The home office is more important than ever. Creating a suitable workplace within your own four walls is not that easy. In addition to sufficient space and the necessary technology, you should not forget the decoration. If you feel comfortable in your home office, you will work much better.
General tips
- The home office needs daylight.
- The chosen room should be at least 10 m² in size, lockable and quiet.
- The desk and office chair should not be placed in front of the window.
- Make sure there are as few distractions as possible from other people, animals or the media.
- Decorations and plants make the home office more friendly.
- Pay attention to the location of connections (electricity, telephone, Internet); do not lay cables across the room.
Which room is suitable for the home office?
The first mistake is choosing the right room. The home office should be a separate room and not part of the living room, for example. This would cause several problems:
The potential for distractions from family members is too great. Alternatively, they might not use the entire living room so as not to disturb the person in the home office.
The costs incurred by the home office cannot be submitted to the tax office. An office only counts as such if it is used exclusively for work. A sofa, bed, dining table or game console has no place in it.
The distinction between work and leisure becomes difficult. If the workplace is constantly in view after work, this leads to stress. In addition, some people tend to return to their desks when problems arise and may work late into the night.
The desk and the office chair
The most important thing about the home office is the right desk and a matching office chair. The desk should be height adjustable and provide enough space for all necessary utensils. 160 cm x 80 cm is recommended as a minimum size.
Standing desks, which allow users to work at the computer while standing, are particularly popular. This prevents back pain and thrombosis.
In addition, you should still have an office chair to use when needed. The office chair must be comfortable and of high quality to provide ideal support for the back even when used for long periods of time. Armrests are also necessary to use the keyboard in a relaxed manner. Such models are rarely available for less than 100 euros.
The workstation should be placed to the side of the window. If it is placed directly in front of the window, the sun will dazzle. A window in the back leads to reflections on the monitor.
Ideally, right-handers should have the window to their left, left-handers should arrange their workstation the other way around. This prevents shadows from being cast on the paper when writing or drawing.
Additional equipment
The screen for the home office should be at least 24 inches. It is better to work on two screens. This gives you enough space for different programs and simultaneous video conferences.
The necessary headset and webcam should transmit clear images and noise-free speech. You’ll have to pay at least 50 Euros for this.
If you work a lot with the mouse, it’s best to choose ergonomically shaped models. Otherwise, cramped hands can occur.
Discreet decorative items and a few green plants make the room more personal and lively. The choice should fall on easy-care plants or fresh cut flowers. Add personal touches with pictures, wallpaper and selected decorations.
Storage space is also important. File folders should have permanent places. Shelves, drawers and cabinets keep things tidy and can also embellish the room with personal color choices.
The most important things in a nutshell
- The home office is a lockable room with natural light that is used exclusively for work.
- The desk should be to the right for right-handed people or to the left for left-handed people of the window to avoid shadows, reflections and glare.
- The desk is sufficiently large and height adjustable, possibly a standing desk.
- The office chair supports the back, has armrests and is height adjustable so that the upper and lower legs form a 90 degree angle when seated.
- The home office has ample storage space to keep things organized.
- Distractions from pets, family members and media are avoided as much as possible.
- Decorative elements and plants make the home office more welcoming so that people enjoy spending time there.
