What are the Pros and Cons of Working from Home?

For most people, the idea of being able to work from home seems like a dream come true! What could be better than drinking coffee in your pajamas on a cold winter’s morning, knowing you don’t have to leave the house! However, as with any job (whether it be in a building, warehouse or office), working from home has both advantages and disadvantages. This begs the question, ‘what are the pros and cons to working from home?

There are at least 10 pros and 10 cons to working from home. Each advantage and disadvantage must be taken into consideration and weighed carefully, in terms of how it will affect your overall health and wealth in the long run. Understanding each point will help you determine whether (or not) its suitable for you, both personally and professionally.

Now that you know there are 10 advantages and 10 disadvantages to working from home, let’s take a closer at each in detail below. We’ll also discuss if working from home is right for you. We’ll conclude by reviewing whether (or not) working from home is healthy, why people choose it over traditional jobs and how much money you can potentially save per year by doing it.

So, if you’re ready to learn more about the pros and cons of working from home (and everything else that it entails), then let’s get started! We’ll begin on a positive note, which is the benefits of working from home.

What are the Advantages of Working from Home?

There are many advantages to working from home. Some you may know already whereas others you may not have thought of (prior to reading this article, that is). The choice to do so depends on you and what you value in most in life. The ‘top 10’ pros, in my opinion, include (but are in no way limited to) the following:

1) Flexible Hours

I think the number one advantage to working from home is the flexibility. Being able to set your own work hours and chose how much (or how little) you want to work on any given day, in any given week sounds ideal! This allows you the chance to make that doctor’s appointment, meet a friend for lunch or pick up your child from school without jeopardizing your job.

2) No Commute Time

There are few things more stressful in the morning than dealing with heavy traffic, crowded buses and long subway rides. By the time you get to work, you feel frustrated, angry and even depressed. Working from home allows you the luxury of enjoying an extra cup of coffee instead of sitting in a traffic jam. Not to mention the money you’ll save on gas, transportation fees (bus, taxi, subway) or parking passes.

3) Fewer (if any) Childcare Costs

Paying for babysitting, daycare or your child’s ‘before-and-after-school’ supervision program is pricey. In fact, it often costs almost as much as the average working wage which makes it a heavy financial burden for many parents (and families) to bear. By working from home, you can virtually eliminate this expense all together, saving hundred of dollars a month! Imagine what you could do with that extra money!

4) Larger Pool of Opportunity

Working from home allows you to build your business your way, rather than blindly following the objectives set by an organization or company. You can do the jobs you want to do instead of the ones assigned to you. You’re also free to hire who you want with the opportunity to ‘change things up’ if (and when) you see fit. You’re the boss and as such, makes decisions based on your own personal goals.

5) Higher Productivity and Improved Motivation

When its your business with your name and your money on the line, you’re more invested in its success. Your driven to succeed which compels you to work harder. Fewer interruptions and more a peaceful environment help increase productivity and boost creativity. Motivation is higher when its your passion that propels your work, not simply the necessity of paying bills to ‘get by.’

6) Financially Beneficial

Working from home saves you money on rent fees, utilities and parking expenses. Paying for an office space/building and other facilities cuts into your profit margin, thus reducing your revenue. By utilizing important business tools, such as mobile telecommunication, freelancers can grow their home business effectively while providing top-notch customer service.

7) Work/Life Balance

Finding a work-life balance is important to a person’s overall health and happiness. Working from home allows entrepreneurs to eat healthier, have time for workouts and be closer to family. A well-managed work/home life also helps reduce the risk of ‘burnout’ or stress associated with job ‘overload’. This can significantly increase your chances not only living a healthier, but possibly longer, life.

8) Comfortable Environment

There’s no place like home when it comes feeling relaxed and comfortable. Working from home allows you the chance to ditch the stuffy suit and tie for comfy sweats or even pajamas! Feeling relaxed allows you to focus and think more clearly, which inspires creativity and enhances productivity. This will inevitably lead to greater business success, not to mention a more positive outlook on life.

9) Less Stress

Working in an office environment can be very stressful. Having to concentrate amid ringing phones, co-worker interruptions and other distractions is often difficult. Stress on the job causes depression, anxiety and insomnia, just to name a few. Remote work or working from home has shown to reduce stress by as much as 78%, according to a recent study done by OWL Labs in 2019.

10) Tax Advantages

Working from home has tax advantages you probably weren’t aware of. For example, you can deduct part of the costs related to your work ‘space’, such as office equipment, electricity, heating, property tax and home insurance. This will not only provide much needed relief at tax time but also save you money in the long run. More money in your pocket means more opportunity to grow your home business.

What are the Disadvantages to Working from Home?

Just as working from home has its advantages, so too are there disadvantages. Understanding what the drawbacks are and how they may affect you both personally and professionally, is important. The 10 most common cons related to working from home, in my opinion, include (but aren’t limited to) the following:

Lack of Human Interaction

Most of the time, when working from home, you’ll likely be alone. Regardless of the phone calls and online meetings you have throughout the day, the absence of face-to-face interaction can be hard on some people. Part of the joy of working in an office with others is the coffee break banter! Some people thrive in social situations and need that camaraderie in order to carry out their daily job tasks.

No Separation from Work and Home

Working from home can make it feel like you’re always on the job! The lack of separation between work and home can make it difficult for freelancers to ‘switch off’ or ‘leave the office.’ This can cause stress or increase anxiety if you’re unable to find a balance between working from home and living at home. The key is to establish a work schedule, stick to it and be able to ‘clock out’ at the end of the day.

Too Many Distractions

Constant interruptions from family, friends or roommates can make working from home next to impossible! Noisy neighbors, honking car horns or barking dogs can distract you, causing you to lose focus. Lack of concentration can seriously affect your creativity and productivity. Entrepreneurs must set ‘boundaries’ at home with loved ones, if they want to succeed professionally.

Lack of Productivity

Too many distractions go hand in hand with lack of productivity. Although it’s nice not to have the boss ‘breathing down your neck’ all day, the presence of management often provides that extra push needed to get the job done. Those who run a home business need to find ways to stay motivated in order to work efficiently alone. If you can’t stay focussed on your own, working from home will very difficult.

Unhealthy Lifestyle

While there are many health benefits to working from home (see below under Related Questions), there can be some drawbacks as well. For example, many offices provide their employees with high-end ergonomic chairs and standing desks to prevent back and shoulder problems whereas at home, you may not be willing to invest in bona fide home office equipment. This can cause health problems over time.

Limited Communication Options

Unless you’re willing to invest financially in telecommunication upgrades, your productivity as a remote worker will likely suffer. Telecommunication is an invaluable tool for any business. It allows you to communicate effectively with clients while providing the highest level of customer service available. If you want to be successful as a freelancer, then you need to broaden your communication spectrum.

Work not Valued as Much

Unfortunately, in our society today, most people don’t value working from home as much as in-office jobs. They just can’t don’t see it as ‘real’ work. The fact is that those who work from home often put in more hours on the job. They are strongly committed to succeeding in their chosen field (and it shows)! This narrow-minded viewpoint is not only frustrating but untrue. Hopefully, it’ll change in the future.

Harder to Gage Individual Performance

It’s the boss in an office setting that monitors employee performance. Objectives must be met and it’s up to management to enforce it. When you work from home, it can be hard to gage your own progress. As freelancers, you must be able set your own goals and create a timeline that ‘works’. This can be problematic for those that don’t like to (or simply can’t) follow a schedule.

Difficult to Problem Solve

In an office environment, it’s much easier to solve problems with the help of your colleagues. Whether it be computer software issues or customer services inquiries, it takes much longer to fix these issues on your own over the phone (with limited communication options at home) then it would in person with the help of a trained professional. This can create extra stress and cost more money over time.

No Paid Sick Leave or Pension Contributions

Financial securities are important and often provided to employees (by most companies and businesses)
in the way of healthcare benefits, paid sick leave and pension contributions. Freelancers are usually not so lucky! They must be able to pay for their own medical and/or dental bills/insurance independently and contribute their own pension plans, which could cost thousands of dollars out-of-pocket each year!

Is Working from Home Right for You?

From the information presented above, you can see that there are both pros and cons to working from home. You must decide for yourself which are more prevalent (the advantages or the disadvantages) and will have the biggest impact on your overall health and happiness. To be a freelancer, you must:

have an incredible sense of self-discipline
be able to concentrate and focus amid distractions
know how to manage your time efficiently
be well-organized and follow a work-from-home schedule
be able to work effectively on your own, without supervision

Before you decide if working from home is right for you, there are a few questions you need to answer first. You must be able to say ‘yes’ to each, truthfully and honestly if you hope to be successful. These questions include the following:

Do you have an appropriate working from home environment? Is it safe, comfortable and free of distractions? Do you have a suitable office space to work with the equipment you’ll need?
Is your family supportive of your desire to run a home business? Are they willing to cooperate with you to ensure you have the time and space needed to succeed professionally?
Do you have a plan in place to create a healthy work/life balance? Are you able to separate your personal life from your professional life at home?
Are you able to design a work-from-home schedule, with daily tasks to be accomplished or goals to be met, and stick to it?
Can you financially afford to work from home? Can you cover your medical and/or dental bills (for yourself and your family) independently? Can you contribute to your own pension plan?

How to Stay Focused in a Home Office?

Working in a home office may seem like the perfect dream job. I have been doing it for years, and let me tell you, it can be, but it can also turn into something that you really hate too. A home office is a great way to start off your business as an entrepreneur; it definitely has a lot of benefits to it, but there are also downsides. One of which, and trust me when I say this, is the problem with staying focused on the tasks at hand.

How to stay focused in a home office? To stay focused in your home office, you need to maintain a healthy lifestyle and a good work-life balance. A home office should provide the necessary privacy. Different distractions like social media, unexpected meetings, guests, and events can have an adverse effect on your ability to focus and should be avoided.

Working in a home office can bring your business life and personal life together, mix them up, and leave you with one enormous mess. Below I share with you all the tips and tricks I have learned, used, and experimented with while working in my home office.

1. Do Not Have Your Smartphone Close to You

Right off the bat I would like to start with something that is very counter-intuitive but not counterproductive.

Your smartphone can ruin your focus. In fact, the mere presence of the phone in your home office can lead to a drastic drop in performance and focus.

We, as people, do not have endless amounts of focus and attention. And today, many of us can get “addicted” to their phone. This manifests itself as a very subtle, even subconscious nagging to check your phone.

Smartphones keep us constantly connected to friends and family, but also news, information, entertainment, events, and the list goes on and on.

Although this may be viewed as a nice thing in your leisure time or when you want to wind down after a long day, it is very detrimental to your focus while working. Smartphones will draw parts of your energy and focus. This has been the conclusion from a study published in the Journal of the Association for Consumer Research.

2. Do Not Multitask

Multitasking is a thing of the past. A fallacy that has been proven not to work. Even worse, it can ruin work productivity.

When multitasking, your brain is not working on two, three, or more things simultaneously, instead it is jumping back and forth between the different tasks.

This can ultimately reduce not just your performance but your focus, cognitive processes, ability to switch between tasks, ability to distinguish between relevant and irrelevant information, and so much more.

This is especially true when working in your home office, where multiple distractions and tasks are eagerly begging for your attention. An excellent way to go about all this is to group similar tasks and do them in batches.

3. Have a Dedicated Home Office Space

What you want is to have a dedicated working space where you can get the needed privacy to work. Having a space that you associate with work is beneficial to your focus and ability to get in the zone.

It is very hard to get in a working mood if you are in your kitchen or living room, which you, even subconsciously, associate with other activities.

4. Leave the Social Media Behind

Social media has been associated with a lot of adverse effects. It affects the way we think, behave, and our ability to focus.

I have found that because of social media a lot of people have difficulty focusing during their work and studies. It is like an addiction that does not go away.

Social media has also been linked to higher levels of depression, stress, and anxiety.

And social media is one of the leading reasons why people waste time on a daily basis. This is detrimental to your ability to focus and be productive, especially when you are working from home, and there may not be any bosses around.

5. Treat Your Work as a Business

Working from home can easily give us a false sense that we have more of a leeway. After all, we are working in a more relaxed environment compared to working in a real office with many other office workers.

This can ruin any startup or business venture as it will lead to low effort, productivity, and focus. The different environment can easily distract you from your real goal and what you need to be working on.

So make sure to treat your venture as a real business and not a home side project.

6. Schedule Your Time

Schedule your time. This applies to both day-to-day and long-term tasks depending on your line of work.

Take a few minutes each day to plan ahead. or better yet at the end of each day plan your next day. This will help you stay on track and be more focused as you will avoid uncertainties and distractions.

Have a long-term plan as well. While working in your home office, it can be very easy to lose sight of the bigger picture and get distracted by irrelevant things.

Even if you are not the type of person that enjoys schedules, you need it to stay organized and focused on the tasks at hand.

I was struggling with that a lot until I started scheduling my work time.

7. Avoid Overworking Yourself

Scheduling also involves the time you clock out. And there needs to be a point in time when you do clock out.

When you have a home office, it is easy for the lines between your professional life and personal life to blend.

This is going to be overall more detrimental to your focus and performance in the long term. It will take you more effort to get back in the zone each time, and you may be less focused during this time.

This freedom to work anytime you want can easily lead to feeling overworked and exhausted, which then leads to an inability to focus and concentrate.

8. When Possible Do Not Use Your Computer

This was something very peculiar that I noticed while I was a student. If you have to take notes, when possible, take them by hand instead of typing them on your laptop.

Laptops are convenient multipurpose devices that make the student’s life a lot easier. But that comes with a very important caveat that was discovered by a review of three studies published in the SAGE Journals.

It was found that taking notes on a laptop is ineffective compared to writing them down longhand. Keep a notebook near you. Write down everything important to you. The chances are you will be more focused and remember it better.

9. Remember to Exercise

“But what does exercise have to do with staying focused in my home office?” you might say. My answer would be, “A lot!”

Exercise has been linked with better memory and improved concentration and focus.

One study found that just 20 minutes of physical activity was enough to improve the attention span of Dutch students.

Another study found that students who exercised after school showed improvements in their cognitive performance and abilities.

And a third study has linked doing as little as 10 minutes of low-intensity coordinative exercises, like bouncing and throwing a ball may be enough to boost your ability to concentrate and focus.

10. Have Frequent Breaks

Earlier I mentioned that you need to schedule your work. However, do not forget to schedule your breaks. Breaks are essential for more than one reason, but more importantly, you will have some time to unwind.

Working from the comfort of your home can be great, and you can easily work for several hours without even realizing you never took a single break the whole time.

Overworking yourself is going to be one of the most detrimental things to your focus. Avoid it.

I used to be like this. I can sit and work for 5, 6, even 8 hours straight and then feel mentally exhausted, unable to concentrate at anything.

One study even showed that the focus and concentration levels of people who do not take breaks drop with time.

When you are having a break, relax. Whatever you have been doing up to this point, now can wait.

You need your breaks to lower the amount of mental fatigue. Many people have found that by having more frequent breaks, they can actually pump out more work.

However, taking too many breaks or too long breaks can also be detrimental to your ability to refocus and get back in the flow.

11. Consider Playing Background Music

The right type of music will be mostly up to your personal preference. However, one study found that classical music that has a “happier” feel to it produces a better effect on creativity.

Even a simple change to your working environment in your home office like this one can be beneficial and potentially allow you to stay focused for longer.

Even a TV running in the background can be very soothing and improve your focus and work performance.

12. Dress Appropriately

Working from home has one huge benefit to it; you do not necessarily need to wear any professional clothing or formal suits, shirts, and dresses.

However, going to the other extreme and working in your pajamas may be detrimental to your focus. The problem is that you want to get in that working mindset.

Believe it or not, the way you dress will affect the way you feel and how you perceive yourself.

Of course, I am not saying you need to have a dedicated three-piece suit just for your home office. Just something fairly formal or casual will do just as well. A simple change in your wardrobe like this can help you perceive yourself more professionally and maintain better focus.

13. Fine-Tune Your Work Processes

This may be difficult at first, but the more you work in your home office, the better you will be at pointing out the little distractions and things that ruin your focus.

This is when you need to start thinking about automating some processes or even delegating parts of your work to third parties. Being able to lower the number of things you need to worry about is going to allow you to focus more on the important things at hand. It can even boost your creativity.

Tim Ferris talks about this a lot in his book “The 4-Hour Workweek”, which is a great and easy-to-read book.

14. Decide What Your Boundaries Are

This is a huge aspect of working from a home office, and it needs your attention.

If you are working, this is not the time for friends or family meetings. If you want to be genuinely focused on the tasks at hand, you need to do it the same way you would do it if you were working at a company’s office that was located somewhere away from your home.

Of course, this does not mean you cannot help your friends, relatives, and family in case there is an emergency. This is one of the neat things about having a home office. However, this should not be something you do every single day.

This also applies to other tasks like household chores, doing the groceries, and more. It may be very tempting to cook some food, do the laundry, or clean the oven in your breaks, but be careful with that as it may distract you too much. At the back of your mind, you will constantly be thinking about these chores, and this can lower your focus.

15. Keep Your Home Office Organized

Keep your home office well-organized and clutter-free. Invest in some filing cabinets, or software if necessary

A cleaner environment will provide fewer distractions and will allow you to stay concentrated for a longer time.

16. Find Your Most Productive Hours of the Day

No matter how much I say about this, I will not be able to do this subject justice.

It takes some doing, data collection, and sorting out, but it is well worth it.

Find when they are and work during your most productive hours of the day.

These hours can vary from person to person, I realized, but these hours are when your productivity, ability to focus, and concentrate are at their fullest.

You may have the best home office possible but work during the wrong time, and you will have to deal with low productivity and fleeing focus.

For most people, the most productive hours are generally between 8 am to 3 pm. Incidentally, around 11 am to 11:30 am is when most people reach their peak performance.

17. Create the Right Working Environment

Granted, you can fit a small desk in the corner of your living room where you can work and call it a dedicated working space, but that may not cut it.

In fact, it usually won’t.

The thing is you need to invest in your home office. You need to make sure you have all the equipment you need and that it is arranged in such a way that it will not negatively impact your workflow.

This applies to the quality and reliability of your equipment and the comfort and quality of your furniture.

Are you working in a chair that promotes back pain after just half an hour of sitting in it? This will not only ruin your concentration but your productivity and, well, your health.

18. Do Not Forget to Socialize

This point may be more relevant to people that both live alone and work from their homes.

Working from your home office can easily lead to isolation. Something that I, myself, have experienced.

Chronic loneliness can lead to a wide variety of different health problems. It can even lead to a reduction in your ability to focus, concentrate, solve problems, and so much more.

Humans are, without a shadow of a doubt, social creatures. And isolation is detrimental to our health. This is such a hazard that some governments are even taking steps in combating it. For example, in the UK, there is a minister of loneliness.

19. Use Your Equipment Properly

The next thing I would recommend is to have dedicated work equipment. When you start associating it with work-related tasks only, you will be able to stay more focused and stay away from the distractions.

Alternatively, I would suggest using different browsers on your computer.

One you can use for your everyday browsing, chatting, watching videos, etc. and another for work-related things. When you are doing work, you can have only your work-related browser on and in your free time the other.

20. Create a Routine

Establishing a clearly defined routine will help you easily to get in the zone and maintain your focus. Humans are creatures of habit.

People like their morning coffee or late-night show.

And what happens when that routinely done activity does not occur for some reason?

At the very least we get a little upset. But this goes to show how well we can get accustomed to something.

This is why it is always recommended to have a routine. For example, you can have a small morning routine that ends with you starting to work.

How Do You Stick to a Work Schedule at Home? (The 10 Easy, Yet Effective Tips You Need to Know)

Working from home may seem like the ideal job for most people. Being able to set your own hours and conduct business from the comforts of your own house is what many freelancers or entrepreneurs strive for. But, how do you do it successfully? How do you go about structuring your day productively when you work from home?

The best way to stick to a work schedule at home is to treat your house as if it were your office. You can’t allow the comforts of home keep you from creating that ‘off to work’ mindset that is vital for career success. There are 10 things you can do to make this possible. Following this simple set of rules or tips will make all the difference in auspiciously growing your home business.

Now that you know there are 10 simple ways to help you stick to an at-home work schedule, let’s take a closer look at them below. We’ll discuss what each is in detail and how to achieve it. We’ll also explore a few related topics, such as what are the benefits of working from home and how to work from home more productively while sticking to your work schedule.

So, if you’re ready to learn more about maintaining a work-from-home schedule and successfully sticking to it, then let’s get started!

10 Easy Tips for Crafting and Sticking to the Perfect Work-From-Home Schedule

The 10 ways to ensure you stick to your home working schedule include the following:

1) Set Your Alarm

Get up each day at a specific time, just as you would if you were going out to work. That way, you establish a daily routine, which helps create the structure necessary to achieve success. Routines help build momentum and increase productivity.

Healthy morning habits, such as getting up each day at the same time, help kick-start the day and create a sense of order in our lives. As morning is often the most productive and energetic time of the day, making full use of it is likely to benefit you not only professionally but personally as well.

I know from my own experience that when I was waking up at 5:30 on the weekends, I didn’t enjoy it at first. Things changed as time went on because as I started getting up earlier and at a set time on Saturdays and Sundays, it made it much easier to do so during the week when I was going to be working from home. Getting your day started early, if you hit the ground running, means you will accomplish more in a day than you could ever imagine.

2) Shower and Get Dressed

Though it may be tempting to lounge around in your pajama’s all day, it’s important to shower and get dressed each morning. This subconsciously gets you prepared for the workday ahead. Not doing so can result in procrastination, which is a bad habit and a hard one to break!

Even if you plan to work from home the entire the day (with no intention of leaving), getting showered and dressed will energize and refresh you physically. This, in turn, will affect you mentally by improving concentration, boosting creativity and increasing productivity.

This tip ties in well together with my tip of setting an alarm. From personal experience, if I wake up, get showered and ger ready, if I don’t have work or other plans, I still get more done. I find that if I get up, have coffee and sit around in my pajamas, I end up having a less productive day than if I had taken a shower and gotten dressed right off the bat.

3) Create a Dedicated Home Office Space

Designate a specific area or room in your home to work. Set-up a desk with a computer, printer, phone and other necessary office supplies. You must establish an environment conducive to ‘work’ to be prolific. This space should be used for work only, if possible, be sure to:

Choose a separate room in your home as a dedicated workspace. It should have a door that you can close to keep business in and family out!
Pick a room where you can limit distractions, far away from loud areas such as the kitchen, living room or laundry room.
Select a workspace that’s big enough to have everything you need in one place. Running back-and-forth between rooms to complete tasks is far less productive than working from one area.

Don’t make the mistake of thinking you can work while sitting on the couch with your family, as you might get some things done but probably not as much as if you had your own separate location for working at home. Just to mention as well, when you have distractions, you also have an increased chance of making a mistake. If you are working for others from home and providing work with mistakes, you might not be working for them for very long. Just a thought.

4) Decide Your Work Hours at Home

Most often we feel that we must structure our workday like that of a typical job (Monday thru Friday, 9am to 5pm). Although 8 hours is generally considered ‘the norm’, yours as a freelancer doesn’t need to be that long to achieve success. In fact, 30 hours per week is often enough, creating the perfect balance between labor and leisure.

While a flexible routine seems ideal to most people, it can be both a blessing and a curse. You must figure out a realistic way to control your schedule, otherwise it’ll end up controlling you! You can get overwhelmed if you take on too many projects at one time or you can take too few and not meet your goals. You must set your work boundaries beforehand.

To avoid finding yourself in one extreme or the other, decide your work schedule ahead of time. Will it be 7 days a week or just 4? 40 hours a week or no more than 30? The amount of time you put into will depend upon how many clients/opportunities you have. This will ultimately determine how much money you make and how successful you are.

The nice thing about working from home is how easy it is to adjust your work hours , if you need to. One other tip for you regarding setting work hours is consider breaking the time up over the day. Work a bit first thing in the morning then go get your exercise in, then come back and you can get back at it.

5) Create a ‘To-Do’ List for Daily Tasks

Outline what it is you need to accomplish each day. Do so on a calendar or in a day planner. A ‘to do’ list is a great idea. Putting your goals/objectives down on paper and setting a reasonable timeline for each is key. This detailed workplan will help you stay focussed and on-track. It’s also a great motivating tool to help achieve your at-home work goals quicker (and easier).

As you complete each task, check it off! The simple act of checking marking an item on your to-do list will encourage you to ‘take action’ and keep going once you see progress being made. It not only saves you time but also brain power, as it frees your mind from having to remember everything! Setting clear, concise and achievable goals each day is essential to daily success as a freelancer.

6) Prioritize Your Goals for Working at Home

The best way to achieve multiple freelance goals simultaneously is to prioritize them. This allows you to perform at higher levels, making you more responsible, reliable and efficient. It also helps you limit interruptions that can cause distractions and waste time. Being able to prioritize your task effectively is vital to work-at-home success.

Decide what you need to do the night before, as mornings are often hectic and it’s easy to veer off-track if don’t your priorities in order. Begin by tackling the hardest or most time-consuming job first, in the morning, when you’re fresh. Save phone calls, in-person meetings or collaborative projects for the afternoon, when you’ve had a chance to fully ‘wake up’ and get other pressing tasks out of the way.

Be realistic when prioritizing your goals. Don’t spread yourself too thin. In other words, don’t try to accomplish too much/too soon, lest you be disappointed or discouraged when you can’t. It’s better to have fewer tasks on your ‘to-do’ list and complete them. This will not only help you stick to your work schedule but provide you with a sense of pride and accomplishment and the end of the day.

I find I am constantly revisiting my goals, whether they are daily or weekly. I use my cell phone, my laptop and a whiteboard for prioritizing goals. It might be overkill but it works for me and just might work for you as well.

7) Minimize Your At-Home Distractions To Help You Stick To Your Home Work Schedule

Don’t let others throw you off your game! Communicate your expectations to family members or roommates at home so they know to respect your time and space during work hours. Steer clear of social media and other distractions, like the TV or the phone. These not only waste time but prevent you from sticking to your work schedule and interrupt your creative and ‘flow’.

If you feel tempted to check-in on your favorite social media sites, do yourself a favor and remove them from your browser shortcuts. Consider working from an ‘incognito’ browser window, if you’re using Chrome, for example. This will prevent you from being able to sign-in to your user accounts as well as keep the autocomplete function at bay.

It’s amazing how, at first, you feel like you can’t be in a different room, away from your cell phone but after doing this for a few days and seeing the benefits of not having it attached to you constantly, you will soon find out how liberating it is.

8) Be Sure to Take Breaks

It’s easier to stick to an at-home work schedule if you take regular breaks. This is especially true if you spend most of the day on a computer, whereby eyestrain, headaches and shoulder pain can affect your concentration. Taking a ‘time out’ (or two) from work throughout the day helps you:

think more clearly
make better decisions
be more productive
complete tasks more accurately
stay focussed for longer periods of time

Be sure to stop for lunch. Just like at any traditional workplace, you are allotted time to eat, whether its 30 minutes or one hour, so take it! Food is necessary if you want to think clearly and work productively. You can’t achieve success on an empty stomach!

I like to walk on my breaks. It’s so easy yet so beneficial. If your weather is not cooperating some days, then consider using a treadmill, stationary bike or other piece of cardio equipment. You will feel refreshed and rejuvenated afterwards, ready to get more work accomplished.

9) Be Committed, Yet Flexible

Be vigilant in sticking to your at-home work schedule. However, if it’s not efficient, don’t be afraid to discard it out and start over. The beauty of working from home is the flexibility it provides so take advantage of this by trying something new if your current plan isn’t working.

Being committed to your entrepreneurial success doesn’t have to come at the expense of your work/life balance. In fact, the productivity of your freelance business can flourish by improving your current at-home working conditions.

I will share another personal tip regarding being flexible. Your level of flexibility will depend upon your personality. I find it easy to put things off or procrastinate. This is not a good habit to have. So, for me, being less flexible and more committed to a schedule works best. You have to determine what works best for you and then stick with it.

10) Plan Ahead

It’s easier to stick to an at-home work schedule, if you’re prepared in advance. Make your meals the night before, if you anticipate a long day. It can be tempting (since you’re at home) to take your time cooking a fancy breakfast or hearty lunch, but this will undoubtedly cut into your work hours, so don’t.

Time management is of the utmost importance when it comes to maintaining an at-home work schedule. Set your priorities for the day, get organized and schedule your time appropriately. If you can do that, you’re well on your way to achieving your freelance goals and entrepreneurial success.

Conclusion

To summarize, the best way to manage an at-home work schedule is to act as if your house is your office! Create a ‘going to work’ mentality which will help you stick to your business plan and achieve your freelance goals. To help you do this, simply follow the 10 tips outlined (in detail) above. These suggestions will not only improve your productivity but also help you sustain a healthy work/life balance, essential to your overall well-being.

Hopefully this article has helped. Good luck and may your future business endeavors be prosperous!

Can You Use Your Garage as an Office?

Are you in desperate need of a space that you can use as an office? If you are here, you probably do. Garage conversions are a great way to make the most of one potentially underused space in your home

Can you use your garage as an office? Your garage can be used as an office. A garage can provide the necessary space, privacy, and comfort of an office. However, for a garage to be legally used as an office, it needs to be converted into a living space. Garage conversions require acquiring the necessary building, planning, and zoning permits.

It is not a rare thing for homeowners to use their garages as space where they can store stuff. But if you frequently work from home, you can use your garage for so much more. Below I share with you all you need to know about using your garage as an office.

Is It Legal to Use a Garage as an Office?

First, you need to establish whether or not it is legal to convert and repurpose your garage into an office space. You don’t want to start on repurposing your garage, later find out that was illegal and then be forced to return it back into its original condition.

You may have to deal with different rules and regulations that may or may not limit your ability to repurpose your garage, depending on where you live.

Planning Permissions

When you are doing repurposing or remodeling of any area in your home, you always need to follow the code. According to the law, garages are not considered a living space and therefore, should not be used as such.

If you want to use your garage as a home office, you need to change it into a living space. Keep in mind that converting your garage into a living space means that you no longer can use it as a garage.

To do this, you need to contact your local zoning department in order to acquire a building permit.

Lease Restrictions

Next, you need to consider whether or not any restrictions may have been mentioned and established in your leasing contract. If you are renting a house, make sure to double-check your leasing, property deeds, and any other documents for building and repurposing restrictions. Always speak with your landlord before making any changes to the building.

Law Restrictions

This is where things can get tricky. Check for any law limits or restrictions that may forbid operating your business from within your home. Zoning regulations can also potentially limit your ability to do business from your home.

Usually, there are zoning restrictions that prevent businesses from being run in residential areas. Make sure to find out what are your county and city zoning regulations.

Some other things you may need to check on are the home-occupation permits, parking restrictions, environmental restrictions, labor regulations, business licenses, and more.

Depending on your line of work, you may also need to undergo different inspections and adhere to specific standards (for example, a health inspection).

What Are the Advantages of Using a Garage as an Office?

Before going all-in and repurposing your garage, let us explore the different advantages of using your garage as an office.

Dedicated Work Area

Since you will be working from home, repurposing your garage and using it as an office can be a great way to find a balance between your business and family life.

You can easily close the door and keep any distractions away; no more will you have to worry about family, guests, pets, or any noises interfering with your business.

This will provide you with a more relaxing environment where you can focus on your work.

What is more is that you will be having and storing all your documentation in one place, which means better organization and workflow.

Plenty of Space

The most basic requirement is to have enough working space. You need a place where you can easily move, work, and have visitors.

On more than one occasion, I have seen how easy it is to overestimate an empty space; once you have all the furniture in place, things may seem a lot different.

This is why I recommend doing a floor plan. This can be done using an online app or even with a pen and a piece of paper

The great news is that even with a one-car garage, you should, in general, have more than enough space to fit in everything that you will need.

One car garages vary in sizes, but usually, they are about 12.5 by 22 feet.

Professional Look

Using your garage as an office gives you some much-needed freedom. If you are having clients or business partners visiting, you can arrange the whole setup to look very professional.

You can have a separate door so that your visitors will not have to go through your home anymore. And you will be able to provide your clients with the necessary privacy and comfort.

This makes for a more presentable and professional-looking office and will leave your prospects or business partners with the impression that you really do mean business.

Keeps the Mess Away

However, not all businesses that you can run from your garage are going to be clean and easy on the ears. Of course, I am talking about businesses that deal with manufacturing, repair services, and so much more.

In that case, you need a dedicated place where you can do your work without making a mess in your home. A garage, in this case, is the perfect solution.

Better Security

Because you will have a separate structure at your disposal, you can also take advantage of the fact that it can provide you with better security and safety.

If your home office is a corner in a spare room and you are dealing with lots of sensitive data, conference calls, money transactions, or other things, this is just a recipe for trouble.

With the garage at your disposal, you can easily install all the needed security and protection you would normally have in a standard office.

Income Taxes Deductions

If you qualify, you can potentially be able to write off your garage office expenses.

This is not as simple as it sounds. According to the IRS, to be able to apply your home office needs to meet certain criteria.

It needs to be a specific area of your home;
It needs to be the principal place where you run your business;
It needs to be used exclusively and regularly for the purposes of your business

There are a lot of little caveats here, and the laws may be different depending on where you live, so make sure to talk with a tax specialist.

What Are the Downsides to Using a Garage as an Office?

With the advantages covered now, it would be only fair to take a look at the disadvantages.

Expensive

There is no way around this. If you want to turn your garage into a fully-fledged office space, even if you do not need it to have all the bells and whistles, it will cost you a good chunk of money.

This is why, before converting your garage, a good deal of planning needs to be carried out. Treat it as an investment in your business. And as an investment, it needs to be well justified. With that being said, do not skimp on the expenses.

If you can do all the work, that is great, but if not, hire professionals. Frequently garage renovations are made with varying quality, which can hurt your home’s value and even end up in higher electrical bills. Quality is better than quantity.

No Garage or Storeroom

The next thing is, well, you will have to park your car outside. Most people will have some kind of driveway where they can leave their car, but that comes with its downsides too.

Parking your car outside all the time can increase the wear of the car since it will be subjected to the elements all the time without any protection. And let’s not forget that leaving your car outside 24/7 can also be dangerous.

Another thing you need to consider is whether or not you will have enough parking space for any visitors and clients. And with your car being outside at the same time, this can make things rather tricky.

And last but not least, if you convert your garage to a living space and an office, you will not be able to use it as a storeroom anymore. This means that you will need to find another place where you can store your tools, machinery, and gadgets.

Lack of Utilities and Amenities

Garages lack a lot of the simple utilities and amenities that you will need. This means that you will have to take into account and plan how they will be made available. This incorporates things like:

Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC);
Normal and sewage water;
Electrical wiring;
Soundproofing;
Insulation; and
Internet connections.

You will also need to take care of the walls, floor, and ceiling. When planning the utilities, make sure to think about your clients. For example, will you be able to provide them with washroom access?

Potential Restrictions

Unfortunately, depending on the type of changes you are looking to make, you may run into a lot of different code restrictions that can make the whole thing a small ordeal.

What Do You Need in Order to Use a Garage as an Office?

To use your garage as an office, you need to take care of a few things.

The Lighting

Lighting is frequently one of the aspects of any office that people can overlook. The effect of the lighting should never be underestimated. You need the right balance between natural, ambient, and task lighting.

Garages usually lend themselves well to natural lighting. And one of the most commonly used methods to increase the natural lighting in a garage is by converting the garage door to a nice big window or sliding window doors.

Poorly lit and dim working areas are not just counterproductive, but they can also affect your mood and even harm your eyesight.

Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Other Utilities

To successfully convert your garage into an office, you need to install proper Heating, ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC), and the rest of the standard utilities like plumbing, for example.

Make sure to check if your already existing HVAC will be able to accommodate and power the new room. This is one of the often underestimated and overlooked aspects of converting a garage into an office.

Security

Any place where you run a business needs proper security. After all, we are talking about one’s livelihood here. Since you will be using your garage as a home office, this allows for some potential weaknesses. Consider the following:

Installing motion detector cameras, CCTV, and doorbell cameras;
Use an alarm system that can easily be monitored;
Have the garage well-lit during the night;
Keep your documents locked in cabinets;
Install and use only solid and lockable windows and doors, and make sure that the locks are up to standard;
Never keep any valuables or cash in the open;
Using a good encrypting and password protection for your Wi-Fi connections;
Follow safe internet browsing practices;
Make sure to have all your computers protected with an antivirus and firewall software

Comfort

Let us not forget about the need for comfortable and ergonomic furniture. In most cases, you will need a few ergonomic chairs, a desk, and a sofa.

Conversely, depending on the type of work you will be doing, you may not need a lot of furniture, which in that case, makes things a bit easier.

Storage Space

When planning your garage renovation, do not forget to make sure you have enough storage and shelving space for your documents and equipment.

Granted, many aspects of a home-based business today can be stored and kept online, but we still need some physical space.

This includes but is not limited to:

Filing cabinets;
Shelving;
Furniture with hidden storage areas; and
Cupboards

Hardware and Software

Take a few moments to list down all the necessary hardware and office equipment that you will need. This step is essential, as it may affect the way you need to set up your office.

Depending on the type of work you will be doing, you may need a computer and a printer, but you may also need a lot more than that. The next thing on the list is to think about what software you will need.

How Much Does Turning a Garage Into an Office Cost?

Remodeling and turning your garage into an office may cost between $3,500 and $40,000. The total cost will vary depending on the amount of work that needs to be carried out, the required office equipment, and the necessary furniture and decorations.

For example:

Type of work Average Cost
Garage Conversion Permits $1,200 – $1,500
Other Permits $4,500 – $8,800
Wall framing $7 – $16 per sq ft
Windows $175 – $1,200 per window
Insulation $1.7 – $3 per sq ft
Soundproofing $360 – $600
Electrical wiring $2 – $8 per linear ft
Duct work $35 – $55 per linear ft
Plumbing $45 – $450 per hour
Dumpster rental $350 – $520 for a 20 yard dumpster

Additionally, the cost will also depend on the type of garage you have.

Turning a one-car garage into an office may cost as little as $3,000 and up to $15,000. While turning a two or even a three-car garage into an office may cost up to and in excess of $40,000.

Also, remodeling a detached garage into an office is going to cost significantly more than an attached garage. Detached garages usually have only electricity running, which means that you have to run and install all of the other utilities and amenities.

How Do I Set Up A Small Home Office?

The new generation has opened up an industry where the usual office 9 to 5 job is no longer the only option for them to choose. This industry is now on the rise, and many companies are seeing the benefits of hiring remote employees versus hiring a regular office employee. If you are one of these people who are starting a career at home, this article will get you started setting up at home.

How do I set up a small home office? The basic setup is easy. All you need is a laptop, or a computer, a desk, and an internet connection. Advanced setup is another story. You’ll need to consider more things than just the space for your office.

People who do freelance jobs would also be interested in having a small office where they can work. Writers, start-up companies, and anyone whose work is not confined in an office-based environment. Anyone who is capable of working remotely or has a job that does not require them to go into the office can benefit from this article. But you have to keep in mind that different situations require different kinds of setup. Let’s start!

Know What You Need

Before you begin setting up your home office, you have to ask yourself some pretty important questions. First, you need to ask yourself if your job requires you to have a home office set up. Will it just be another unused space, or will you be really utilizing the area for its intended purpose? Will you be accepting walk-in clients? Are there other people coming in to collaborate with you? These questions will help you decide if an office space is something that is really needed and not just wanted.

Depending on the type of job, a remote employee may need a few pieces of equipment to let him perform at his full capacity. If he is doing video editing jobs, he will need monitors and a kickass computer or laptop to work with. Animators will need lightpad, stylus, and graphics tablet included in the mix. Voice talents will be needing a soundproofed area with a home recording studio equipment part of the setup.

However, those who are doing ghostwriting jobs, document transcription, proofreading, and editing will need the bare essentials. Below are three levels of a home office. You can easily decide which level of setup you need according to your work requirements.

First Level: Good for Writers And Other Minimal Projects Or Jobs

The small and straightforward office setup works for those who mainly have jobs that don’t involve any other equipment but a laptop or computer. All files are cloud-based, and physical storage need is minimal. Below are the things that you will usually see in this level of home office setup.

The Tool Of The Trade: The Computer

Each job requires different computer setup, and for the writers, you will need to focus on the computer’s storage capacity, RAM (random access memory), processor, and portability.

Let’s talk about this in more detail and start with the portability of the computer. If you want something that you can take with you to cafes or bring with you when you travel then a laptop should be what you are looking for. It is excellent for people who are very mobile and wants to have a steady source of income while they fulfill their dream of traveling the world. But some people are just looking for a job while they are at home. Stay-at-home moms are the best example. They are home most of the time so that a PC unit can work for them.

Some will argue that a laptop should be your choice. If you agree with them, then I suggest looking for one that is lightweight and easy to carry. Chromebooks are great for writers because they are very light and have the necessary functions a writing computer need. If you are like me, who works just about anywhere there is an internet connection, then Chromebooks will work fine for you. Also, you might want to stick to the 14 inches laptops or smaller if you prefer. This size is what I think should be the maximum or ideal.

When it comes to storage, laptops, or PCs with 250GB capacity is the ideal. But if you travel often and are using a laptop, you can look for a unit that allows you to upgrade your SSD drive. The idea is that you have enough space to back up your files even if you have it in a cloud server. This way, your work is safe, and you don’t have to start from scratch if your cloud server fails.

The least RAM you should look for is 4GB. This can work okay, but the computer or laptop will eventually begin to slow down as you multitask or open more than a few browser tabs. I’d recommend an 8GB. It is large enough to handle multitasking and research without slowing down. In my opinion, laptops with i4 processors will be an excellent match for writers.

Furniture: Table Or Desk And The Chair

Depending on how much working space you want, your desk can be as small as only for your laptop or computer, or it can be a large one that has plenty of space. I remember converting a simple study table as my work desk back when I was starting out. I only needed a small portion of my bedroom turned into my home office.

Small tables are ideal for those who are under this level. It will not take up much space in your home. You can even designate a corner of your bedroom as your mini office for when you work. However, we have specific kinks when we work. Some want to be able to put their coffee mug down nearby, while others prefer a large desk to have plenty of storage. I am somewhere in between. I like a desk that is large enough to accommodate my computer, notepad, pen holder, and of course, my coffee mug.

The chair is also another furniture that you will have to invest in. Back when I was starting out in my home-based jobs. I used an ordinary chair when I worked in my home office, but then I ended up getting backaches, leg cramps, and some neck pains too. I switched to a better chair, one that is padded and comfortable, but that made me lazy and slow with my work. I am now thinking of buying a real office chair or maybe a low-end computer chair that is ergonomically designed to contour and support your body while sitting.

The kind of chair you use will depend on the amount of space you have. If your office is a small section or corner in your room, then a big chair will not be for you. But if you have space, then I suggest investing in something that will give you back support and a comfortable chair.

Outside Paraphernalia: Printer, Scanner, Phone, And Others

I call these things optional because you can do your job with or without them. They are just there to provide you with additional ease for your work to be done. Let’s take the printer as an example. Editors, writers, and virtual assistants don’t really need this. Their files have back-ups in the cloud and on their computers. They can just use a printing service if they need some documents printed out, and that would cost them very little. A phone line is also optional because most people own smartphones now, and adding another bill to your expenses could just be draining your funds dry. Use your phone as your business number for now, and then maybe when things start to pick up, consider getting a landline.

Second Level: The Business Setup For Startup Companies

You might think that a business office would have the same setup as that of a regular small home office. It is both correct and incorrect. Correct in the sense that some businesses can be run by a single person or multiple people at the same time.

Start-up companies are the best examples for this level of home office. I’ve watched and donated countless times on start-up companies, and before they were able to put up a real office, they had a home office where they managed the business. At first, the owner did all the work. From conceptualization to production, to marketing and sales, all the way to the books, the owner handled it all. Then when the business begins to grow, the office needed to grow as well.

A lot of these start-up companies had to convert their garage to be their work station or a separate room to be their office. At first, it was only a few people who had to work there, but then as the business reach more people, the market grew. From this growth, bigger challenges come, and better office space is needed. From that cycle, you can easily see that the needs of this type of home office grow as the business grows. But here are the basics.

The Tool Of The Trade: The Computer

Let’s start with a computer again. If the writers, VA’s, and editors need the bare basic, then a business computer needs something a little bit beefier. Not all the way high-end but enough to perform the tasks required for the business to run.

Since we are looking at a business home office setup, the computer that will be included in the setup is a desktop computer, but it doesn’t mean that a laptop won’t work. Just like before, we will be looking at the speed, RAM, and storage. However, a business home office computer will need additional things like a monitor and accessible ports and connections as well as pre-installed software.

For the speed, any CPU or laptop that has a 2.5Ghz processor and is a dual-core or more will be your ideal. Anything below, and you might as well start pulling on your hair because of how slow it is. RAMs, on the other hand, will have to be at least 8GB, but if you can get a 16GB, then do so. The larger the RAM, the easier it is for you to multitask. And as far as I am knowledgeable, 4GB should only be used by casual or light users.

Furniture: Table Or Desk And The Chair

We now head to the furniture department. The business office setup would typically depend on your answers to the questions I enumerated in the first part of this article. Sometimes, a proper office desk is needed, especially if you plan to accept clients in or work with other people at the same time.

A medium-sized office table will work if you will only be accepting a few clients at a time. It will be large enough for your computer and printer and will also have plenty of storage space for your files and other office supplies. But if you will be setting up a home office where it would mostly just be you working, a compact but functional table would be a good start. The same goes for home offices that will house multiple workers who are collaborating on a single project or job.

The best practice to follow is to ask yourself who will most likely be inside the office and how large the area will be. Most of the time, a business office set up inside a home will either be inside a room or a designated area somewhere inside the house. Having that information will make it easier for you to conceptualize how big your furniture will be.

The same best practice can be adapted to choosing your office chair. Big bulky ones will not work in a tiny space. Choose a chair that is both compact and comfortable if space is limited. Go for bigger if your office space can accommodate it, but be sure that you are within your budget.

Outside Paraphernalia: Printer, Scanner, Phone, And Others

A business home office setup will definitely have other equipment than just the computer being used. Printers, scanners, phone lines, and other critical external items will take up additional space in your office. For a small business home office, it is best to stick to the basics. Some printers are both compact and multifunctional, and landlines are not that necessary anymore.

Your small business home office will have to meet your requirements without it being too extravagant so that you can focus your finances on growing your business. Try and keep the design simple and the furniture compact and functional. Avoid buying equipment that can only add clutter in your office and stick with just the basics. Think about the functionality of the equipment in your business before buying it. This way, you can avoid impulse buying and keep your business home office simple and organized.

Third Level: The Heavy Users

When I say heavy users, I am referring to those who have jobs that involve image rendering, 3d graphics, 3d animation, and 3d modeling. They need a computer setup that has much more advanced features compared to the previous two levels. Of all the levels we’ve talked about, this is by far the most expensive one to set up.

The Tool Of The Trade: The Computer

Architects and designers will be the main people who will fall in this level. They will need an extremely high-performance computer or laptop to be able to do their work. Let’s start with the processor. Ideally, computers and laptops that are i7 or higher are what they will need. CPU’s with higher core counts and faster processing time will give them a better rendering experience. Quad-Cores and Octa Cores are the best bet, but if you can buy a 12 core CPU or laptop, then do so.

Graphics will also play a major part here. Most of the time, a 3rd party graphics card such as NVIDIA is needed. In addition to that, bigger storage capacity and RAM is also a must. Go for a 34GB RAM or higher for a smoother rendering experience. Most who do image rendering would start with a laptop but will eventually outgrow it. So I suggest building your own PC according to your needs.

Furniture: Table Or Desk And The Chair

I’ve never met anyone who does rendering or designing not to own a large home office desk. It seems the additional monitors and other equipment needed to do their work really requires a large area. Also, the chair is a piece of sacred furniture for them. They know that they will be spending countless hours sitting down, so they make sure to invest in a computer chair that will support their back and is comfortable.

Just like before, the best practice to follow is to look at your intended small home office area and assess the amount of floor area you have. Take that into consideration and adjust your furniture accordingly. I do know that most architects and designers with home offices have a whole room as their office, and for some, this might not be called a small home office. However, given the nature of the work that these people do, their home office is considered small because of the amount of space they require to do their job.

Outside Paraphernalia: Printer, Scanner, Phone, And Others

Other equipment that might be included under this level will be lightpads, additional monitors, and a digital drawing board. These equipment are not necessarily essential but are considered important when streamlining the business. And like before, this is a major factor to consider as this will take up space in your office.

Additional monitors can be mounted if space is limited. I’ve seen a collapsible desk design that allows the user to extend their current desk according to their needs. Printers, scanners, and other equipment mentioned before will also play a big part here. Having enough space for your needs sometimes is not possible, so what you need to do is pare down to the equipment that you will most likely be using. Once you have those, you can easily determine how big of a desk you need and where to put your extra monitors.

Internet Connection

This is another basic essential for your home office, and it is also a critical one. Some jobs require an internet connection to keep their monitoring software running while others use the internet to find inspiration and do research. Many will also say that an internet connection allows you to have better access to tools and information that you will eventually need to finish your job.

Most remote workers use the internet to keep communication lines open to their team or crew. This helps the teamwork efficiently and be more productive than in the old ways. Even if they are located halfway around the world from each other, the internet can connect them through video calls and chats. A high-speed internet connection is recommended. However, having a back-up internet connection is essential for digital nomads since they move a lot. It doesn’t necessarily need to be a high-speed one but should have enough juice to support their job needs. Remember, you have to make technology work for you and not the other way around.

Plan Where Your Office Will Be

Equipment is not the only thing you should consider. Space is another major factor to look at. Take a good look around your home and figure out where you want your workspace to be. From here, you can quickly eliminate certain areas in your home.

Depending on the type of work you do, a small nook, a specific corner or a whole room can become your home office. You’ll quickly determine how much space you need when you already have an idea of what your office requirements will be. Most digital nomads can work almost anywhere in the world, given that they have reliable internet. Any space where they can hook their laptop up will be okay for them.

It’ll be a different story for remote workers who require a home office. Videographers, graphic artists, and voice talents have special equipment needed to be able to work. They are still considered freelancers or remote workers, but their home office space requirements will not be the same as digital nomads. If digital nomads can work anywhere, these guys I just mentioned are the complete opposite. They may require a whole room to be their dedicated workstation or home office.

Organize Properly

Storage space can be a problem for home offices. I’ve read in the forums about this dilemma and have seen the many creative ways people resolved this problem. You must have enough storage space for your home office because things can get ugly if you don’t.

When you look for a space for your home office, consider how much storage space you can fit in that area too. You’ll thank yourself for doing that once you start really using that area.

Another thing you need to remember is that you have to be very careful not to mix your personal files from your work files. Every digital nomad, freelancers, and remote employees will agree to this. This concept can also be applied in real life. You have to be able to switch your mentality from house mode to work mode when you enter your office. That cannot be achieved if you let your home bleed into your office space. I know it’s easier said than done, but this move will ensure that you increase your productivity and efficiency when you work.

How to Make a Home Office Soundproof

It is nearly impossible to make a room in a home completely soundproof but you can come very close. It depends on just how far you want to go and how deep your pockets are. I guess that also boils down to your desired intentions and reasons for soundproofing a home office. Off the top of my head, I can come up with a few excellent ideas why you should soundproof.

There are multiple ways to soundproof a home office. Some ways will be determined by the desired outcome and other ways will be determined by the office space you have to work with. We will go into this further throughout this article. I will offer you some, how-to’s, as well as give you an idea of the cost of these projects. Some insulating and soundproofing methods will be much more expensive than others.

Top Reasons for Wanting to Soundproof your Home Office

If you shoot videos in your home office, possibly for YouTube or other reasons, you will want to have a quiet work space for this. Any outside noise can ruin a great video. If your home is near a busy street, you might get vehicle noises or if you have younger children screaming and crying might be a problem.
If part of your work routine is being on the phone with conference calls, having outside noises can disrupt a call. Especially if you are skyping, then there you are right, in plain view with annoying noises in the background. This could potentially leave a negative impression with some clients and we know that is not what you want happening. Let’s face it, family makes noise at home and if it isn’t conducive to you doing business in your home office, then you know what you need to do.
We just touched on this a couple times, which is maybe you have young children. This can work in the reverse, in that you do not want to be disturbing children in the home, especially if they are trying to sleep and you are trying to get work accomplished. Soundproofing your home office will not only keep sounds out from outside sources but keep the sounds you make inside the office. Other family members might also appreciate not being able to hear you on the phone while watching a movie etc.
Some people just enjoy the ambience of a room that has been soundproofed. The deadened sound can be a beautiful place to be. Sometimes that’s the only reason you might need to do some soundproofing. If you get sidetracked easily while thinking, then increased silence is definitely for you. Time to soundproof.
This is maybe a fantastic reason you haven’t thought of. Soundproofing a home office, depending on which route you take, can improve the R value of your home for that room. What is R value you ask? If you have ever worked with insulation in any shape or form, you know that insulation is measured in R value. R value is the measurement of how well any type of barrier such as insulation or other objects such as walls, floors and ceilings slow down or stop the conductive flow of heat transfer. Meaning how well the barrier stops heat from passing through the object. This applies to cold as well. Long story short, if you add insulation for soundproofing, you will benefit from increased R value in your home office.

Those are all some great reasons to start doing some soundproofing in your home office. From comfort factor to business productivity, I think you will agree that it is important to do some level of soundproofing, if any of the points above sounded like your situation.

Next up, I am going to discuss your different options and how you would go about tackling the projects. Even if you plan on hiring someone to do the work for you, it is important that you understand the project at hand, so you know what you are paying for. Let’s get started.

How to Soundproof Your Home Office

I will now go over ways to soundproof your home office. I will give you a rough estimate of what I feel the materials will cost you and provide recommendations for supplies, if I can. With the options provided below, you need to decide which one will best suit your situation for your soundproofing needs and money available to spend. Please do your own research though with building supply companies like Home Depot or Amazon, to find out what the costs will be in your area as costs can differ from region to region. I will also keep it simple, as there is no need in complicating a simple process if you don’t have to. In no specific order, here we go.

Acoustic Panels to Soundproof Your Home Office

Acoustical panels are used in sound studios as well as on movie sets. Why? Because they absorb sound. Acoustic panels can be found at most retailers, especially on Amazon. You can purchase packs of 12 or more. Most of the cheaper varieties of acoustic panels are foam and just might be the perfect choice for you. Considering the cost of these panels are as low as $25 or so dollars for a small pack, it is definitely economical to try.

If you end up not using them in your office, you could maybe find a place for them in a home theater room.

Homemade acoustic panels for soundproofing a home office is a really nice option, especially if you are a do it yourself kind of person. The thing with premade panels is they aren’t quite as thick or cover as much surface area as you might want to. With homemade panels, you can make them almost as big as you want.

You can use a rigid insulation board that is made up of compressed Styrofoam or you could up your game and purchase rigid fiberglass boards. These boards will absorb sound much better than the regular rigid panels, in my opinion. They are quite a bit more money but if you have the cash, then spend it!

To make these panels nice enough to hang on your wall, you will most likely want to cover them in a fabric of your choice. Just wrap the fabric tight and using tuck tape or a similar product tape the fabric on the backside to secure in place.
To make the panels look even better, you could pick up some pine lumber (1” x 3”) and make a frame. After you miter it, why not paint it the same color as the walls or the fabric to really spruce it up. If you end up using a wood frame, it will be much easier to hang the panel on the wall. I like this homemade option because you can double up the panels to have them extra thick and you can make multiple sizes.
The cost of rigid panels depending on size thickness and whether you go with a fiberglass or Styrofoam, can range anywhere between $20 and $180. You have to also consider the cost of fabric, tuck tape and wood, if you want to build frames as well.

Acoustical Curtains to Soundproof Your Home Office

Did you know you can purchase acoustic curtains? Well, the answer is yes, you sure can. Acoustic curtains are typically also blackout drapes, so they will kill two birds with one stone, so to speak!

If you want to get creative after hanging these curtains over your windows, how about hanging them on the wall as well? Lots of people do this as a style choice. You can do it as a way to improve your home office’s soundproofing. Go one step further and hang these types of curtains over a door in the room. If you do that, make sure to use a long enough curtain rod that you can open the curtain up enough so it isn’t in the way when you want to open the door.

Up next, let’s knock off a few easy wins to get that office of yours as soundproof as possible.

Soundproofing a Home Office with New Windows

If you weren’t aware, you will be now. Newer windows will not only provide you with better R value, but will also provide you with better soundproofing from outside sources.

Triple pane windows have been out for many years already however, there are still countless numbers of double pane windows still in use. Even if you weren’t wanting soundproofing for an office, by replacing your windows throughout your home, you will instantly experience a quieter environment.

Install a Solid Core Door to Soundproof a Home Office

The vast majority of home interior doors are hollow. They feel somewhat solid, but they aren’t. If you really want to up your home office soundproofing game, I would recommend considering installing a solid interior door. This type of door will instantly help quite your home office.

Depending on your skill level, you could change out your interior door yourself. Otherwise, hiring someone will be necessary. For the cost of this project, you can expect to pay $150 or more for a solid core interior door as well if you hire this job out, it could cost you up to $250 to have it installed. This all depends on your region and what your local handymen charge. Maybe you have a family member who can help you with this?

Installing Panels on the Ceiling to Soundproof a Home Office

Earlier in this article, we talked about acoustical panels for the walls in your office. With the same idea in mind, you could attach panels on the ceiling. I am not sure you would want to use the same type of acoustical panels as you would for a wall, however.

There are panels made specifically for ceiling that are very stylish. They come in various sizes and it would be an easy weekend project for the do-it-yourselfer. If you do go this route, to get the most soundproofing possible, why not install another layer of drywall on the ceiling? You wouldn’t have to mud and tape the drywall because you would be covering it with ceiling panels.

Check out Amazon or home building suppliers like Home Depot or Lowes to see what kind of panels you can buy. I think you will be surprised at how reasonably priced they are. If you order some for your entire ceiling, make sure to order about a ¼ extra of the panels to cover any errors that may occur. Something else to install instead of the drywall is 1/4” rigid insulation panels. If you have to tear everything down, the insulation would be a lot easier to work with vs sheets of drywall.

Top up Attic Insulation to Soundproof a Home Office

If you have an attic above your home office, another possibility is to have cellulose insulation blown into the attic. There is a good chance your attic insulation should be topped up anyways.

By doing this, you can improve the feel of your whole home in just a couple of hours. Topping up attic insulation improves R vale of a home and helps to deaden sound. I did it once in a small house I owned and it only cost me around $400 for about 700 square feet of attic space to be topped up. That was 12 or so years ago, so you will need to do your own research but overall I don’t think it is very expensive.

Install Carpeting in a Home Office to Soundproof

Whether you purchase some throw rugs or have a thick plush carpet installed in your home, office having carpet helps soundproof an area like a home office. You not only get the carpet but the underlay underneath that helps to absorb sound. Think it doesn’t work? If you have a room with hardwood floors, throw down a few throw rugs and see how they take the echo and hollow feel out of the room.

With the whole room carpeted it helps even more. The cost for this project will depend entirely on what you, as far as throw rugs or full blown carpeting and of course, what you can afford to spend as carpet comes in such a wide range of pricing.

If you go this route, why not consider installing extra sub floor for even more soundproofing?

Soundproofing a Home Office with Room Dividers

This is probably not on many soundproofing idea lists but it should be. I am not just talking about the small plastic or thin wood room dividers you buy at Walmart.

How about making a few room dividers using rigid insulation wrapped in your choice of fabric and then framed. The frame can be made out of pine or whatever wood you can get your hands on. Make 3 or more panels and attach them using cabinet hinges and you have some custom dividers now.

For the cost of this project, considering rigid insulation, fabric and wood plus miscellaneous supplies, you could probably build 2 or more dividers for $150. You are only limited to how creative you are. Strategically placed, these dividers can help soundproof a home office adding some unique ambience created by you. Unless, of course, you purchased them from a retailer. Never the less, they will add some really nice ambiance to the room.

Can you Soundproof Existing Walls?

The short answer is yes.

Even though the walls are finished, you can still insulate existing walls. It’s going to take you some work and money but it can be done in a way that won’t be noticeable when the job is complete.

Soundproof an existing wall in your home office by spraying expandable insulation into the wall or cut out the drywall on the wall and insulated using batts of insulation. Both of these jobs can be done over a weekend, if you plan ahead and have the whole weekend to work on it. Let’s take a look at both suggestions to see if they are of interest to you.

Spraying spray insulation into the wall to soundproof. This option will be much less work than the next one however it might not be quite as good. I will explain why. First, let’s talk about how to accomplish this. You can purchase a spray foam kit at places like Home Depot or you can purchase many cans of door and window spray insulation. Here’s what to do.
Locate where the studs are on the wall you will insulate and find the middle of each wall cavity (the distance between each wood stud). Mark the middle and drill a hole approximately ½” in diameter about 2’ up from the floor and then ever 2’ until you’re at the ceiling. So for example you would have a hole at 2’ then at 4’ then at 6’ etc.
The next thing to do is to spray the spray insulation into the hole. Make sure to point the hose downward, as you want to fill the wall cavity up from the bottom to the top. Let gravity work its magic.
As you progress to the next hole, you will want to place some tuck tape or other type of very strong tape over the hole as you don’t want the insulation to expand outward.
Once you have sprayed into each and every hole, let the insulation setup for a couple hours before pulling the tape off.
After the tape is off, go ahead and start repairing the holes by mudding them with drywall mud. Use drywall tape as well to ensure the patch is very strong.
Typically 2 to 3 coats of mud are enough so if you started this job on a Friday night, you could have 3 coats done by Sunday during the day and potentially touching them up with paint of Sunday night.

The cost for this job per wall that measures about 8’ to 10’ wide by 8’ high is about $120 for multiple cans of spray insulation, drywall tape, drywall mud and paint. You will probably need 8 or more cans of spray and that will be your biggest cost here. Now the only thing I don’t like about this job is you can’t see inside the wall to know if the entire cavity between the studs is filled up. Mind you, even if not all of the cavities are full of insulation, it is still quite a bit better than if you hadn’t done this. I would say pick this option, if you are not skilled at mudding walls or if you can’t hire someone else to do the job for you. Which brings us to our second option. Tear out drywall.

For our second option and my favorite, regardless of the amount of work it is to actually cut out drywall and installing batts of insulation. Here’s how to do it.
You will need drywall, drywall screws batt insulation, drywall mud, drywall tape, drywall knives, utility knife and a sponge drywall sanding tool for this job.
Pick the wall you will insulate and mark a horizontal line across the top of the wall about 6” to 8” below the ceiling and using a utility knife or if you have a Roto-Zip or can borrow one use that instead.
Also mark about 6” above the baseboard cutting that horizontally as well.
Now cut down the inside corners vertically and pull off the drywall.
Take your batts of insulation and fill the cavity between each stud, pushing the insulation up into the top and bottom of the wall. Do your best to fill all of the spaces up without the insulation pushing outward causing you issues when you try to install the new drywall.
Now cut and install your drywall horizontally.
Next, tape and mud all of the seams. It is at this point you will see why we cut the drywall away from the ceiling and the baseboards. It just makes it easier to tape and mud now without affecting ceilings and floors.
As with the first example, you will want to give 2 to 3 coats of mud. This will depend on your skill level. I usually apply 2 coats of mud but sometimes 3 is what works best.
After mudding and sanding is done, then it is time to paint the wall.

And that’s it, you’re done! This process, even though a much bigger task than the first one, can also be done in a weekend ,if you start on Friday night and have the drywall back up and first coat of tape and mud on that night. Also, if it’s just 1 wall you are working on.

The cost of ripping out drywall and using batt insulation, if you were to do it yourself, I would say might cost approximately $125 per wall measuring about 8’ to 10’ wide by 8’ high. That price should include insulation, drywall, mud, tape, etc.

Using batts of insulation vs spraying in foam insulation blind will yield the best results for soundproofing your home office, in my mind. However, the first option is an excellent idea also.

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