Freelance Workspace Design

The main reason most people are drawn to the freelance lifestyle is because it gives the freedom to work in one’s own personal space. There are very few people in the world who actually look forward to walking into a dull cubicle under harsh fluorescent lighting to sit for eight hours a day. Yet, without a mandatory defined workspace, freelancers run the risk of being less productive due to lack of organization and homelife distractions. But we at Modernize have a way to keep your productivity high, all from the comfort of your uniquely styled home. Here are three ways to design your own cool workspace to best meet your freelance needs.

Get Comfortable, But Not That Comfortable

No one is able to produce their best work product when they are uncomfortable. If you’re squirming in your chair after just five minutes, then you are going to expend precious energy simply trying to get comfortable. Spend some time test driving ergonomic chairs and find one that best fits your body. And if the chair’s ergonomic style isn’t your favorite, drape a furry throw across the back to add warmth and intrigue.

Comfort does have its limits, though. Make a point to get out of your pajamas every day before work if for no other reason than it will save you time when you have a last-minute client meeting. Plus, this simple act will begin to transition your mind from personal thoughts to focused attention on your career tasks for the day.

Designated Work Space That Comes With Privacy

In a standard office environment, people want to personalize their space with thoughts of home and loved ones. Now that you are working at home and surrounded by all of those things, your workspace needs to be the opposite. Add any equipment you will need on a daily basis and lots of organization solutions like a filing cabinet or an old library card catalogue, and keep the familial reminders at bay. In no way does this mean that your office needs to be boring. On the contrary, colorful artwork and an open window can do wonders to keep your creative juices flowing.

Even in the tiniest of homes, there is almost always an area you can find to create a designated work space. You will begin to experience an almost Pavlovian response of mental focus by simply sitting down at your desk everyday. If you have roommates, spouses, or children, make sure they understand that when you are in this space, that you need peace and quiet to work. Having very clear rules about your work day will help everyone in the long run.

Meeting Your Clients

If you are going to have clients coming into your home, make sure that you have an appropriate area that is clean and professional. Ideally, your home office will have room for an additional chair or sofa, in which case, the entirety of the room’s aesthetics should flow. Don’t forget to maintain order on your desk with adequate storage solutions that are appealing to the eye as well as functional. An old can, bucket, or mug is a great container for pens and scissors while adding a smaller decorative touch.

It is challenging to focus on a meeting when your dog keeps drooling on your client’s knee or a child keeps screaming in the background. So if your homelife spills over a little too much into your client meetings, consider taking those meetings to a coffee shop. Just be sure to have checked out the place beforehand to know that it won’t be too noisy and that you will be guaranteed to have seating.

Starting on this new journey into freelancing is an exciting time. Let your office reflect that energy and design it to meet your needs. Of course, everything is a learning experience, so reevaluate your office once you have been working in it awhile and see if there is anything you can change to further enhance your productivity and satisfaction.