Home (Office) Improvement: Items That You NEED if You Work Remotely

    In our last post, FBTB explained the key strategy for avoiding distractions when working from home: making and maintaining a steady routine. Our post provided essential questions one should ask when creating an effective work-from-home routine and highlighted the importance of sticking to this routine as closely as possible. So, how do you improve your remote work experience after you develop this routine? After you have your routine down, It's time to Accessorize! No, you are not being told to buy that clutch bag you've been eyeing. It's time to invest in a couple tools to improve your home workspace and ensure you stick to your routine! 

Tools To Consider

Noise Cancelling Headphones

    Has this happened to you? You are trying to read through some important work emails, but your neighbors are remodeling their house, and all you can seem to focus on are the unpleasant clangs and clunks of construction noise. If so, you may be entitled to compensation! Call now! Just Kidding. You may not be entitled to cash, but FBTB has a consolation prize. Noise-cancelling headphones. They do what their name implies. They cancel noise. Some, like Apple's Airpod Pro, can even determine the noise frequencies around you and adjust to specifically cancel those frequencies. What does this mean for you? Less distractions caused by surrounding noise and an improved ability to focus on your work! 

Room Divider 

    

    Is your living room also your home office? If so, you may struggle to focus on work in the same place where you unwind. Various means of compartmentalizing your multi-use space are essential to staying focused on work. One of the best ways to mentally divide your space is by physically dividing it. This is where a room divider comes into the picture—a room divider that separates your home office from the rest of your home. Why does this matter? The idea is that by removing the visual of the places that remind you of your more leisurely pursuits, like your couch or television, you can start to develop a stronger association of your workspace as, well, a workspace. Seems obvious, right? Maybe even too obvious. However, this can drastically change how you view your home office and improve productivity. 

Do Not Disturb Sign

This one is self-explanatory. If you live with family or roommates who are home when you work, they can interrupt your workflow. Boundaries can be hard to set in a home office. Those around you may forget that even though you are home, you are also at work. A "Do Not Disturb" sign is a simple and effective way to remind those around you that you are working and spare you from potential distractions. You can even have one custom-made to match your office space decor or tailor the message on the sign to your preferences.