Being a remote worker is an ideal way to have an enriching career while also maintaining some flexibility. With a few simple office resources, you can operate from a dedicated spare room or a corner of your apartment. Yet, for many remote workers, there comes a time when they look around them and find their traditional office just isn't quite cutting it anymore.
Whatever makes your experience less than ideal, you owe it to your career and personal well-being to make some changes. Let's look at a few ways you can shake things up.
Take Over Your Garage or Outbuilding
One of the options you could consider is taking your job away from the main house and taking over the garage, shed, or other outbuilding.
It takes a little work to convert a garage into a home office, but it doesn't have to be a huge investment. Some relatively simple upgrades can help you transform the space into an office that enables you to focus on your tasks and be productive. The process begins with decluttering. Sort through the items you're storing in the garage and decide what you can throw out, what you can donate, and whether there are things you need to put into storage boxes to give you more room.
From here, you may need to make some adjustments to the infrastructure so you can practically work there. This isn't just about installing sufficient electricity outlets and internet connection, though those things are vital. Think about your comfort, too, by arranging for heating and air conditioning systems.
Above all else, make it your space. Personalizing the garage office can make it a more pleasant area to work in. These pieces of flair might include painting the walls in soft and calming colors, hanging some artwork that inspires you, or adding a touch of green.
Upgrade Your Resources
Many remote workers figure they can make do with the basic chair and desk setup they started with. While these might have served a purpose to get you functioning in your new remote role, this doesn't mean they'll be particularly suited to your productivity or wellness indefinitely. Consider investing in yourself and your career by upgrading your home office resources when you can. Here are a few options:
Ergonomic furniture
The cheapest traditional office furniture isn't always the best choice for a healthy, productive, or enjoyable working practice. Over time, it's wise to gradually invest in upgrading each of these to ergonomically designed items. This includes office chairs that enable you to make adjustments that get your feet on the floor, back straight, and wrists parallel to the desk. You could also consider an automatic height-adjusting desk that you can move between sitting and standing throughout the day.
Eco-friendly features
Investing in sustainable resources can affect how you feel about your working practices and even reduce the costs of running your home office. You could focus on affordable eco-friendly home upgrades, such as switching to light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs, which use less energy and have a longer life. Not to mention that many LED bulbs enable you to adjust the brightness, improving the light quality in your office. Placing solar panels on your roof or in your yard is also becoming more accessible and allows you to access cheap and sustainable energy sources to run your office equipment or at least charge your devices.
Use a Shared Space
If your home office isn't quite cutting it despite the upgrades you've made, it may be time to consider that being at home all the time isn't quite right for you. This means you need to find a new environment to work in.
One increasingly popular option is to subscribe to a coworking space. More of these facilities are popping up in cities throughout the world. Effectively, in exchange for a fee, you get a key or code to use a shared office facility as often as you like. Some of these are simple banks of desks, while others offer more comprehensive resources, like meeting rooms, fully-stocked kitchens, and podcast recording studios.
If your needs are relatively simple, perhaps heading to a local library or coffee shop every few days is a good way to break up your routine. This can be a good option if you want a little background activity but don't necessarily want to interact with people too often.
Conclusion
You deserve a home office that's conducive to your productivity and well-being. Sometimes, this involves moving beyond the traditional, like converting a garage or subscribing to coworking spaces, among other options. This doesn't have to be a single change, either. You can make adaptations and try things out over time. Everyone has a different mode of working, so give yourself the freedom to discover what's right for you.
