Remote Work Is Here to Stay: Set Yourself Up for Success
When office workers around the world made the emergency transition to remote work, the emphasis fell largely on the emergency, less on the work. As newly minted telecommuters, we perched our laptops wherever we could: makeshift workspaces like the dining room table, sofa—and sometimes our beds. Even those of us lucky enough to have a dedicated home office have found ourselves sharing the space (and our Zoom backgrounds) with roommates, spouses, kids, and pets.
Business as Unusual
Seven months into this pandemic, it’s clear that no one knows what “business as usual” means now – or knows what it will mean in the future. In fact, experts predict that at least 25-30% of workers who hold a job that is compatible with remote work will continue working from home multiple days per week by the end of 2021.
What we do know is that WFH is here to stay, and now is the time to start thinking about your long-term remote work strategy. Here, we’ve curated our best remote work tips and furniture recommendations to help you be your most productive at home:
1. Create a Dedicated Workspace
When it comes to maintaining focus and productivity at home, nothing is more important than having a dedicated workspace. It doesn’t matter so much what your workspace looks like — only that you sit down to work in the same place each day. Not only does this keep us organized, but it also helps us adhere to a schedule and set boundaries with our cohabitants.
Of course, not everyone has a spare room in their home to set up a proper home office, or even a spare corner to put a writing desk. Thankfully, transforming furniture lets us use a single space in myriad ways throughout the day, so you can carve out a dedicated workspace even with limited square footage. For instance, Resource offers a wide selection of multi-functional wall beds with integrated desks, allowing you to easily transform your bedroom or guest room into a dedicated office space in seconds.
Our best-selling LGM features a queen-size bed with pull-out nightstands – but by day, the bed folds away and revolves on a track to reveal a full-height bookcase with a built-in, fold-down desk.
If a wall bed isn’t right for you, consider a smaller, more versatile option like a height-adjusting coffee table: Our collection of height-adjustable, transforming coffee tables, like the Genie (shown above), instantly rise to standard desk height with the simple push of a hidden lever, so you can work comfortably right from your living room sofa — no spare room required!
2. At the End of the Day, Put Work Away
Even if you have a dedicated workspace, signing off at the end of the day is much more difficult when you’re surrounded by papers and projects that call out for your attention. Now more than ever we need to take extra care to maintain work-life balance if we want to prevent burnout.
So how do we keep work from spilling over into our personal hours? It’s simple: Choose office furniture that actually hides away the clutter and lets you enjoy your downtime. Out of sight, out of mind!
The aptly named Home Office system transforms from a contemporary modular cabinet into a fully functional workspace, complete with a fold-out desk, built-in wire management system, touch-activated LED overhead lighting, and hidden storage compartments. When closed, the Home Office stands at less than 14’’ deep to fit nearly anywhere. Plus, its modular design means it can be installed seamlessly against any Resource Furniture wall bed or modular storage pieces — so you can design your own unique storage system around your particular needs.
3. Have the Right Tools
While important, office furniture is just one part of the equation – to do your best work from home, you need to have all the necessary tools. When it was still unclear how long we would be working remotely, employees had to get by with whatever tech tools we had at home. Now it’s time to seriously evaluate your tech needs and determine what’s missing from your home office set-up. It might include faster internet, a second monitor, a mic or webcam, certain software programs, or even a VPN to securely access company information.
Whatever tools you need to do your job, our Freestanding Desk Units can easily accommodate them. Combining high Italian design with the latest tech integrations – like optional built-in phone chargers, outlets, USB ports, and LED lighting – these customizable desk units are available in a wide range of styles, sizes, and finishes to suit any space, big or small.
4. Make It Personal
No strategy is one-size-fits-all, so consider your situation to determine what will make your WFH experiences more productive and enjoyable for you. Sometimes the answer is obvious: a bigger desk, a distraction-free zone within your shared living space. Other times, you may need to seek out inspiration. Engage your colleagues and ask how they’re managing, or look to online sources of inspiration like the Resource Design Gallery, which offers real-life examples of some of our clients’ home offices.
Remember – whatever your situation, our design team can help you create a live/work environment that fits your unique style and space needs!
