Few would argue the importance of maintaining a healthy balance between work and your personal life. The more work occupies your brain and stresses you out when the workday is over is not time well spent. That can be especially true if you work from home where it’s often difficult to separate one from the other.

Add to that – for health reasons and otherwise – more and more people working from home not necessarily by choice, and associated problems only compound themselves.

While we don’t have all the answers, we do have some helpful tips on how and where to create a home office space that keeps life and work at least a little more apart.

Location, location. Choose a space where household traffic and distractions are minimal. Ideally, this area would be separated by a door from the rest of the house, but if that is not an option, consider using a screen or partition around your workspace to minimize visual distractions.

Eliminate outside noise. No matter how quiet your home might be, outdoor distractions like traffic, nearby construction, and rowdy neighbors can make focus and productivity a challenge. Keep it to a minimum by sealing gaps around windows and exterior doors, use a draft guard to seal the gap between door and floor, or invest in good-quality noise cancelling headphones.

Keep it light and bright. If possible, set up your workstation near a window to reap the health benefits of natural sunlight. If the window is small, hang a mirror on the opposite wall to bounce sunlight around the space.

Get – and stay – connected. Dropped calls, poor connections during video conferencing, and slow file-sharing can make you seem unprepared and unprofessional. There also can be a significant loss or productivity. Contact your local internet provider to ensure your service plan matches the needs of your household.

Consider your equipment. Think about how you use your office equipment – does it help or hinder your ability to work comfortably and efficiently? Make sure your chair offers the comfort and support you need, replace that old sticky keyboard for a newer model, or consider adding a second computer monitor to reduce going back and forth between files.

Creative storage.  If your room is tight on space or serves double duty as a guest bedroom or hobby room, look for creative ways to use wall shelving, bookcases, and other storage ideas to eliminate floor clutter.

Reduce the clutter. Use drawer organizers to keep sticky notes, pens, paper clips and other office essentials within easy access. Keep paper clutter to a minimum by scanning those documents you can while filing the rest away. And bundle wires, cords, and cables with double-sided Velcro, or invest in a cord management system.

At the end of the day, put it away. Make it easier to switch from work to life by organizing and putting away documents and shutting electronics down. You’ll be less tempted to “check one more thing” and keep your work area safe from exploring kids and curious pets.

If you’ve converted basement or attic space to a home office and that area is not covered by your home security system, you have one very good reason to expand your system’s capabilities – especially if your office contains expensive equipment and gear. Contact Now Security Systems today to learn how we can help protect not just some of your home, but all of it.