One of the best parts about being a freelancer is working from the comfort of your own home. But this doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to be at the kitchen table working from your laptop in an uncomfortable position distracted by outside traffic or noise.
In fact, if you don’t create your own work space, it can hamper your productivity and decrease your results. Why not create a better home office with the equipment and resources you need in order to be productive?
1. Computer
Your computer is an essential part of your office. A lot of freelancers ask if PCs or laptops are better. It all depends on your preferences, needs, and the kind of work you do.
If your work requires you to be on the go, it’s a good idea to get a laptop. If you need a powerful work computer for projects like graphic design, maybe in this case a PC would be a better choice.
2. Internet connection
A wide bandwidth is recommended in order to make the most of your time. You’ll need stability and a good signal to do your work without interruptions.
When you work from home as a freelancer, your internet connection is one of your most important work tools as being responsive is an essential part of keeping clients happy.
This availability will allow you to work with the best clients and establish long term relationships with them, increasing your income and career stability.
3. Peripherals
This list can include a monitor, mouse, keyboard, printer, scanner, webcam, headphones. The most important part is having a wide enough screen depending on what kind of work you do.
Whatever is most practical for your job is best. Adding a printer and scanner to your home office are great ways to improve your home office work quality.
4. Smartphone and landline
If you use a landline, make sure it’s a line dedicated to your contacts. If that isn’t possible, maintain a professional attitude when taking a call, especially during work hours.
This may seem obvious, but it’s fundamental to keep in mind. Fluid communication will help you maintain the best relationship possible with your clients.
5. Furniture
A desk, a chair, a closet, or shelves to keep files, books, or various documents in one place are just a few pieces of furniture that you may need. Whatever you need, make sure it’s functional and adapts to your needs.
An ergonomic desk and chair are essential for keeping good posture during your work day. Best of all, with the recent advances in design, there are pieces of furniture that are very comfortable, useful, and functional. We get that this may feel a bit too “office-like” but if you’re looking for a way to design a welcoming place that is functional and helps you keep a good workflow, getting ergonomic furniture is the best way to facilitate that.
6. Good lighting
Natural light is best. This will keep headaches and fatigue away, as well as bad posture from not being able to see the screen clearly.
7. Memo and notepads
Memos and notebooks are extremely useful to prioritise, create lists or plans, write down ideas, and more. There are different materials and designs that will suit everyone’s taste and make every home office feel a bit more personalised.
Keep in mind that having paper on you at all times will help you stay organised. There are tools that will allow you to organise your work like Asana or Trello, for example.
8. Software
Emails, IP voice applications, IM programmes, automatic backup programmes… These are just some of a few resources you can find online to edit documents, share files, manage projects, and more.
These are essential to organising your projects, communicating, managing time, and being productive.
9. Office supplies
Paper clips, staplers, highlighters, folders, scissors, envelopes… Make a list of everything you need on a day to day to day basis and what you might need at some point. It’s a good idea to make a basic office supply kit.
10. Your own personal touch
Have you thought about how you’d add your own personal touch to your office? It’s essential to make your home office truly your own.
Whether it’s a photo of your next vacation destination, a desk clock, your favourite puppet, a mini poster, your office is yours, so you might as well decorate it.
Giving your office a personal touch will make you happy, and this happiness will reflect in your work.
Whenever you talk with your clients, they’ll take note. They’ll see that you’re relaxed, confident, happy to work, and in turn they’ll trust you with more work.
If you’re ready to become a freelancer and begin a successful freelance career, sign up for Workana free of charge. As soon as you complete your profile, you’ll be able to send proposals to clients who publish projects looking for qualified freelancers to make their projects a success.
Click here to find out more about Workana to start hiring or enlisting as a freelancer.
