Working as a freelancer is no easy job—you don’t have to answer to anyone, yet you answer to everyone. To keep up with clients, suppliers, and your own personal demands, you have to expertly manage your time, finances, and productivity—and that means managing your space. 

Your home office is where all the magic happens. So how do you amp up your workspace for maximum productivity and peace of mind?

Read on for our top tips for a productive home office setup for any ambitious freelancer. 

Use a Second Monitor

Double up on your screen space to skyrocket your productivity and save yourself the tedium of squinting and webpage switching. Working with a single laptop or desktop might feel sustainable for now, but when you’re spending hours every day for months trying to decipher files crammed on a tiny screen, you’ll welcome all the extra room a second monitor brings. 

Many freelancers rely on the Internet and virtual documents to run their business, like a carpenter relies on tools. So, would you really tell a carpenter to use only half of their toolbox? 

Didn’t think so. 

Having another monitor is liberating—it frees up valuable screen real estate so you can stay organized, have full visibility of your work, and feel less anxious about the day ahead. This added gadget is an excellent investment to give you the onscreen breathing room to help you breathe a bit easier at work.  

Think About Your Environment

For ideal productivity while working from home, you’ll want to ensure your office setup is in an environment that promotes long hours of focus, without feeling too drab or dreadful.

Here are the ideal criteria for the perfect home office space:

  • Quiet
  • Private
  • Distraction-free
  • Low-Traffic (so you’re not saying “hi” to your roommate or S.O. every other minute)
  • Not too colorful or decorated (focus on a few staple decor pieces)
  • Well-lit (more on that later)
  • If you have the space, you can dedicate an entire room to your workspace. 

Whether you have a special work nook or a whole office in your home, the goal is to compartmentalize your life so you can separate work from play—even when both happen in the same building.  

Buy a Good Printer

Investing in a high-quality printer is a lifesaver when working as a freelancer. There are times when no screen can beat the tangible nature of working with paper—printing out documents helps you organize your thoughts, plan your actions, and see things more clearly. When meeting with clients, handing them high-resolution documents on crisp paper gives you a boost of professionalism that you just can’t achieve from sending files virtually.

For maximum quality, speed, and reliability, choose from a selection of laserjet printers to get the best out of both print volume and price. 

Think About Lighting

Your work environment improves tremendously when you arrange your furniture according to the light entering the space.

Here are some pointers for ideal home office lighting:

  • Find a space with plenty of natural light.
  • Keep your screens away from direct sunlight so they don’t reflect the glare.
  • Avoid placing your chair and desk where the sun would hit your eyes.

Too much glaring light can hurt your productivity and distract you from your work. However, the right lighting setup is ideal for boosting your mood and improving workflow.

Promote Good Posture

Nothing feels worse than slouching for hours in front of a screen. “Back-breaking work” isn’t supposed to be a literal description of your freelancing job! However, you may still find yourself groaning when you get up, or tossing and turning in bed from discomfort. Not only that, but your mood might also be dipping into disconcerting lows. 

So, what do you do?

Simple: invest in a functional, high-quality home office chair. The right chair will promote better posture (so you can concentrate your discipline on your work), lift your mood, and, by extension, improve your productivity. Your confidence will skyrocket as you learn to sell your services (or products) more effectively, and your home office will instantly feel more appealing. 

Who knew you could improve productivity just by sitting down?  

Invest Now, Collect Later

Putting in the time, money, and effort into designing the perfect home office is a prime investment in yourself and your future. Your business is much more likely to thrive once you are thriving. That means feeling comfortable, focused, and content in your space. Luckily, all it takes to achieve that success is a few simple purchases and some furniture rearranging. 

Now get to work!