Introducing our partnership with The Homeworker
The Homeworker delivers insights and inspiration to enhance productivity and wellbeing as well as tangible tools and tips to enrich their workspace.
We're therefore excited to share an article by Louise Goss, Founder of The Homeworker, where she delves into the essential elements of crafting an optimal home workspace, minimising distractions and finding inspiration.
But before we jump into the article, don’t forget - as a Malt freelancer, you can benefit from a 15% discount on both digital and printed subscriptions of The Homeworker magazine. Learn more here.
How to create a home workspace for freelance success
As a freelancer, working from home provides freedom, flexibility, and of course, the opportunity to create your own ideal home workspace.
Big or small, when you work from home, you can customise, personalise, and create a work area that supports you to show up and do your best work.
There may be days where pulling up a chair at the kitchen table with your laptop works for a while, but longer-term, there are several factors to consider when setting up a home workspace for freelance success.
Define your space
Define a set space. Even if you have a small desk in the corner of your living room, this is your workspace. Dedicate it to your work and nothing else and try to keep it as separate as possible.
There are visual, interior design tricks we can use to help delineate the workspace within the communal space such as with paint, colour, dividers and rugs. Unused nooks and alcoves can also make more private and dedicated work areas.
Don’t forget that some spaces work better for certain tasks. A cosy reading corner or a light, bright window seat may make an ideal spot for reading and research. You don’t need to be chained to your desk, even when you are at home.
Work in comfort
Nobody does their best work while sitting in discomfort, with an aching back, a stiff neck, constantly shifting to find a comfortable position.
Optimising the ergonomics of your home office is crucial for keeping yourself pain free. If you are spending many hours a day at a desk, an ergonomic, adjustable chair will be a sound investment, and an adjustable standing desk that facilitates movement and helps you change your position could be really helpful.
Think about how you layout your desk. The positioning of your monitor, mouse, and items you use regularly can also determine how you move your body and what repetitive movements you make. Keeping these items in front of you and within a short reach prevents over stretching and keeps your frame more centrally aligned.
One of the best things to remember while working at home is to keep moving. Your comfort levels are linked to your environment and your wellbeing so also think about the temperature and ventilation in your room. There are products and equipment you can buy to help keep your room comfortably warm without soaring costs such as rug warmers and even heated desks.
Keeping a bottle of water on your desk is also important to stop you getting dehydrated, as this can lead to headaches and a lack of concentration.
Clear the clutter
They say a cluttered space equals a cluttered mind.
The downside of working from home as a freelancer can mean that the household clutter can find its way into your work area and on to your desk.
Gifts from your children, letters from school, clubs, and other post, empty mugs or old receipts that need to be filed, can all litter your work area.
An organised space means you can find things quickly, and feel more in control of your environment. This can help alleviate stress and save time, which can help when you’re faced with a tight deadline.
A clear space can also change the energy of a room. Less clutter means more space for ideas and creativity to flow.
Professional reminders
When getting rid of the clutter, also be intentional about what you place on or near your desk. When working as a freelancer, you may have a rotation of clients. You often need to adapt and shift gears, working on different projects with different deadlines.
Think about putting a reminder of your client or brand you are working for near you. Maybe it is some stationery with their logo on to help you get into the right mindset, perhaps they have a handbook or brochure that you can place by your computer. You could even pin a picture or tag line on to a peg board. It can help you get into the feel of working for that client and serves as a reminder of your current task and the style you need to adopt.
Minimise distractions
An office is often a noisy environment, and many homeworkers find they can be productive and get deep work done from home. But the home can also have distractions of a different kind. Noisy neighbours, household or family members, post deliveries, the fridge(!), the list of chores or the looming laundry pile can all cause you to lose focus.
Each of these can be overcome and when you work to eliminate or minimise distractions, you can find your home workspace a productive space. Noise cancelling headphones can be a freelancer’s best friend as can setting boundaries with your family. Tackling a chore during a screen break gives you a chance to keep on top of housework as well.
In any environment, our smartphones are also a large distraction with endless apps, notifications and the temptation to check and scroll. Putting your phone into airplane mode, closing the browser tabs you’re not working on, and even placing your phone away in a drawer can help keep your workplace distractions to a minimum.
Don’t forget working from home can also mean work from anywhere. There are days when your local coffee shop or coworking space will also provide the perfect balance and change of scene you need.
Find inspiration
Nothing will sap your motivation or energy more than working in an uninspiring place. To be most productive, surround yourself with colours, smells, and items that lift you up and help you feel your best.
Colours can evoke different moods so think about how you want to feel in your workspace. Using paint, prints, stationery, or furnishings, you can create an environment that you love.
Think about motivational quotes, certain books to have in your line of sight, maybe a favourite candle that creates a sense of calm or helps you settle into your work.
Again, be intentional about what you put in your workspace. It needs to be curated not cluttered.
