Last Updated on February 25, 2024
There has been a considerable increase in the number of people working from home in recent years. With this being a recent development, it is unlikely that most of us bought or rented our current homes with home working in mind.
Due to most people not expecting to be working from home, the setup of most homes will not include a home office. Therefore, when home working began for most of those who could work at home, it was a scramble to find somewhere to begin working that would not be too disruptive to the home and family life.
For many people, this was beginning to work from the dining room table, a spare bedroom if one was available, or from their own bedroom. Some people had a home computer set up or a desk available, which could be repurposed for home working relatively easily, while others were placing online orders for desks and chairs with stores that had months-long backlogs.
Working from Home
Although many people will now have gotten used to their home working setup, there may still be those who are working from uncomfortable spaces. Also, if you are moving home or changing to a job that now offers home working, you may still be looking for ways to create the best home working environment.
The right environment is not just about the correct chair or desk; it is making sure you have somewhere you can make and take any business calls and comply with data protection and security and confidentiality protocols.
The best way to ensure that you have the privacy to work is to set up your home working space in a separate room from one that any other people in your household use. If you live alone, we still recommend that you use a room that is not one you use as part of your everyday home life.
Using a room you do not use regularly within your home, even when living alone, means that when you are not working over weekends or during periods of holiday, you will not constantly be reminded of work. It also means you will not have to move or remove your work IT equipment at the end of each day.
Which Room to Choose
You may have read the above and are currently thinking that you do not have a room in your home that fits our advice. Do not worry; we have ideas for you, too. If you do have spare rooms in your home, we recommend that your first choice is an office or study.
If you already have a room that is set up as a study, library, or home office, this is the best place to start. It is likely you already have a desk in place in a room of this type, meaning it will be quicker to convert into a home working space.
If you do not have a study, home office, or library, we would next suggest using a spare bedroom. You can set this room up so that it can still be used as a bedroom for visitors so you do not have to worry about lost space.
An excellent way to set up a guest bedroom as a home office is to have a dressing table in place of a desk. This will enable you to comfortably work at the right height for computer use and still give your guests somewhere to get ready if they come to stay.
If you choose to use a spare bedroom, then always consider that you will need to move any equipment and sensitive data before your guests arrive. Alternatively, you will need to ensure there is lockable storage in that room to comply with most confidentiality policies.
No Spare Rooms?
So, what if you do not have a spare room you can convert into your home working space? There are still ways to convert a room or space in your home into a workspace that is comfortable, confidential, and does not force you to change a room dramatically.
If you are unable to set up a static desk in your home and do not have or want to use a dining table to work from, there are options for temporary desks. If you are short on space, you could use a table with a dual purpose, such as an option that will also give bedside storage in your bedroom.
Alternatively, you can use a desk that folds up at the end of your working day and can be stored in a cupboard, behind the sofa, or anywhere else that is convenient. This type of desk is relatively cheap to purchase, which could also be of benefit to some people.
When purchasing any new type of desk that will be used for work, it is important that you ensure that it is the right height so as not to cause pain and discomfort while working. For example, using an existing coffee table or bedside unit that is too low would cause back and muscle pains.
If you only work from home on an ad-hoc basis or for an hour rather than a full day, this may be possible as a one-off without causing too many problems. If you work from home for any length of time, it is important that you protect your physical health.
Back pain is one of the most common issues for those who work in an office environment, so ensuring that you have the correct desk setup is extremely important.
Chair
You should also be considering the chair that you are sitting on when working from home. It will not be comfortable to sit on a hard wooden chair all day, such as a dining chair. This may be a simple fix, such as adding a cushion to the chair to make it more comfortable.
If you are short on storage space and using a dual-purpose or folding desk, it may be best to move a dining chair or other chair to the area you are working in. Although this can be irritating to do twice per day every day, overall, it will save you space in whichever room you choose to work.