Insightful Ideas for a Home-Based Business Office Setup

Working from home offers a good deal of work–life balance for solopreneurs and small business owners. It gives you a chance to work at your own pace and save time and money on commuting and rent. But sometimes, people struggle with managing their time efficiently when working from home. One reason why is that they don’t have a proper workspace.

You may feel comfy working in your pajamas and sitting on your favorite couch, but it’s not good for your health and productivity. According to a survey by HingeHealth on new health risks of the remote workspace, only 33% of employees have a working space in a separate room. Others organize their work environment in the living room, dining room, or bedroom. Often, home-based workers sit on couches or beds while they work and hold their laptops on their knees. Such an anatomically incorrect body position during work leads to back, neck, and joint pain.

HingeHealth reports that one in three respondents suffer both from mental health and chronic joint pain. Of course, pain does not occur immediately, but you may begin to feel discomfort if you sit in the wrong position for a long time. In order not to risk your health, equip yourself with a personal workplace.

Home office setup tips for maximum productivity

A proper home office setup can improve your well-being. Three main components help home-based workers be healthy and happy: ergonomics, zoning, and aesthetics. Let’s take a closer look at how having a home office can improve your work-at-home experience. 

Ergonomics for your health 

The workplace of the twenty-first century is about freedom of movement and variability. It is about following proper body mechanics and ergonomic principles. Erik Nieuwenhuis, physical therapist

An ergonomic home office means that you have all the furniture and hardware to arrange your workstation for comfortable, safe, and efficient work. You should not tolerate any bodily discomfort when you work. Maintaining the correct body position while working at a computer is important for the musculoskeletal system’s health. Correct posture prevents muscle imbalance and prevents nerves and blood vessels from pinching. An ergonomic workspace helps you effortlessly maintain your posture and reposition your body as needed. 

The proper home office setup depends on your height. So you’ll need to adjust your setup for your personal use. Keep in mind these rules when setting up your home office:

• Body position. You should keep your head slightly lowered, your shoulders relaxed, and your feet on the floor. The neutral spine position is S-shaped, so be sure your lower back touches the chair’s back and that you have lumbar support.
• Chair height. Your chair should be high enough so when your arms rest on the table, your elbows are bent at 90 degrees. 
• Screen distance. The screen should be at arm’s length, and its top third should be right in front of your eyes.
• Keyboard and mouse position. Your keyboard and mouse should be right where your wrists touch the table, allowing you to keep a straight spine and keep your elbows bent at 90 degrees. The key is not to reach for your tools.

Adhering to good posture in the workplace can prevent health problems such as muscle and joint pain, sciatica, carpal tunnel syndrome, eye strain, and headaches. Besides, good posture can improve your mood and confidence so you have a great workday. 

Zoning for better productivity 

Workspace organization is not limited to a table, chair, and monitor installation. For productive work, it’s crucial to set aside a room, half a room, or at least a corner where you can concentrate. If for some reason you can’t dedicate so much space for privacy while working, try to approach the solution creatively. Your home might have a bright and quiet place to set up a desk. Think about part of your living room, a spot in the garage, or other suitable premises. Is it possible to create a productive atmosphere there? Here are some other factors that affect productivity that you should pay attention to: 

Lighting

Appropriate lighting helps us finish our work fast and accurately. Having enough light around your workplace protects your eyes from fatigue and eliminates headaches. Follow this advice when choosing the right place for your home office:

• Make sure your workplace has enough natural light. 
• Place your computer near a window. 
• Check the surface of the table and other tools for distracting reflections. 
• Adjust the monitor brightness to reduce eye strain.
• Hang curtains or blinds on windows. 
• Add artificial light if needed. 

Noise

Noise can be a huge distraction for home-based workers. You might have already faced the problem of irritating background noise that prevents you from focusing. Road traffic, the voices of passersby, neighbors who decide to have a barbecue — all of these sounds are unobtrusive. Still, they increase fatigue at the end of the workday. Try to eliminate background noise by:

• Putting your workspace in a quiet location, preferably with a door
• Using noise-canceling headphones to block unwanted noise
• Applying acoustic foam panels to your walls
• Setting rules for the people around you
• Trying a white noise machine to stay focused 

Isolation

Being isolated, you can focus on work, communicate with clients without using Zoom backgrounds, and plan your professional development. But the realities of our homes are that not everyone can allocate an entire room for a home office. If this is you, then try the following:

• Use bookcases and other furniture as space dividers. 
• Use folding tables so you can quickly remove the work area.
• Remove non-work items from your sight.
• Work in less used spaces of your house. 

Pro tip Try not to work in your bedroom even if you can place your ergonomic workspace there. Our brain associates the place we work with the emotions we experience when working. Since we are often stressed at work, working in the bedroom can lead to sleep disorders.

Aesthetics for your mood

When we surround ourselves with things that delight us, it sets the mood and encourages us to accomplish our tasks. Your workplace should match your tastes in design, materials, and decor. Help yourself get in the mood to work by creating a positive atmosphere:

• Choose matching furniture that fits your home office. 
• Give preference to materials that are pleasant to the touch.
• Surround yourself with flowers and art. 
• Avoid a boring office cubicle style. 
• Consider pastel colors for decoration.

When people start working from home, they fall into the comfort trap of working on the couch in their pajamas. While it may seem like a benefit at first, after working like this for several months, you can see how the lines between work and your personal life are erased. You work more, but at the same time your productivity drops, fatigue accumulates, and you don’t want to leave the house without a good reason.

To avoid the pitfalls of working from home, design your home office with ergonomics, zoning, and aesthetics in mind so you can work with pleasure. We’ve put together an overview of essential items for a home-based office to help you implement the above tips.

Essential equipment and supplies for a home office

You don’t need many things for a functional home office. A decent ergonomic chair and table will suffice. But you will most likely need a little more equipment to provide 100% workplace comfort. We’ve collected examples of tables, chairs, technology, and all sorts of little things we recommend for a home-based business office setup. 

Desk

When choosing a desk to work from, first decide where you’ll place it. If you have little space in your home, a folding table can be the perfect fit. Consider the table’s height, stability, and work surface size according to your needs.

Pro tip: David Bernardi, the president of Summit Ergonomics, suggests changing your body position every two hours while working. To accomplish this with ergonomics in mind, choose a sit/stand desk.

Hipso – Knoll height-adjustable desk

Bekant – IKEA sit/stand desk

Skarsta – IKEA mechanical sit/stand desk

Chair

There is no perfect office chair. Physiologically, the human body isn’t designed to sit continuously for eight hours. Still, a chair with back support and height adjustment will come in handy.

Pro tip The need to maintain balance while sitting can be beneficial for your back. Change your sitting position during the workday to target different muscles. Consider an office chair, stool, and exercise ball.

Office desk chair – Amazon

MultiGeneration – Knoll office chair

Lidkullen – IKEA sit/stand support chair

Bookcases & drawer units 

Don’t overload your desk with papers, office supplies, and other things. It’s better to put these things in storage units and on bookcases to keep everything you need close at hand. 

Pro tip Use furniture as space dividers to get some privacy.

BESTÅ BURS – IKEA drawer unit on casters 

Kallax – IKEA shelf unit

Eket – IKEA cabinet

Laptop

We suspect you already have some kind of laptop. And most likely, it suits your needs. However, we’ve decided to suggest several options that are popular with those working from home.

Pro tip Experts recommend using a mouse and keyboard with a laptop to avoid leaning over the computer. Also, use a laptop stand to put the display at eye level.

Lenovo ThinkPad E15

Dell XPS 15

Acer Aspire 5

Monitor

You’ll understand that a monitor is a good thing when you give one a try. Monitors usually have larger displays than laptops. Some of them have an elongated, curved shape that allows you to work comfortably with multiple windows or workspaces. You can connect an external monitor to a laptop so you don’t need an additional computer. And your eyes and neck will thank you.

Pro tip Use a monitor arm to move the screen freely and free up more desk space.

Dell Ultrasharp U2718Q

HP 24mh FHD Monitor

Philips 346B1C UltraWide 34" Curved Monitor

Keyboard

If you work from home, you probably use a keyboard that goes with your laptop. But most laptop keyboards are small, forcing you to keep your wrists close to each other. This position may cause shoulder and wrist pain. 

Pro tip:Choose ergonomic keyboards that provide wrist support and have keys positioned at a comfortable distance for your fingers. 

Microsoft Sculpt Ergonomic Desktop Keyboard

Logitech Craft

Mouse

A computer mouse is a very personal device that requires special attention. To work comfortably for eight hours, you need a mouse that’s the right size for your hand.

Pro tip: Computer mice have different grip types. For comfort, try a palm grip mouse. For precise cursor control, a fingertip grip mouse is a good choice. To combine comfort and control, choose a claw grip mouse.

Logitech MX Master 3

Microsoft Bluetooth Ergonomic Mouse

Headphones and headsets 

You’ll need headphones or a headset for comfortably communicating with clients. Your computer’s microphone picks up background noise, preventing your clients from hearing what you’re saying. Headphones with a microphone can help solve this problem.

Pro tip Choose noise-canceling headphones to block out distracting sounds.

Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro

Logitech Zone Wireless

All sorts of little things 

You can make your workplace efficient by supplementing it with various organizers and other helpers. Let’s see what kinds of things there are to improve your home-based business office setup.

Pro tip Eliminate visual noise in your workplace to create a business-like atmosphere.

Organizers

Organizers help to reduce mess on and around your work desk. 

Hanging files

Cable management

Office supply organizers

All kind of stands 

Stands allow you to adjust the height of your monitor and laptop, free up desk space, and keep everything you need close at hand.

Monitor arms

Monitor and laptop stands

Headphone stands

Vertical stands

Setting up your surroundings 

Improve your workplace by organizing the space around you.

Blinds

Lamps

Plants

Wrapping up

We’ve looked at basic items for a home-based business office setup. These items should help you create an inspiring and productive atmosphere in your house, even if you have no dedicated space to work. Feel free to add your own ideas and make your home office even better. You can find more inspiring ideas on the IKEA website. Let’s summarize how your home office can look after some improvements.