Did you know that 69 percent of U.S. entrepreneurs start their businesses at home? Or that the share of people doing some or all of their work at home grew from 19 percent in 2003 to 24 percent in 2015?
Combined, these trends have moved the home office from a nice to have to a must-have in a short span of years.
But working from home can be a challenge, especially if your home office lacks one or more of the essentials discussed in the video above.
Home Office Essentials that Support Your Success
When you start working from home, you’re faced with a number of new responsibilities, ones that were handled for you in your previous in-office work life. These include essentials like buying your own office equipment, selecting your own office furniture and making sure you always have the necessary office supplies on hand.
Nailing these home office essentials is key if you want to stay energized and productive. Some can even affect your health. The 10 discussed in the video above break down into three distinct categories:
1. Equipment and Services: When you work from home, you need a way to stay in touch with the outside world. That’s why a reliable, high speed internet connection is key. You’ll also want to protect your office equipment, both to cover your investment and the fact that they’re important to getting your work done, with surge protectors.
2. Mindset: Working from home can get lonely so you need to keep yourself in a positive mood by decorating your office with elements that cheer you up and keep you motivated. In addition, working form home can be distracting so make sure your home office sports a door.
3. Personal health: fitting in exercise (remember, you’re no longer commuting), buying a comfortable, ergonomic chair, and adding plants that freshen the air are all ways to stay healthy in your new office.
If you want to make your new work from home life — well — work, you must stock your office with the 10 home office essentials listed in the video above.
Make sure to also check out the full list of 21 home office must haves.
Hi Matt,
Great video. Loved it!
I’ve set up a new home office recently. In my personal experience, I’ve found that the most important home office essentials are Computer (not laptop), an adjustable desk, and a comfortable chair. Previously, I bought a chair which was not comfortable at all, and it decreased my productivity. And talking about a computer, I used to work on my Mac book, and it seemed that I was productive. But I realized that I was wrong when I switched to iMac.
However, thanks for sharing the list.