Increase Your Productivity at Your Home Office

Whether you work out of your home or simply use your home office space to pay bills and check email your goal is to create a productive space. You want to be able to get the most done in the shortest amount of time. The right office tools can keep you on track so you don’t spend your entire day organizing paperwork! If you are comfortable in your office you will stay focused longer and be more productive.

A Scanner: Piles of paper are distracting. Eliminate clutter to. Cluttered spaces are distracting, the more clean and organized you are the more you’ll get done! Owning a scanner will help when organizing paperwork. There are two different styles of scanner primarily for home use. The first is a flatbed scanner. A flatbed resembles a photocopier. Similarly when using it you lay your item directly on the surface to scan it. Scanning items like photos that you don’t want bent or damaged is perfect for this type of machine.

The second option is the feeder scanner. This scanner works a lot like a fax machine. Your paper is set up and “fed” through the scanner exiting the bottom of the machine. Unlike a flatbed that needs to be reloaded for each individual sheet a feeder scanner is the best for organizing paperwork in mass. Being able to scan in more paperwork faster will help your productivity level.

Ergonomic keyboard: You’ll work longer when you’re more comfortable. A keyboard upgrade may be just what you need. You can choose from many different styles of ergonomic keyboards. For example, split keyboards, angled split keyboards, and contoured keyboards. Split keyboards goal is to keep your hands at a shoulder width apart. Angled keyboards are designed to tilt your hands so that your pinky is sitting lower that your pointer finger.

The goal of an ergonomic keyboard is to reduce the chance of carpal tunnel syndrome. It also should make typing more natural and less awkward. This should make you a faster more efficient typist, meaning you will get more done!

Child safe keyboard: Is your office computer also your family computer? Consider investing in a toddler keyboard if you share your home computer with a 1 to 4 year old. These child friendly keyboards can be substituted for your normal keyboard while your child is practicing on the computer. These keyboards are color coded so young children can easily find consonants, vowels, and numbers. They are spill proof and durable enough to take all the “enthusiasm” your little one can dish out. This saves your keyboard from having to take the abuse. And you don’t have to risk down time because of a broken keyboard. As an added benefit many of these keyboards have features that will limit your child’s ability to navigate throughout the computer, no accidently deleting files and undoing your time spent organizing paperwork. It will also keep them limited to the websites you direct them to.

Computer Mice: There are even more variation than keyboards! Computer mice are specialized depending on what is most important to you. Some are designed to fit comfortably to your hand with ergonomics in mind. Some mice are best for people who need them primarily for computer games. Some work better with laptops and some better with desktop computers.

Cable Organizers: Cables and cords in home offices can be a jumbled mess. Wiring and cords just collect dust. They make your office dirty and hard to clean. The use of a cable organizer will contain all your extra cord lengths and give you a less distracting messy look. You can make a change or swap out a piece of equipment quickly because you won’t have to untangle and identify all your cords first!

Get the right equipment in your home office and be prepared for success. Whether you are organizing paperwork, sending emails, or running a small business a clean, comfortable working environment will allow you to be your most productive.

Heidi DeCoux is a productivity, organization & profitability consultant and creator of The Fast-Filing Method organizing home paperwork. To get a FREE home office filing system e-Solutions Kit, which features the audio class: The Fast & Easy Way to Get Organized and Stay Organized Forever, visit https://www.ClearSimpleLiving.com.