Working from home sounded like a treat when most of us first started.
Now it is simply part of the week, and the novelty has worn off.
The doorbell rings, the cooker whistles, the kids come home, and somehow it is four o'clock.
The fix is not more willpower.
It is a space your brain recognises as work.
Why does one corner of the house make any difference?
You don't get distracted at the office because everything around you says "work".
The desk, the chair, the screen, the files โ your mind switches over without being asked.
A dedicated spot at home does exactly the same job.
Even a small table in the corner of a room works, as long as it is only ever used for work.
Where should I put it?
Avoid the bedroom and the kitchen.
The bedroom teaches you to work in bed, and then to lie in bed thinking about work.
The kitchen has people walking through it all day.
A quiet corner of a spare room, a landing, or a balcony with a blind is better than either.
If you have a room with a door you can shut, use that.
What do I actually need on the desk?
Room for your laptop, your papers and a cup of tea, and not much else.
A good chair matters more than a good desk, because you are going to sit in it for eight hours.
Raise the laptop until the top of the screen is at eye level, then add a separate keyboard and mouse.
An external monitor is the one upgrade almost everybody notices on day one.
What about lighting?
Light your face, not the back of your head.
Sit facing a window if you can, or put a lamp behind the screen pointing back at you.
A window directly behind you turns you into a silhouette on every video call.
What about power cuts and weak Wi-Fi?
Put the desk near a plug point you can reach without an extension cord crossing the floor.
Learn how to switch to your phone's hotspot before you need it, not mid-call.
If your router is two rooms away, move the desk or move the router.
Things to Remember
- Pick one spot and use it only for work.
- Keep the bedroom out of it.
- Put the light in front of you, never behind you.
- Spend on the chair before you spend on the desk.
- Shut the laptop and clear the desk at the end of the day.