Writing isn’t exactly a practical, hands-on profession. I’ll be the first to admit that. Since I’ve spent much less time working on vehicles, my hands have turned from sandpaper to butter.
Before a little thing called the Covid-19 worldwide epidemic and resulting national lockdowns across the globe (you might have heard of it?), many writers worked from home anyway – freelancers, especially. Many also worked in offices around the country and the world.
However, once the lockdowns hit us, many more started working from home.
As I’m sure everyone has realised, working from home brings its own set of problems, difficulties and frustrations.
One way to manage these issues is through an effective, personalised home office setup.
What kind of home office is suitable for an author?
This article is, of course, written from the point of view of an author. Suppose you’re an architect, a chocolatier or a glass sculptor (no, I didn’t just do a quick search for “cool professions”…). In that case, you’ll need something completely different.
Organisation is key. Although there aren’t usually too many extras lying around when it comes to writing, you still need to have a place to put everything. Since you will likely type most of your writing work, at least that’s one less thing to worry about.
As a priority, you’ll need space for a laptop or computer. I’d also highly recommend using a pull-out shelf and an ergonomic keyboard and mouse. It seems much better for my back and neck.
If you use a laptop, you’ll also need somewhere to store it when you finish for the day, such as a drawer or case. From a home security point of view, it’s best if it’s out of sight from any windows.
For writing, I use a simple desk in the quietest room in the house. That quiet is vital – concentration would be verging on impossible to reach otherwise.
Other than my laptop, keyboard and mouse, I use a dual monitor – sometimes. It’s freestanding at the back of my desk. Although I haven’t done it, I suggest mounting it on the wall beyond your desk, if that’s possible.
It frees up space in front of you and makes everything less cramped. If you decide to do that and use it as part of a dual-monitor system, ensure the laptop is equidistant from your eyes to avoid any neck strain.
As a writer, dual monitors are helpful when you’re researching and writing at the same time. Handy hint.
How much space do I need?
As a writer, I’d make this bold call: not much.
Besides the monitor, laptop, keyboard and mouse, everything else goes into the desk drawers or the trays I keep on my right.
Any folders or extra equipment (notepads, hole punch, stapler, scientific calculator, anyone?) easily fit.
I’ve found that the more space I have, the more I use. It always seems to fill up with stuff – meaningless, useless stuff. Therefore, I’ve realised that the more space I have, the less organised I am.
That might not be the case for everyone, but it certainly is for me, and it’s what I’d recommend.
Where should I base my home office setup?
I recommend putting it in the quietest space possible.
Everyone’s situations are different, so I can’t give a one-size-fits-all suggestion. Look for a place with the fewest distractions and where you can concentrate most intently.
Should I purchase an expensive home office setup?
Personally, I don’t have any need for any high-quality materials or fancy chairs. That’s not to say you don’t – but, to me, it’s spending money for the sake of spending money, with no discernible benefit other than it looks kind of nice.
For example, if you’re taking pictures of your workspace for a website or social media post, a fancy-looking setup might be the right call.
These setups can cost hundreds of pounds. From my point of view, I’m good. Maybe someday I’ll change my mind.
Optimising home office setup through your mindset
Overall – and solely in my opinion – how well you can complete writing work doesn’t depend too much on your home office setup but on your perspective.
For some people, having a top-quality, bespoke design to work at will help them and increase productivity. I suspect, though, that it’s the impact the setup has on your mindset rather than any particular benefit to do with the equipment itself.
At the risk of going all deep, the best way to optimise your home office setup is to optimise how you approach things. The organisation of the mind over the organisation of the workspace. Just a thought.
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