Creating the Perfect External Home Office Away from the Main House
The perfect external home office can be just what you need when space inside the home is limited. The typical home office also usually accommodates a single person, but you might need more space for employees, an assistant, or even entertaining clients. So, something away from the main home can be more appropriate. This can be done ad hoc with little money, but it is recommended that you build an extension that has what you need for running a business.
The Materials Versus Connectivity
Connectivity is an essential part of any modern office. Today, this means more than a phone and fax machine, and includes high-speed internet and mobile phone network access. However, the materials used to construct your external office, such as steel garages and workshops, can disrupt the quality of a Wi-Fi signal. In this case, Wi-Fi boosters, an outdoor-rated node mesh, or a Cat6 to 8 installation will help your internet speed stay solid, reliable, fast, and stable.
External Home Office Pathways
A UK survey found that roughly 5.5 million people (16% of the workforce) have a home office. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t have a commuter mindset to motivate you each morning. A distinct psychological design that separates home and office can prime your brain for work:
Pavers and landscaping can provide a short but inspiring walk between the two places.
The physical boundary of a pathway can be psychologically powerful for priming.
Walking from home to the external office signals that it is time for work mode.
Don’t Forget Climate Control
It’s pretty easy to stay comfortable and warm inside a home office, but the external structure is different. Although you can have a barebones structure like a garage or shed for yourself, there are laws about heating and cooling if you have employees. Therefore, you will need adequate climate control to stay compliant, avoid penalties, and maximize comfort. Insulation is a great first step, but there also needs to be a controlled climate, such as HVAC for heating and cooling.
Think About the Lighting You Need
Lighting is crucial for an efficient, safe, and comfortable working environment. Without adequate light, there are multiple risks in a workspace, such as tripping hazards. However, you can make thel office much safer and more comfortable for employees with some attention to lighting. Windows will allow natural light to flood the structure, which will save money. But you will need artificial lighting, such as LEDs, for workspaces and external pathways for employee safety.
An External Home Office Must be Soundproof
A survey in the US found that between 70% and 80% of workers are distracted to the point of losing 720 hours of productivity per year. There are a few ways to make your workplace more comfortable, but none are as effective as ensuring the place has minimal noise and annoyance.
Add acoustic panels
External buildings with hollow frames can reverberate and echo, which can be annoying on calls. To reduce this, acoustic panels and soft furnishings are an inexpensive solution.
Use double-paned glass
With your office being outside, you can be exposed to some annoying sounds like dogs barking and lawnmowers. Double-paned glass will significantly reduce the volume of these.
Reduce frame vibrations
External structures like those made from hollow steel can vibrate a lot, and these travel through the frame. You can use sound isolation clips to separate the inner linings from the structure.
A combination of methods will help create a pleasant environment that reduces sounds from the structure and the outside world. This can help with communication, privacy, and your general sanity. Acoustic panels, double-paned glass, and decoupling will all help reduce sounds.
You Also Need to be Comfortable
Comfort is a major consideration for any workspace, and an external office is no different. It is easy to stay comfy when your office is inside the home, but it takes some more work when it isn’t. However, you have an advantage when designing a workspace from scratch, as you can build comfort into it. For example, you can install adjustable desks and chairs with an ergonomic approach to the workspace, and design separate spaces for taking a break from your work.
Storage is Absolutely Critical
Do you really feel like going back and forth between your nifty external office and the house for files and folders or equipment you need? This is an obvious misuse of time and can even be dangerous. Additionally, it can also be subject to privacy concerns if you have sensitive data. And if you have employees, it isn’t feasible for them to be going in and out of your home. So, think about the storage needs of your business and how you can best use the vertical space.
Place Some Plants at the External Home Office
Studies in the UK found that 70% of people like having plants at the office for reasons such as stress reduction. An external office might be pretty barebones, and some greenery can add a warm and vibrant touch that the space might be missing, and even help with productivity:
Position desks and workspaces so you can view outdoor plants from inside the office.
Indoor plants are believed to reduce stress and improve the surrounding air quality.
Complement greenery with natural decor that uses wood, stone, and organic fabrics.
Basic Facilities and Accommodations
Even if you work alone, going back and forth between the office and your house becomes an annoyance pretty quickly. For things like using the bathroom and even getting a cup of coffee, it isn’t appropriate to be running in and out all day. This is especially true if you have employees or clients. Something as simple as a half bathroom with a working toilet and sink can make a massive difference, and a break space with facilities like a coffee machine is a must-have.
Summary
The materials you use can impact the Wi-Fi strength when creating the perfect external home office, so cabling is typically recommended instead. An outdoor office will also be much more comfortable with soundproofing, and facilities such as a bathroom will make a big d
