A home office is often an afterthought, set up in a spare bedroom, but this may not be the most effective use of space. It’s worth spending some time to think through what you need, so that you can design and create a home office that really works for you.
You’ll need to consider your working habits when deciding where your home office should be located. If domestic transactions like noise are likely to disturb your work, you’ll need a work space that’s not too close to the main living areas of the home, but if you prefer to stay connected with other activities in the home you might choose a space that’s closer to the hub of things. You’ll also need to take account of the ways that your home office might affect the rest of the household. For example, their sleep might be disturbed by the sounds of phones and office equipment if you work at night.
Other considerations when you are thinking about the location of your home office include external noise, and the lighting and temperature of your workspace. If intrusive neighbourhood or traffic noise is a problem, you’ll need to consider sound installation. It’s also important to be able to control levels of lighting and temperature in your workspace.
Any deficiencies of your home office that slow down your work will affect your productivity and your financial success, so it makes sound economic sense to choose the most suitable location of your home office. If there is not a space in your home that is just right for your home office, adding a room to your home or building a garden studio to house your perfect home office might be a wise investment.
