Expert Advice for Setting Up a Functional Work From Home Space

Without the constraints of a commute or IRL meetings, any semblance of your usual workday routine can easily slip away. And with it can go your focus…if you’re not careful.

Harmony Carlberg, a design integration manager for The HON Company, based in Muscatine, Iowa, says that the simple ritual of making coffee before she sits down to work at home sets the tone for a more productive morning. “It translates back to time in the office,” Carlberg observes. “My days are better when I stick to this routine.”

Setting and communicating clear boundaries regarding when your working hours will be is another essential move for establishing routine. “This creates some sense of normalcy,” says Mary Abel, vice president at Office Elements, an Iowa-based design firm specializing in bringing architectural furniture solutions to companies and organizations large and small.

“Your workday is likely going to take a different shape and you’ll need to create a schedule that works for you and your household.” Although your work hours may differ and you’re not leaving the house, setting firm stop and start times can stop your professional tasks from creeping into your home life and vice versa.

No matter how big or small your home may be, find a dedicated workspace. “Not everyone has a home office,” says Carlberg. “Even if you just stake a claim on half the kitchen counter or a specific chair and table. It’s important to have somewhere to go to ‘work.’”

What should you look for when defining your work-from-home home base? “Good lighting is key,” says Abel. “It’s also good to pick a spot where distractions can be minimized.”

Of all the mistakes workers make when moving from a formal office setting to home, overlooking the basics of ergonomics rises to the top as Carlberg’s greatest concern. “You may not have a task chair at home, or a stand-up desk, but we’re all able to get up a stretch throughout the day,” she reminds. “Movement is huge.”

If you’re working on a laptop, get a mouse and keyboard to prevent lockup and stress in your arms. “Having your screen closer to eye level allows for less strain on the neck and back and allows for better posture,” Carlberg says, noting that having a keyboard allows laptop users to accomplish this.

With each day bringing more stress and bad news, finding some calm in your work-from-home routine key for maintaining perspective and positivity. Turning on your fireplace can “change the atmosphere,” says Abel, who has a fireplace in her home office. “Fireplaces make the mood of a space more comfortable, filling it with an ambiance that isn’t noisy or distracting. With so much feeling ‘taken away’ from us right now,” she says. “We’re lucky to have the freedom to be comfortable at home. The simple feeling of security a fireplace brings…at least we can enjoy that!”

“Fireplaces are a relaxing feature,” notes Carlsberg, who notes that she often sees them specified in commercial spaces for the sense of “hominess” and natural connection they bring. “In the middle of a global pandemic, we could all use that calming sense right now.”

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