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While the pandemic has thrown all of us for a huge loop, in my opinion, parents have really had to work around not only going through making meals but helping their children with school, keeping the home clean and now attempting to also go to zoom meetings, present presentations with their children in the background and write important memos. It’s a lot and the biggest thing that parents can do is separate their work space from the rest of their home. If you have the yard space, create your own she shed to help eliminate distraction, noise and above all, your productivity. Below are a few tips to creating your own space and keeping it functional for your personal and professional needs.
- Picture The Perfect Location: One of the first things you want to do when looking for a productive work space for you is finding that spot. If you live in a small apartment, there might not be many options but if you have a larger home, you’ll want to choose an area that is out of the way out a lot of oncoming traffic ( aka where your kids are all day). Ideally, you’ll want a spot that is both away from any distractions ( like snacks or a family room where the T.V. might be on ) and also a spot that has natural light. If you do have kids at home, depending upon their ages and the level of supervision they need, you may need to coordinate your workspace so it’s near where they’ll be doing their distance learning. For example, you might want to set up at a kitchen counter while your kids work at a dining table that is near you if you need to supervise.
- Make It You Close To Your Office Work Space As You Can: If you find yourself working from home and you don’t have all your items you once had like an office chair that keeps you comfortable or your standing desk that you loved. Shop your home to attempt to match up a chair, table or other surface that lets you set up your computer for a laptop without hunching over. A chair that is comfortable but properly provides the back support you need is ideal. You could also get a draped blanket or a comfortable cushion can also help with that comfort idea. There are also standing desks that you can either look for such as your kitchen counter or prop your laptop up on books to create the perfect height that you need. You could even purchase your own standing desk that is pretty inexpensive as well.
Image: Gameday Moving Services
3. Create A “She Shed” And Hire Movers To Help: If your home is too noisy and you are finding you are not able to focus or be as productive as you would like to be, look for a space that might be outside your home. For most of us we aren’t able to rent a new location but could perhaps build your own little ‘she shed’ to help us. This can be that old shed in the backyard that you never really utilized for tools and can use now as your own personal work space. Hire a company to help you move some items that you want in there such as an office desk, small chair, decorative curtains, a small rug and other personal items. Gameday Moving Services can help you do all of these things and are extremely friendly and trustworthy. Not only can they assist you with moving these important items from one location to another, but this team can also help with other bulkier or more expensive and cherished items such as a family heirloom or pianos in the Athens GA area.
4. Be Sure You Are Connected: One essential tip to creating your own workspace is that you are near a power outlet or look for multi-plug extension cords so you can plug what you need in. These items might include a printer, a phone and of course a laptop or computer all at the same time. If you are thinking you’ll have a lot of video calls, make sure wherever you set-up your new workspace allows you to get connection without any distraction or disruption. Do a test video to check out the view on your zoom call video and what is showing behind you. A plain wall that isn’t too distracting is a perfect backdrop with the proper lighting. You can also have a plant or something on brand that is simplified and uncluttered. Also make sure that your WiFi signal in that location is strong or find a small router to add to make sure you don’t have any issues.
There are many other tips to help create the perfect workspace that I’m sure are not on this list, but these can be the starting point for you to maximize the four walls that you live in and see what you can do maintain productivity. Get creative and try to think outside the box if you are in a small office space or even a large home so you can select what works for you. If you need to get noise canceling headphones, move your desk to a wall so you aren’t distracted by the chaos around you or get out of your home all together. Do what you can to make sure that you are able to work at the maximum level and be your most productive self.
