4 Holiday Gifts for the Home Based Worker

The home based worker needs similar things to those who work in a traditional office, but they have to purchase the items themselves! Setting up a home office can be an expensive task, especially if you choose to adhere to ergonomically-correct furniture and quality supplies.

Read along this holiday gift guide for your favorite home based worker. They’ll appreciate your thoughtfulness, and you can give the gift of an efficient, comfortable home office.

Good desk and chair

First on the list is a good desk and chair for their office.  Quality office furniture is not always low cost, but it’s worth it for the time that will be spent using it, as well as the wear it can take on the body.

There are numerous options out there, but start by searching for “ergonomic desk” and “ergonomic chair” as starting points.  From there, user reviews and specifications can help you make a decision.

Here are some tips for ergonomically synchronizing your workspace and optimizing your workspace.

Quality lighting

Lighting is important in an office, and most homes aren’t equipped with office-quality lighting. Give the gift of rested eyes and focus with some quality lighting ideas. This doesn’t need to be an expensive purchase, but care must be given to quality and specifications.

Here are some general tips for good lighting:

  • Use task lighting: Task lighting is important in adding contrast levels to aide in reading.  This might look like a small desk lamp or larger reading lamp to focus on smaller tasks.

  • Remove overhead lighting: It is distracting and can cause headaches, and you’re better off using a lamp or lamps with shading to eliminate glare.

  • Use the right shades: The right lamp shade makes a big difference in making the room too light, too dark, casting shadows, and so on. Make sure you choose one that not only fits the lamp, but fits the need for a relaxed office environment.

Here are some additional tips in choosing the right office lighting.

Stationery

Stationery is one of those things that you may not use everyday, but it truly adds something to the sender and the recipient.  Quality stationery makes an impression, and it’s a fun way to involve personal branding in your home based job.  Even if your gift receiver doesn’t have their own business, you can go the personal route and just simply use their name and address.

Be sure to avoid using abbreviations, formally write out the address, and choose a font, style, and border (if applicable) that would really speak to them.  It’s also nice to include some different options, such as letters, envelopes, notepads, etc.

Here are some additional tips to order the correct stationery.

Fun office supplies

Fun office supplies will vary from person to person, but everyone likes to have some unique, thoughtful items at their desk.

A nice, high quality planner is one item that can be gifted across the board. Whether they are male or female, organized or disorganized, almost everyone can use a planner.

As far as truly stunning planner options, the Create 365 is a good one, as are the Erin Condren planners.  They both offer a higher quality, offer customizable options, and also have fun items added, such as stickers.

The home based worker on your list will appreciate these thoughtful, practical gifts for their home office.  Do your best to choose items that they wouldn’t necessarily choose for themselves – higher quality, effective items are always appreciated this time of year! 

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5 Tips for Home Based Work During the Holiday Season

It can be a challenge to juggle working from home during the holiday season. You’re doing your best to complete your tasks, but since your workspace is your home environment, this can get tricky this time of year. However, working from home has its flexibility perks, and you’ll be able to attend those Christmas concerts and holiday events with just a few tweaks of your schedule.

The holidays are a special time of year, so it’s important to recognize that and participate fully. On the other hand, work can pick up before the end of the year, so read along for some tips to manage both effectively.

Keep a normal daily schedule

As much as possible, plan ahead and keep a normal daily schedule. The more you can do this in the days surrounding the actual holidays, the more relaxed you can be on your days off.  Create a schedule now and do your best to prioritize as the holiday season moves along.

Hire some help

If your workload is too demanding right now or you want more time for friends and family during the holidays, consider hiring some help. You can find a great virtual assistant right here at HireMyMom.com. Need help with kids? Look for college students home for the holidays. They can also help with wrapping gifts, organizing your home / office and even help with some home office tasks that you’ve gotten behind on. 

Make time for what’s important

Work will always be there – but the holidays won’t be. Make time for what’s important, especially this time of year. If you have to work a weekend afternoon to be able to attend a holiday event, it’s worth the extra effort. Cherish the memories that the holidays help create. You’ll look back someday and be glad you did!

Schedule something special

Since your home is your workspace, it can feel like the day goes from work to celebration central in a matter of ours! Schedule some special outings, occasions, shows, and so on for this time of year. It feels good to get out of the house, and you can still use your home for those cozy nights over hot chocolate, good movies, and gift wrapping.

Don’t stress out

Overall, don’t stress out too much! It can seem like the work is piling up this time of year and that it will never stop.  2016 will be here before we know it, and all we can do is our best to complete the rest of 2015.

Create your schedules, make time for what’s important, and minimize stress for a fun and efficient holiday season!

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