Setting Up A Home Office - OAL Travel Network

One of the biggest benefits to being an independent travel agent with Travel Leaders is the ability for you to work from home. Working from home can be a convenient and cost-efficient way to run your travel business. If you’ve never worked from home before, the first step is setting up a home office that will allow you to be focused and efficient and reduce distractions. Here are 4 tips for setting up a home office:

Make it Your Happy Place

You should be excited to start working every day, and your space should reflect that. Choose a space that has a lot of natural light, is relatively free of distractions, and is separate (if possible) from the rest of your living space. Pick colors and artwork that reflect you and the personality of your brand. Consider adding the following elements to your work space:

Welcoming scents
Bright, fresh colors
Photos and artwork from around the world
Plants and greenery

Furniture = Fun + Function

Many people make the mistake of choosing furniture items that are either solely for function or looks. It’s important that you choose pieces that are a happy medium. Choose ergonomic office chair so that you don’t develop bad posture. Find a desk that suits your needs, whether that be lots of storage space, or enough real estate to fit all of your technology.

Think Ergonomically

As we said earlier, choose a chair that you will be comfortable sitting in for hours at a time. Ensure that your computer is placed so that the top of the screen is at eye level, which will help you avoid eye and neck strain. Your keyboard should be placed so that your arms are parallel to the floor while you’re typing.

Think of Your Clients

Much of your work is likely going to be conducted over the phone or online, but on the off chance you want to have clients come see you, be sure to think about where they will be sitting when they come into your office.

Stock Up

Keep everything you’re going to need on a daily basis in your office. You don’t want to have to get up and run to another room every half an hour to find supplies. You’ll be more efficient if your most commonly-used items were within close reach. Consider adding lots of storage space so that you can keep everything you need handy.