for Asana or Trello. Screen sharing software, cloud storage, and video conferencing apps are just a few more must-haves in your remote tech toolkit. However, there are a few hardware options you should keep in mind, too, like mobile hotspots, noise-cancelling headphones, and scanners and printers.

3 – Create an Effective Workstation

When you think of remote work, you might conjure up images of working on your laptop in pajamas while laying in bed. And while this might be a little fun at first, it’s not a long-term, scalable way to get into the remote work lifestyle. You’ll need a dedicated workstation if you really want to get yourself dedicated to your work.

4 – Get Your Lighting Right

Studies have shown that light plays a tremendous role in your ability to be productive. Ideally, you’ll place your workstation near an area where you can get the best natural lighting possible. Poor lighting can dampen your overall morale, reduce your energy, and result in even more strenuous eyestrain. If you don’t have good natural light, there are plenty of great artificial options to choose from.

5 – Install a Pegboard

A pegboard is a board that goes on the wall and features dozens of small pegs that allow you to hang plenty of material. Pegboards are common in workshops and make for a great organizational tool and also offer some aesthetic appeal. In home offices, hang up your clipboards, pencil and pen cases, calendars, plants, stationary, and any other office item that you can dream up.

6 – Leave the House

Working remotely can leave you feeling isolated and unmotivated. To keep you in good spirits, head outside of your home once in a while. For example, head over to work from a local coffee shop or get a membership at a coworking spot.  Coworking spaces are great because they not only offer ample workspace, but typically have networking events and amenities that are conducive to remote work. Leaving the house and working in other spots may be a bit more difficult during COVID times, but when you do a little research, you’ll find that there are more options than you might think.

7 – Don’t Forget Self-Care

It’s easy to forget about self-care when you’re working from home; after all, the lines between work and home life are effectively blurred. However, always make it a priority to have a schedule that allows you the necessary time to distance yourself from work. Start off with a proper morning routine and take frequent breaks throughout the day—more importantly, don’t force yourself to work when you’re off the clock. A great work-life balance is necessary for productivity.

 Author’s Bio

​Judy lees is a super-connector with AYC Web Solutions who helps businesses find their audience online through outreach, partnerships, and networking. She frequently writes about the latest advancements in digital marketing and focuses her efforts on developing customized blogger outreach plans depending on the industry and competition.