Why an Efficient Office Setup is Necessary For a Freelancer
It’s great to be a freelancer: you get to work wherever you want, you enjoy flexible hours and you get to earn doing something that you’re good at.
But it also comes with challenges! One of the greatest productivity hurdles of a freelancer is LOCATION.
Where should you work? Will the kitchen counter do? Or whichever room that is available at the time? How can you avoid interruptions while you are trying to focus on your projects? Or maybe you should look for a working space outside of your home?
It is crucial for a freelancer to have an efficient working space, whether that is inside or outside of home.
Here are the reasons why:
1. Your work environment has a huge impact on your mental clarity and creativity.
Mess creates stress- that is a popular belief that has been proven true time and again.
Physical clutter can make it hard for you to focus on the work in front of you as it creates unconscious and unwanted stimuli on your brain.
Your workspace should be your sanctuary- one that fosters and promotes creativity for you. It should help put you in a productive working mood whenever you enter it.
That’s why it is important to have a dedicated work area- one that is aligned with your needs and working style.
Try to remove things that do not have anything to do with your work and place things that can inspire you to work better and more efficiently. When you keep your mind focused and sharp, you enjoy increased productivity- you achieve more with less time.
The same applies to the desktop on your laptop or computer. Organize your files in the right folders and avoid clutter even on your online working space.
2. Your physical surroundings affect your health negatively or positively.
A study on the effect of office type on sickness absence has established the following: workers who worked in offices where they are exposed to high levels of noise and have minimal personal control get sick more often.
Your physical work area has a strong link to your physical and emotional health.
You spend countless hours in your workplace and how you feel working in it has a direct bearing on your emotional and physical well-being. Stress is known to increase the level of cortisol in your body, which can lead to several illnesses.
Working in a setup where you feel happy and satisfied will help ensure your physical and emotional well-being and help you produce better work output.
3. Your “office” reflects your brand’s image and professionalism.
Clients and other people will judge you based on your physical office’s appearance. They do not expect your work space to be fancy or complex, but they do prefer to work with people who present themselves professionally.
When they see that you invest the proper funds and effort to design or choose a functional workspace, then it communicates to them that you are serious about your work.
It increases your credibility- a very important quality for a freelancer.
A designated home office is a worthy investment for anyone who wants to pursue a long-term freelance career. In case space and availability are limited in your home, a coworking space is another good option.
Reflect on your needs, choose or design a working space that suits you, and boost your productivity and creativity.
About The Author
This is a guest post by Gemma Reeves from FindMyWorkspace, a seasoned writer who enjoys creating helpful articles and interesting stories. She has worked with several clients across different industries such as advertising, online marketing, technology, healthcare, family matters, and more. She is also an aspiring entrepreneur who is engaged in assisting other aspiring entrepreneurs in finding the best office space for their business.
