I’ve spent most of my workdays freelancing, working from various locations: Starbucks, bars, libraries, backyards, and my home office. If the place had free WiFi, I probably worked there at some point.
My experience working in these types of environments has been fun for me, and over time I’ve picked up some techniques that you, as a small business owner, can use in your own work environment. Ready? Go!
make it flow
I know there are a number of you out there in internet land making noise with poor posture. Teaching yourself the art of ergonomics will help you wear the right gear that works with your body, not against it, helping you fight injuries in the long run. An aligned back, correct heights and exercises are mandatory to incorporate a healthy lifestyle. Don’t be that guy who ignored priceless information and ultimately paid for it with a miserable existence – ergonomics will save your life. Computingcomfort has a neat workplace planner to get you going in the right direction.
Add some green
Adding a few plants to your office is a simple and inexpensive way to increase the feel of your work area. Real plants radiate calm and delight, adding a better look to your overall environment. Aside from the nice factor, plants give off fresh air and reduce the amount of pollutants from man-made materials. Even NASA has put a lot of research dollars into plants that improve air quality and check out a book called How to Grow Fresh Air that covers the best plants for fresh air. Talk about how many nasty things they get rid of and how easy they are to maintain.
Build a relaxation room.
I know it’s one thing to include breaks, but do you really get away from your work area? Dedicating a certain space that is totally opposite to what you were doing helps you forget about deadlines and physically relieves you of all that stress.
keep it organized
Organization is key if you want to have a smooth workflow. An organized office is an extension of an organized mind. Experiencing an organized environment makes you jump right into the project you’re working on. Disorganization is a sign that you are not dealing with your problems, it will be fixed when you need to focus your whole being on getting things done. For the updated office environment, a major source of disorganization is your computer cables. Thrown papers, notes jotted down here and there, books on the side, empty coffee cups and much more will affect your consciousness. One of the best feelings is working in an environment that you love to look at. If you’re really interested in this topic, check out Lifehacker’s Workspace Show and Tell on Flickr for some great ideas.
Promote breaks and interaction.
Taking a break from work is mandatory when it comes to your health. If you stare at a monitor all day without walking away, you will end up carrying tons of stress. Think of ways to include exercise in small doses throughout your workday to keep your batteries charged and your wits sharp, allowing you to work at your optimal settings.
buy a comfortable chair
I remember thinking that any computer chair would work and it’s just like those super expensive designer chairs. On the other hand, you should at least take the time to sit in a relaxing, ergonomically designed computer chair. For the start-up worker, his office furniture is a wise investment as he will be spending countless with it. Take a look at Aeron’s highly adjustable chair, which is probably the most widely used, but there are other inexpensive ones for the small business budget. I know that sounds like an outrageous office expense for a small business, but at least it’s worth looking at for a couple of weeks, and if you don’t like it, just return it.