I’m not sure why I’ve had to say this, however it is important to note that while working as a freelancer, one needs a workspace at home. This can be very convenient when you have an office at home, and many of us do.
Here are some examples of what we mean by “workspace at home”:
A space where you can have your desk and workstation right next to each other (so you don’t have to move your mouse or keyboard)
A space where you can access all your documents and notes on the go
A space where you can leave your laptop when you are done for the day, maybe on a laptop riser, but still be able to work from wherever you like (and not worry about getting distracted by phone calls or emails)
A space where all your devices/batteries will be charged (or in case of a power outage)
That is what I would like to see more of: spaces that are uncluttered and minimalist; places where I can work comfortably without having to worry about distracting clutter.
For example, one of my favourite places is a small computer room in my parents’ apartment. It has an old fridge with some hard drives on top that they use as their network drive and a large flat-screen TV with cable TV mounted above.
It also has a small table with enough space for me to watch DVDs while I work. In wintertime, I can sit outside on the porch even if it is cold outside; there are no windows in the structure itself so I don’t get cold inside when it gets cold outside.
They also love having me over for dinner sometimes (which makes me feel very welcome). That doesn’t sound too different from other people living in apartments, does it? And yet here we are thinking of offering up more rooms as “workspaces at home” — suggesting that we would rather live somewhere else than live in our own home!
So please think carefully before making such suggestions if you aren't sure how much time your family will spend here!
What to consider when creating a workspace at home
If you are an independent developer, you probably use your own home/office as a workplace. It’s not just a place to do your work, it’s also the place where you take things home with you after finishing a project.
It is not uncommon that it takes more than one week to get all the latest updates from the other side of the world (or even in one week), so that’s why building your workspace at home should be taken seriously.
Ideas for a great home office
If you’re a working parent, then you probably live with your child, or have a child that is at home. If you’re a working parent (for example with a nursing career) who doesn’t want to work at home (or if you don’t want to work at home), then this post could be an excellent way of setting up an ideal workspace for your family.
Although there are plenty of different things you can do in this regard, we thought we would develop a few basic ones here. It would be great if we could take the idea one step further and show parents how to create a small space for their children, or even teach them how to do it on their own!
Ideas for a great home office for working parents:
- Hire someone to install the desk/table and accessories that fit the space
- Make sure the desk/table won't take up too much storage space so parents can use it as storage as well (but not too much)
- Be sure there's enough room for the kids' toys and books in the closet or drawers
- Make sure there's enough room for a little corner table or coffee table (and maybe even another chair)
- The kids should have access to a space where they can play without being interrupted by adults
If any of these ideas seem like they'd work, now is the time to put all this into action. And if they don't seem practical yet, consult one of our experts on how best to implement them into your life.
Conclusion: The best home office ideas for working parents
If you’re a freelancer, you may well have considered setting up your own workspace. This can be a great way to get the creative juices flowing and to get some work done while your kids are at school and lessening the need to be constantly on call (and the need for a babysitter).
This post is about making that happen in your home, which is one of the best ways to ensure a productive home office.
Many people don’t fully realise just how much their home office can act as an extension of their work space: it’s where they do most of their work, and if it doesn’t look like it, they feel like they don’t have it. And in truth, most people probably do have some kind of home office at home, just not quite as organised as they would prefer.
