The pandemic lockdown of 2020 gave everyone a culture shock surrounding the concept of working from home. Some loved it, and some didn’t. People have seen the potential of remote work, and it’s becoming increasingly popular for companies to offer their employees more flexibility. Others have utilized coworking spaces, like one of The Cannon’s six locations in the Houston area, to have the best of both worlds–the flexibility to both stay home when needed and an office to go to when needing a change of pace or a more professional environment.

If you’re not in the Houston area or don’t have a convenient coworking spaces around you, now more than ever is the perfect time to learn how to set up a remote office suited to your needs. In the following article, we discuss everything you need to consider when setting up your space. 

The Space

First, you need to pick a dedicated space for your remote office environment, for optimal project management and productivity. It is tempting to work right from your bed in pajama bottoms or sit back on the living room couch, but even if you are working in a small apartment, it’s essential to work in a spot that sets you up for success. 

Light

Considering the brightness of your space is essential for various reasons. A light source behind you will glare on your screen, making it difficult to see, and direct light will irritate your eyes and flush your complexion, which you don’t want if you use a webcam. Typical overhead lighting in houses and apartments is a good solution, but it can limit your space options. 

Whether standing or sitting at a desk, a good lamp that provides soft, bright light can be your best friend if you don’t have good natural lighting, which is the best option. An adjustable lamp is even better if you need to change the focus of your light source. 

Noise

Everyone has their own noise preference. Loud and disruptive noises distract most people when they need to focus or go into a meeting over the phone or video calls. Acoustic panels and other sound-canceling materials are great solutions for those who don’t have an isolated, quiet space and frequently need to be on calls. 

Noise-canceling headphones are also an option if you need to listen to something on your computer or prefer to listen to music while working. Or, if you prefer silence while concentrating on work, noise-canceling earplugs are also available.

The Desk

Now that you have a dedicated space for your work environment, it’s time to set up your desk space. 

Essential Equipment

You will first want the essentials of a laptop or a home computer, along with good internet service and efficient routers to keep the day running smoothly. Our partners at Dell are offering numerous discounts for all Cannon Connect members; join today and outfit your home office with the best options in computers, monitors and accessories.

Depending on the nature of your work, you may also want to get a webcam and a headset. To keep up with all of the electronics, you will need to organize your cords accordingly. 

Ergonomic Harmony

The next step is to think about how to have an ergonomic setup. You want to take care of your physical body while working, and proper posture is the key. Many desk chairs allow you to adjust them to the proper height for your desk and your height, and a standing desk is a great way to avoid sitting all day at work. There are also many ergonomic keyboards and mouses you can use to protect the joints in your hands. To avoid straining your neck, you should raise your screens to your eye level; you can accomplish this with some mounts or a stack of books. You may also want to consider getting a pair of blue-light-blocking glasses to protect your eyes and avoid screen fatigue. 

Inspirational Decor

Personalizing your workspace is an awesome way to make your workspace welcoming and inspiring. Adding words of encouragement or inspiring decor is a great way to spark creativity and positively affect your mood. This tip will apply more to home offices than to anyone looking to work out of coffee houses, libraries, or coworking spaces. However, small touches can still be added with your portable supplies. 

Pleasant Plants

For the home office worker, we also suggest you think about adding some plants to your decor. Plants in office spaces are a must since they boost your mood and increase productivity by 15%, as the University of Exeter discovered. Multiple studies have also shown that taking care of plants reduces stress, thereby improving mental health. 

The Routine

While the setup for your remote office is important, nothing is more critical than the routine you set for yourself as a remote worker. The following are our best tips to get the most out of your workday while in an out-of-office environment.

Consistently Start and End Your Workday. 

It may be tempting to get a few more hours of sleep if you don’t have urgent meetings first thing in the morning, but getting into a regular routine for work helps put you in the right headspace. Your brain will learn when it’s time to work and when it’s time to rest. The rhythm will also help you prevent you from overworking yourself. 

Another hot tip for home office workers: involve your pets. If you have a dog, walk them right after your day ends; if you have a cat, feed them when you finish work. They will also get used to the routine and make a great reminder for you to end the day!

Schedule Focus and Break Times in Your Calendar. 

Breaking up your day is a crucial part of not burning yourself out. Everybody has their own balance between focusing and taking a step back, so we recommend working to find yours. Maybe you like an hour of work and a ten-minute break or 45 minutes with a fifteen-minute break. It’s up to you!

It’s also good practice to schedule a block of time to just focus on your work. We can’t predict everything that will happen, but a dedicated time block to focus will allow you to catch up on things you missed or get ahead of your workload. 

Unplug from Work at the End of the Day. 

You absolutely should have set working hours. This tip is especially important if you work at home since you need time to recharge to produce your best work every day. Block notifications at certain hours, set up a voicemail, turn off work-only devices—do whatever is necessary to get work off your mind once your day is over.

The Best Place for Remote Work

All the tips we’ve covered above should help you in building a home or remote office environment that increases your productivity. If you’ve already utilized these tips or similar ones, and haven’t successfully figured out how to set up a remote office, there are alternative solutions out there. 

The Cannon has multiple coworking space locations around the city of Houston, Texas to host you. Every location has free parking and Wi-Fi along with plenty of desk space and conference rooms. 

If a home office environment is your jam or you’re not in the Houston area, we also offer Cannon Connect, a community platform for innovators everywhere. Meet new people, get resources for business success, and maybe even find a mentor through our advisor network. We are a community built for one purpose: helping innovators thrive!

Brad True

Brad oversees all overall day-to-day operations of The Cannon and its growing community, including all current and future Cannon locations and Cannon Connect, The Cannon's new online platform. He holds an undergraduate degree in marketing from Texas A&M and a graduate degree from the University of Oklahoma.