Jonathan Weiss Shares the Top 5 Things to Help Improve Your Home Office
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With everyone working from home due to the ongoing pandemic, home offices are becoming the norm. However, according to real estate professional and Greenwich, Connecticut, native Jonathan Weiss, a home office is a space that should be carefully constructed in order to maximize productivity. He provides his top five tips for improving your home office.
Choose a Quiet Location
First and foremost, Jonathan Weiss says that in order to have the best home office possible, you need to find an optimal location. This comes down to noise. If you’re working from home alongside your partner and your children (especially if they’re young), then your top priority should be finding a space in the house that is quiet. Perhaps this is on a separate floor from high traffic areas in the house, like the kitchen or living room. Generally, it’s ideal to find an enclosed space with walls and a door in order to keep out as much noise as possible. If you don’t already have a dedicated office space, consider turning a spare bedroom or a formal living room into an office. If that isn’t an option, then you might have to get handy and create a DIY office space in a quieter part of the house like the basement. Ultimately, the last thing you want is a bunch of noise in the background while you’re on a Zoom call with an important client. Carve out a quiet space for yourself and do your best to work from it as much as possible.
Consider Connectivity
For all those people now working from home, their ability to do their job depends on connectivity. That is why one key way to improve your home office is to invest in high speed internet. Many workers fail to realize just how top-notch the internet is at their offices, compared to their home. This is something that will need to change if you plan on working from home permanently. Jonny Weiss notes that connectivity doesn’t just have to do with sending emails or receiving phone calls, it also has to do with streaming video, which is now commonplace thanks to Zoom, Google Hangouts, and the like. With more people at home than ever before, and all of you using the internet to stay connected with work and school, ensuring you have a reliable, high speed connection is a necessity. In addition to the internet, Weiss stresses the importance of having enough electrical outlets in your chosen office space. After all, you’ll need to hook up your network router, possibly a telephone service, and have enough electrical outlets left for your phone charger, laptop charger, desktop monitor, desk lamp, and more.
Prioritize Lighting
Weiss claims that lighting is one of the most significant ways you can improve your home office. Good lighting has the ability to boost productivity, concentration, and even mood, so it’s not something you want to skimp on. Ideally, you want as much natural light as possible as this form of light is proven to have the greatest benefits. If this isn’t possible, for example if your office is located in the basement, then you’ll want to make every effort to brighten up the space. Used recessed lighting, lamps, and possibly even a special sun lamp or light therapy box that mimics that natural outdoor light throughout the day.
Invest in High Quality Furniture
You’re going to be working at home for a while, so you might as well get comfortable. According to Jonny Weiss of Greenwich, CT, in order to create the perfect home office, you’ll want to invest in quality furniture. The two most important pieces of furniture? Your desk and your desk chair. There are all different types of desks out there. In order to find the one that is right for you, you should consider the amount of office space you have, how much workspace you need on the surface of the desk, and how much storage the desk comes with (if applicable to your job). Second, an ergonomic work chair is a must. The chair is perhaps the most important piece of furniture you will buy for your office, as a chair can mean the difference between being comfortable and working productively and having back pain and working unproductively.
Select Decor Wisely
Finally, the decor you choose can have a serious impact on your office space. This is definitely one of the more fun ways to improve your office, as you can customize everything, from the paint color on the walls to the plants that sit atop your desk. Jonathan Weiss of Greenwich, CT, offers one word of caution: Although you might be inclined to go all out with artwork and bright colors, it has been proven that the less distracting the surroundings, the easier it is to get work done. That is why he recommends sticking with a neutral color palette, minimalistic decor, and lots of greenery (plants have been shown to clean air and provide other mental health benefits).
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