Creating the perfect background is essential for a productive work environment if you work from home or are hoping to start working from home. Especially if you need to join a lot of online meetings. You can create a space that promotes concentration and helps you get the most out of your workday by taking a few simple steps toward making a good background.
Whether you’re running a business from home or need a space to get some work done, having a functional and inspiring home office is key. It can greatly influence the way you focus and concentrate in your office space.
Follow these tips to make your home office background work for you.
When it comes to working from home, having a great background is key. But why is that? It is probably not the first thing you consider when thinking of when setting up your home office. But it is important as it can bring along a lot of benefits having the right background in your office at home.
Now, here is why the background matters:
First impressions matter. When you’re on video calls with clients or colleagues, they’re going to see your background. If it’s cluttered or unprofessional, it can give off the wrong impression. The same goes for having clients visiting your home office. If your background is out of touch it can give the wrong impression.
A great background gives away a lot of signals to clients, actually. First, it gives the client confidence that you are professional and take your work seriously. Secondly, it shows that you are organized and have your act together. Finally, it helps create rapport and trust between you and the client. All of these factors ultimately lead to more business and success for you.
The perfect background for your home office can help you focus. A messy or distracting background can make it harder to focus on your work. Having a clean and organized space can help you stay focused and be more productive. Imagine starting the day in your home office and you walk into a space filled with mess and clutter. The background wall should be tidy and nice to look at.
It makes you look more professional. If you’re regularly sharing photos or videos of your work area with clients or colleagues, a well-designed and tidy background conveys that you’re professional and take your work seriously. But also yourself. It can give you a sense of motivation and make you ready for work by having a professional setup at home.
What to avoid: common mistakes people make
When it comes to setting up a home office, there are a few common mistakes that people make when it comes to the background. Distractions, clutter, and stuff not in the right place. There are plenty of pitfalls to fall into when setting up your home office background. Here are a few things to avoid if you want to create the perfect background for your home office space:
- Avoid using busy patterns or bright colors. These can be distracting and make it difficult to focus on work. Or focus on you if you are making an important presentation online. Stick to neutrals or simple patterns that won’t be too overwhelming or distracting.
- Make sure the background is well-lit in a welcoming way. Not that you need a spotlight on your back wall. But you need some good lighting in your home office to make it not seem like you work from a dungeon.
- Avoid distractions. If possible, choose a spot in your home that doesn’t have a lot of distractions in the background. If your home office is in the living room or in the garage etc., make sure there are no odd or special items in the background.
- Avoid a lot of traffic in the background of your home office. You want to be able to concentrate when you’re working, and it’ll be hard to do that if there are people constantly walking by or making noise. If you have your own dedicated home office, this should not be much of an issue. But with offices in alternative locations, you can find a lot of distractions in the background.
- Another common mistake is not making use of storage space. Or choosing the wrong storage. If you have a cluttered background with items all over the place it will not help your contact or client focus. Make sure you store your stuff well and cabinets are excellent choices for backgrounds.
How to set up your space: what makes a good home office background
When you work from home, it’s important to have a space that is both comfortable and conducive to productivity. The background of your home office can play a big role in how well you’re able to focus and get things done. Here are a few things to consider when choosing the right background for your home office space:
Natural light is always best. If you can, set up your desk near a window so you can benefit from some natural light during the day. This will help you stay alert and focused while you work.
You can also add some greenery in the shape of plants to your background. Not too many plants, but just a few to add some life. Plants are very beneficial to bring into your home office. If you have little light in your home office, fake plants can work just as well.
Avoid distractions. Now, I’ve stated this multiple times. But do not clutter your background with distractions. There is a difference between details and items in the background and distractions. A busy or cluttered background can be very distracting when you’re trying to work. Make sure that the stuff in the background makes the background seem more professional and clean.
Consider the acoustics. If you’re going to be recording any audio for your business or have a lot of online meetings, you’ll need to pay extra attention to the acoustics in your office. By choosing soft materials for your home office background you can improve the acoustics of the room.
Camera angles and lighting: Add even more to your background during online meetings
When it comes to setting up the background for your home office, the camera angles and lighting can be just as important as the physical background. By adding the right camera angles, light, and more to the mix you will give off an even better impression when having online meetings from your home office.
When setting up your webcam, make sure the camera is at eye level. This will give the illusion that you are looking directly at the person you’re talking to, making the conversation feel more personal. This can actually help you build trust with clients which in turn can help you become more convincing and more successful with sales.
Use natural light whenever possible. Not only will this help you save on energy costs, but it will also create a more flattering environment for both you and your video call participants. Natural light just has a very unique and special look to it. So, try and utilize this as much as possible.
Avoid backlighting. This is when the light is behind you, making it hard for people on the other end of the call to see your face clearly. If you have to use artificial light, try to set up your desk near a window so that the light will be coming from behind the camera. This will help avoid any harsh shadows on your face.
Conclusion: Bringing it all together
In conclusion, the perfect background for a home office should be calming, organized, and inspiring. It should help you sustain a professional image and impress co-workers and clients. And the background of your home office should, too, help you stay motivated and productive.
By following the advice in the article you can create the perfect background for your home office and get the best out of the many benefits of working from home and hybrid work.
My name is Frederik
I am a passionate marketeer who loves the freedom that comes with working from home whenever I choose to do so.
I love getting nerdy with every single detail about making everything related to my home just a tiny bit better.
That is what motivates me to write about home stuff on this blog.