Virtual Office Australia

Build the perfect virtual office environment


There’s no shame in admitting it! At some point another, we’ve all sat seething in an overcrowded train wishing we were somewhere, anywhere else. Or pounded the steering wheel as we sat immobile in nose-to-tail traffic wishing that the internal combustion engine had never been invented. You may yearn for the life of a freelancer and the freedom to make money from the comfort of your own home. Yet, while this is certainly a great way to make a living and make the transition to entrepreneurship without costly overheads, it’s not the cakewalk that many assume it to be.

When you work from home, you’re 100% responsible for your own productivity. And you may be surprised how distracting the home environment can be. After a while, you may actually start to miss your boss at your shoulder keeping you on-task. The key to productivity is having your very own dedicated office space that’s for work and absolutely nothing else. This will help you stay productive and better compartmentalise your home and working lives.

With these 10 ideas you’ll have everything you need for the perfect home office.

Use a virtual address

If you’re just starting out as a freelancer or the owner of a small business, you need to make a big impression on the right people. And that’s not always easy when your business has a residential address. In fact, it can scream “amateur” and may be a red flag to some potentially lucrative clients. A virtual address, on the other hand, is a postal forwarding service that gives you the appearance of a prestigious city centre office space without the horrendous overheads. It’s a cost-effective way to build your brand’s prestige.

Upgrade your internet and phone tariff

Before you start looking at paint samples and office chair fabric swatches, you’ll want to invest in your office infrastructure. The chances are you’ll be leaning much more heavily on your internet connection and making a lot more outgoing calls in your new life working from home. Make sure you have a broadband plan that’s up to the challenges of regular daily use and won’t be stymied if your kids want to play Fortnite online while you’re working.

Fortnite’s still a thing that kids like, right?

Block out all distractions

From the apps on your phone to the laundry in the dryer, you’ll soon realise that the home is rife with distractions. Make sure you keep your mobile phone in a drawer, shut the door on the quotidian distractions of housework (it’s nothing that can’t wait) and install some software on your laptop which will block social media, gaming and other distracting sites.

Nobody likes the idea of imposing sanctions upon themselves, but when you start harnessing the power of productivity from day one, you can get yourself and your business off to the best start.

Keep it minimal, but give it personality

It’s easy to underestimate just how distracting clutter can be. When your surroundings are visually “busy” it can impair concentration, prevent you from feeling relaxed while you’re working and even compromise your mental health.

For all these reasons, we recommend a minimalist design aesthetic in your home office. Keep the walls sparsely adorned and decorate them in neutral colours. Make sure that you’re desk has plenty of usable surface space and isn’t cluttered with too many ornaments.

That said, don’t feel that your office should be devoid of any personality. Make sure that you have access to pictures or objects in your working space that help to reinforce your sense of who you are and why you do what you do.

Because, you know, you’re awesome!

Keep your desk tidy

Speaking of minimalism, an unkempt desk is the enemy of productivity. It can make it harder to find important documents, stationery or gadgets you need when you need them, resulting in lost time spent looking for them. This implies not only to the surface of our desk but those compartmentalised rectangles of chaos known as your desk drawers!

Studies show that on average, deskbound workers spend a whole week searching for items that have gone walkabout in or on their desk. Don’t let yourself become just another statistic!

Now, if only there were some kind of affordable thing you could buy to keep your desk tidy. Hmmm…

Let there be (natural) light

They (and by “they” we mean the Harvard business review) say that natural light is the ultimate office perk. So, if possible, your office should have access to a window. Ideally, you’ll be able to see out of this window from your desk. Being able to look at the sky, trees, plants and other people can do wonders for your mental health and prevent you from feeling alone.

Remember, colours matter

The relationship between colours and psychology is fascinating, and one that can directly affect your productivity, especially when things get stressful. Cool green and blue tones, for example, are known to help us feel calm and relaxed (perfect for when deadlines loom large over you). Of course, if you don’t really feel like painting your walls green, plants and flowers can lend your space a splash of colour while oxygenating the space and helping you feel calmer.

Smells like productivity!

We humans are very visual creatures, but by no means is sight the only stimulus that will help you to feel calm and happy while you work. Your sense of smell can also affect your mood and productivity. Try placing an essential oil diffuser on your desk and fill it with peppermint or citrus essential oils to wake up your mind.

Standing room only

Too much sitting (at home and at work) can be ruinous to our health. It puts a lot of pressure on internal organs and can increase our risk of everything from backache and mobility trouble to heart disease and diabetes. So, make sure you have somewhere you can work while standing for a few minutes every hour.

Invest in a virtual receptionist

As your business grows more successful and your workload increases, you may find that your productivity is hampered when you keep needing to field calls and emails. Keep yourself on-task with a virtual receptionist and / or assistant.

Not only can they give your business more of the prestige factor, they can help you better manage your schedule and prevent productivity-sapping distractions.

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