30-Day Shred

30-Minute Office Shred

It's tricky getting your home office set up.  Whether you're working a 9-5 job at home, juggling work and raising kids, or starting your own business, having your own space is essential in your ultimate success.  Not surprisingly, space is usually an issue for most; fortunately, there are some creative ways to use your space efficiently and effectively without sacrificing too much of your home.

Tips for Setting Up a Workable Home Office (pun intended)

Struggling to stay (or even get?) organized?  Maybe you resolved that 2011 would be better, and yet, by the end of the first month, you feel overwhelmed and have no idea how to stay on top of it.  You know that getting organized will help you stay on top of where everything is and make you more productive as a result.  However, where to start?  Over at I'm an Organizing Junkie, the organizing guru exhorts us to write down 52 organizational things that need to be accomplished over the next year, such as cleaning out the freezer, or re-purposing a book shelf, etc.  Then, each week, tackle one job.  Why not apply the same principle to organizing your work space?  

Getting Organized in Small Spaces

It's all good and well to say let's get organized, and it's quite another to actually do it...especially if you find you have a small space to work with.  While the same basic principles still apply, there is some tweaking that must be done to accommodate for smaller work spaces.  Go ahead and line up your keyboard, mouse, and monitor centered in front of you, but positioned correctly.  

(As a reminder, your screen should be eye level and about 20 inches from your face, while your keyboard and mouse should be snug together, in front of you on the desk, or ideally, on a keyboard tray which allows your arms to slop downward.)

Once you've set up your equipment properly, move on to getting rid of clutter and establishing a good filing system (see previous posts).  These steps will especially help you in a tight spot.  Having excess papers and junk around just dwarfs space anyway- so get rid of it!  If you don't have enough space for a proper filing system, ask your manager or boss if there's any you can use away from your desk.  It's worth a shot anyway.  

Tips for Making the Most of a Little

Now we're on to the nitty gritty.  How can you maximize what little space you have?

• Try a smart, space-saving ergonomic desk.  They are designed to not only provide ergonomic comfort and ease, but also to maximize space.  Often they do this by having a small footprint, but a tall frame, thus taking advantage of the upward space most everyone has.  Another bonus is that most are adjustable and should also provide ample space for your printer and equipment.
• If your actual desktop space is challenging, try a mini keyboard.  Minis chunk rarely used keys (such as number pads) and focus on the majors, thus producing a small keyboard that is sure to save space.
• Use a keyboard tray.  A keyboard tray will completely remove the keyboard and mouse from your desktop, thereby freeing up that work space.
• Try a sound machine.  Chances are, if space is an issue, you're in a cubicle.  Any cubicle worker will tell you that noise is a problem that comes with the territory.  As such, cover it with a sound machine.  You're sure to make more of your time that way.

Do you have any space-saving tips?  We'd love to hear them and from you!

At the end of the work day, we often find ourselves suffering from headaches, back pain and other stress-induced discomforts. We all experience stress for different reasons and process it in just as diverse ways. Some job stress we cannot directly control, but many of the little things that add to it can be improved by looking at our habits, our body posture, and our muscle use.

Here are a few tips for lowering your stress levels at work:

• Take some time to warm-up and cool-down. Arrive at work a few minutes early to get your head in the game before your day officially starts. Think through your day and begin to mentally prepare yourself for the tasks ahead. At the end of the day, take a few minutes to set up your desk for tomorrow. Clean off any clutter and lay out the tasks for the morning. The more prepared you are, the less stress you will feel over the ordinary tasks, and even the fires, of the day.
• Rearrange your desktop. Start by getting rid of all the clutter; the mess is distracting and wastes time when you can’t find something. Place your most used items, like your phone or stapler, within easy reach. Move your keyboard and mouse so that they are centered in front of you, an inch or two above your legs. An adjustable keyboard tray can help optimize your work space. Try upgrading to an ergonomic keyboard to increase your comfort and productivity.
• Prioritize your day. Start the day with the most important tasks, before checking your email or answering phone calls. This way the priority tasks are done while you are fresh and focused; then you can spend a few minutes on email or phone calls, before launching into the next high priority. Don’t let low priority tasks interrupt you constantly throughout the day.
• Stand up! Don't remain seated for too long! Get up and stretch your back, neck and shoulders every hour to relax your muscles and ease any discomfort. For those hours when you are sitting, adjust your chair for maximum comfort. Move the backrest until it best fits the contours of your back. If your chair does not have enough support for your lower back, try a rolled up towel or add portable lumbar support cushion.
• Try using white noise. It is extremely stressful when you are trying to concentrate, but are constantly interrupted by noise around you. Most people lose up to two hours a day from these interruptions. Try an online, free white noise generator to see if you can concentrate better at work. There are also personal sound machines that offer a variety of sounds such as ocean waves or peaceful wind chimes.

Prioritize your work day and deliberately time your breaks to refresh you for the next task, instead of letting interruptions run your day. Evaluate your work space to determine what tools, such as an ergonomic keyboard or a personal sound machine, may help lower your stress and provide better comfort at work. Take the time to make little, stress-reducing changes to your work day and your work space.