Home working has become vastly more commonplace in recent years, thanks to the rise in communication technology that allows people to get their jobs done wherever they want to be. It offers a better work-life balance, helps avoid lost time commuting, and also keeps business' office space overheads down. With more and more people also becoming small business owners or self employed, there are also plenty of people running their own enterprises from their homes.

Working From Home and Your Workspace

If you work from home some or all of the time, you are probably already aware that the work from home lifestyle can take some getting used to, and it can be harder than you perhaps imagined to be fully productive and comfortable when you are at home all day. Almost all experts agree that home workers need a dedicated office space in their homes, in order to work effectively. Here are some of the reasons why:

You Need To Be Able to Go In and Out of Work Mode

If you don't have a specific place you go when you are working, it can be hard to put yourself in the frame of mind of having started your working day. You can easily lose time if you are noticing housework that needs doing or are distracted by your pets or kids, or you have extra means to procrastinate like watching TV. On the other side of the coin, if you work in a space in your home you also use for other things like relaxing or eating, you may never really feel like your work day has ended. It can be tempting just to send the odd email or look over that one spreadsheet, and before you know it you feel like you are working from the moment you get up until you go to bed. This isn't healthy. By compartmentalising where you work, you can effectively 'go to work' and 'leave work' just like in a regular office – just with a shorter commute. This is much better for your sanity!

Physical Comfort

There are a lot of regulations about office health and safety, and in a normal workplace you are always provided with the right sort of furniture. These guidelines exist for a reason, and the health problems the wrong sort of furniture can cause like back and neck pain are just as big of a concern when you work from home. Do not work on your laptop on your sofa or sat at a dining room chair – these are not positions you are going to benefit from being in all day. With a dedicated office you can use proper office furniture and keep yourself healthy.

With some careful planning and preparation, you can start your own home business. There are plenty of people running their own enterprises from their homes. You can too!

People find all kinds of ways to have a home office, from putting them in Garden Spaces style outdoor rooms to converting walk in wardrobe spaces or even garages. Whatever you need to do, make sure you have a proper workspace you only use for work, that has an ergonomically comfortable set up.