Get Your Home Office Setup Right

Most businesses put real thought into their office environment. They consider the desks, lighting, meeting spaces, equipment and layout because they know these things affect how people work. But when you or your team work from home, the same level of thought is often missing.

Many people simply open their laptop at the kitchen table and start working. That may be fine occasionally, but it is undoubtedly not the best setup for a full day of focused, comfortable work.

Granted, you may not have the luxury of a dedicated office space, but thankfully, you do not need one. A few simple adjustments to your working environment can make a big difference.

Start with your screen position

One of the quickest improvements you can make is to raise your screen.

Working on a laptop placed flat on a table usually means looking down for several hours. This can encourage you to round your shoulders, lean forwards and place unnecessary strain on your neck and upper back.

Try to position the top of the screen at roughly eye level, or slightly below it, so you can look forwards rather than down. A laptop stand is useful, but a solid box or a stack of books can work just as well.

Your screen should also be directly in front of you. Repeatedly turning your head towards a second screen positioned off to one side can cause discomfort over time. When using two screens, place the one you use most directly ahead of you.

Do not stay in one position all day

Well, there is no single perfect working position. It largely comes down to personal preference. However, it is a good idea to change position regularly.

You might sit for 30 minutes, stand for the next 20 minutes and then sit again. There is no need to follow these timings exactly; the aim is simply to avoid remaining still for several hours.

Standing desks can be useful, but you do not necessarily need to buy one to try working this way. Raising your laptop safely on a box, shelf or kitchen worktop can give you a temporary standing position. Just make sure the surface is stable and the keyboard remains at a comfortable height.

Set a reminder to get up between focused pieces of work. Walk around the house, make a drink, stretch or step outside for a few minutes. A brief movement break can help you return to your desk feeling more alert, while also reducing stiffness.

Give yourself a defined place to work

Sometimes, working at the kitchen or living room table is the most practical option. Even so, it helps to create some separation between work and the rest of the home.

Where possible, choose a consistent working spot rather than moving around the house. Keeping one area for work can make it easier to settle into the day and switch off when you finish.

At the end of the working day, pack away your laptop, paperwork and charger. Even a small routine like this can create a clearer boundary between work and personal time.

Match the task to the time of day

Most people have periods when they naturally find it easier to concentrate. For many, it is early in the day.

Pay attention to when you feel most alert and protect that time for work that requires careful thought. Leave routine tasks, emails and straightforward administration for periods when your energy is lower – think the post-lunch slump!

You can also help your team by limiting unnecessary meetings during their most productive hours. We have found that a calendar filled with short calls can make sustained, productive work almost impossible, even when the total meeting time appears reasonable.

Control the noise around you

Some people work best in silence while others find a quiet background sound helps them concentrate. The important point is to choose the sound deliberately rather than leaving the television or radio running in the background without thinking about its effect. 

Music without lyrics can be less distracting than songs you like and know well. White, pink or brown noise may also help to mask intermittent household sounds such as traffic or nearby building work, and free recordings are widely available online.

Something we try to encourage our team to do is agree some simple boundaries with other people at home. A closed door, a visible sign or set periods when you should not be interrupted may work better than repeatedly trying to regain your concentration after someone has popped in to ask if you want a cuppa.

Remove obvious sources of distraction

A productive home office does not need to be guest-ready tidy, but it should not make concentration unnecessarily difficult.


Keep the items you use regularly within reach and remove paperwork, cables and household objects that repeatedly get in the way. Putting your phone out of reach is easier said than done, but let’s be honest: relying purely on willpower not to check it every time a notification pops up is extremely difficult.

Turn off non-essential notifications and close any browser tabs you are not using. You could also set an automatic reply explaining that you only check your inbox once or twice a day. This helps manage expectations around when people will receive a response and allows you to close your inbox and focus properly.

Treat homeworking as part of the business environment

Businesses should give remote working arrangements the same consideration as the main office, particularly when employees work from home several days each week. That includes suitable equipment, sensible expectations, clear communication and enough uninterrupted time to complete their work.

For individuals, the first improvements are often straightforward: raise the screen, change position regularly, reduce distractions, and plan demanding work for the hours when you are most focused.

The kitchen table may still be where you work. The important thing is to make sure it functions as a workspace rather than simply placing a laptop on it and hoping for the best.

Get in touch

If you or your team work from home regularly, it is worth taking a little time to review the setup and make a few practical changes. Homeworking can also raise questions around equipment costs, policies and tax, so give us a call on 0113 240 4100 and we can help you work through what applies to your business.