Must-Haves for My Home Office
The things in my workspace that make me happy.
I've been working from home for more than 15 years. But most of that time was spent working for an employer; I've only been self-employed for the past two years.
When I was working for an employer, a lot of my home office supplies were provided to me, like a laptop. Now that I work for myself, I get to make my own decisions — not only about computer equipment, but also how I organize my day and get work done.
Here are the things in my home office that I can't live without.
A vertical second monitor
I've worked with a second monitor for a long time. Being able to have research, notes, or email open on one monitor while working on the other monitor eliminates a lot of flipping back and forth between different tabs.
When my employer gave me a laptop, I had my laptop screen, plus a large second monitor attached. Now that I provide my own equipment, I have a Mac mini with a large monitor and a second, vertical monitor.
Most people think of monitors in a horizontal orientation and two monitors create a larger horizontal space. I bought a monitor that can be flipped to a vertical orientation and I'm MUCH happier.
First, it takes up less space on my desk. Second, a lot of the apps I use make more sense with more vertical space on the screen than horizontal space.
For example, reading an article doesn't benefit from horizontal space — it benefits from vertical space (less scrolling). Or I can have Slack open and see more channels and more of the feed.
Not only am I saving the back-and-forth with a second monitor, but I have less scrolling with a vertical monitor.
Anna Burgess Yang
Virtual co-working
Self-employment can be really lonely, especially if you don't have a lot of client meetings.
When I worked for an employer, I was in constant communication with my colleagues. We sent emails, used a chat tool, and even hopped on the phone when needed (this was before video calls were a thing).
Now, it's just me for most of the day. I'll occasionally go to a coffee shop, but I also enjoy virtual co-working. I have a membership to Flow Club, which offers virtual co-working sessions.
You join a session with other people and work together for a specific amount of time (anywhere from 30 minutes to 3 hours). Some sessions have verbal check-ins, while others are purely for uninterrupted deep work. Either way, you see other people on the screen working "beside you," which helps with accountability.
Planning and organization tools
Working for a company often means that you use the tools the company dictates — such as project management tools, time tracking tools, etc.
As a solopreneur, you get to choose your own tools. And while apps aren't necessarily a "home office" product, I have one thing that I use in my business: a giant paper calendar on my wall.
I usually have an idea of the client work I'll complete within a month, but it's never definitive until I get a project brief. I use the paper calendar to plan out my bandwidth (and Trello once the project is more concrete). The visual of the paper calendar is very helpful as I talk to clients about additional work throughout the month.
I also love the Ugmonk analog system [affiliate link]. Every day, I write down the day's plan on one of the notecards, broken down into blocks of time, like this:
- 9:00 - 10:00: Blog post
- 10:00 - 10:30: Check emails
- 10:30 - 11:30: Client outline
- 1:00 - 3:30: Client deliverable
I could add these blocks of time to my Google calendar, but I like having it on the notecard so I can look at it during the day. Plus, I cross off the tasks as they're completed.
A walking pad
As a freelance writer, my days are a lot less structured than they were when I was working for an employer. I have more time to do non-work things during the day, like exercise.
I have a walking pad in my office, so I can take a walk even when the weather is bad. I have a standing desk with a walking pad underneath.
I don't do anything brain-intensive while walking, but I can usually manage something like engaging with people on social media (which is part of my marketing strategy). It's an easy task to do while walking.
Access to coffee and tea
If you really want your home office to feel like a corporate office, add a coffee pot.
In all seriousness, I love having easy access to coffee and hot water during the day. I have a coffee pot and a hot water kettle within reach. I also use an Ember Mug to keep my tea hot for hours while I'm working at my desk.
It seems like a small thing, but having coffee and tea within reach makes it easier for me to maintain focus while I'm writing (versus getting up and walking to the kitchen, which is a distraction).
A mechanical keyboard
I write for hours every day — both for my clients and for my own purposes (like this blog!). A mechanical keyboard has a satisfying clackity-clack sound as I type. It's reminiscent of my childhood, when I did my earliest writing on my grandfather's old typewriter in my room.
Whatever type of work you do, I encourage you to add something to your home office that feels luxurious or reminds you of why you love your work.
Make your home office a space where you can do your best work
The tools and setup of my freelance home office make my workspace both functional and enjoyable. I love being in my office, because it feels like my space.
Your home office doesn't have to be fancy — but it should work for you. I'm always looking for new ways to fine-tune my setup so I can be as focused and productive as possible.
One of the best parts of being self-employed is that you get to decide how best to get your work done. Your home office should reflect that.
Check out my free guide: 17 Smart Tools Solopreneurs Need to Start, Grow, and Scale.
