Tips for Sharing a Workspace at Home
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While hubby doesn’t work from home daily like I do, he does have a couple days a month – plus some evenings or weekends when he ‘brings work home’ with him – where he needs to use the office, too. I’m sure I’m not the only one who deals with the potential frustrations that come with having a co-office, sharing their work area with their spouse or significant other. Or maybe sharing with a child who homeschools or has more online work! Whatever the reason, it doesn’t have to be a huge headache – here’s some Tips for Sharing a Workspace at Home to help you out!
Tip #1: Have a Reliable & Flexible PC
Even before I became a full-time blogger (so I practically LIVE on my PC some days), I relied heavily on it for photo editing, online shopping, paying the bills, managing our spreadsheets and family calendars, and so much more. Since I can’t do without it for so many things – and often am multi-tasking on there anyway, I can’t handle if it’s slow or unresponsive, and don’t get me started on the frustrated of a PC that freezes on you! When hubby and I learned about the 8th Gen Intel® Core™ processor, we couldn’t wait to get our hands on one because there’s a 40% performance jump between it and the 7th gen, plus 2x better performance compared to a 5-year-old PC. If you’re still dealing with that, it’s time to make the switch like us!
Maybe I’m just impatient for wanting things instantly in this modern life, or just want to utilize my time the best I can since us moms have SO MUCH TO DO, and effort can’t be wasted on old computers. Since Intel’s new 8th Gen Intel® Core™ processor is designed to help you and your computer keep pace in this crazy digital world, it allows you to get things done fast and easy – plus you can shop with built-in security and even immerse yourself in leading-edge entertainment. We can’t ALWAYS be working when on our PCs, right? 😉
Our new ASUS ZenBook Flip UX370 we got from our local Microsoft Store, containing the 8th Gen Intel® Core™ processor, was the perfect purchase for us in our dual-person home workspace because:
- Exceptional performance – unprecedented power and responsiveness, which is crucial in a mom’s (or dad’s) fast-paced digital world
- Editing photos, creating videos, or multi-tasking on all the To-Dos on our list, it makes it faster, easier and more enjoyable to check things off!
- Instant wake experience means no more sitting around waiting for it to start up so you can begin your tasks
- Instantly sync to other devices, which is great for hubby to sinc from home to work!
- Security is made simple – the built-in security adds a layer of protection to make password logins, browsing and online payments safe and simple
- The finger pad makes payments simple and secure
- Don’t gamble on old computers with your data – the built-in password and payment security features of the 8th Generation Intel® Core™ processor make logging-in and online purchases safer and simpler
- Exciting entertainment – we both love the amazing entertainment hub, which can stream 4K UHD vidoes, power virtual reality and allows us to play our favorite games.
- Theater-like entertainment at home or on-the-go (airports will no longer be a bore – yay!) with a thin & light computer with a long batter life
- No more ‘buffering makes me sad’ or aweful lags
- binge watch Netflix or Hulu for up to TEN HOURS without plugging in (yes, go get one NOW and start that new TV show marathon!)
Tip #2: Have Separate File/Storage Areas
I have planners, bills and notebooks with random notes and thoughts galore – while hubby has software books and office letterhead documents. It’s a nightmare trying to find your stuff amidst the jumbled piles, so get some file folders, shelves, racks, paper towers, etc. so you can each have a spot for YOUR stuff. This way you know exactly where the thing you need is, saving you time (and sanity!). This also comes in handy for cords – like my camera cable – or USB drives. Random objects can easily to in ‘yours’ or ‘theirs’ baskets, keeping things separated. Marriage is often about joining, but some things are best kept separate – like your work and office accessories!
Tip #3: Keep it Mobile & Flexible
Remember when desktops were pretty much the norm, and if you weren’t at your desk then too dang bad? Since we use our PC for so many aspects of our work and home life, we rely on 2-in-1s and laptops because they’re so easy to take on-the-go when needed. When sharing a workspace at home, sometimes you just CAN’T make it worth with both of you at the desk at the same time. Or when I wanted to browse online to purchase hubby something for Christmas, I didn’t want him looking over my shoulder at the desk. My new laptop is perfect for just taking on the go – and I’m absolutely LOVING the flip feature, taking it into mobile-mode for some extra ease and fun!
Oh, and the pen/inking allows you to write, draw or erase as naturally as your creativity – maybe the next school science project will be done easily during a break at karate class, or editing family photos for Christmas cards done while waiting at the doctors office! When at home, if you need an extra monitor or larger screen, just get an additional monitor and plug it into your PC – best of all worlds!
Tip #5: Keep it Neutral While Still Adding Personality
Hubby doesn’t care tons for pops of color or decor, while it really helps my mood and productivity to have some attractiveness to my workspace. Try to find a good balance – a little pop of color on the big desk calendar, plus a cute mug for holding the pens, pencils and highlighters was a good compromise when we started sharing a workspace. You could also have different backgrounds on your PC, so depending on who logs in shows a different picture or image – mine’s a bunch of family photos, while he prefers a slideshow of artistic fantasy or sci-fi scenes. That helps keep your space YOURS, while still being just as good for the other person.
Tip #6: Clean Often & Keep it Simple
If I’m not careful, I tend to let papers, notes and printables take over my entire desk space, making it really distracting and difficult to be productive. Just like an old computer clogged with stuff from who-knows-when, a new PC with the 8th Gen Intel® Core™ processor can be simple and clean (making it that much faster and easier to work and find things on your computer!). Be sure to clean off your desk and work area often, and utilize filing systems or scanner – I love scanning things into my computer, then filing them accordingly. It saves so much space! And while you do need all your work accessories (pens, pencils, paper, markers and notes), try not to over-clutter with unnecessary stuff. If you let that happen with ONE person’s desk it’s frustrating – with TWO sharing a workspace, it’s just a total nightmare.
Tip #7: Don’t Be Afraid to Have YOUR Chair
For awhile hubby and I shared the same desk chair – which was an awful idea! He liked it to be free to lean all the way back, so when I got into it I’d about fall over when it startled me leaning back. He finds a different level of cushioning and back support comfortable than I do. It’s crucial that you feel comfortable when sitting at your work area, so don’t hesitate to get two different chairs that you can just switch out for whoever’s going to use the desk next. This could save a lot of arguments – and sore backs!
Having an organized, attractive and USABLE desk area can make a huge difference when you’re sharing a workspace at home – for both you AND your other half. Even though it may be frustrating at times, compromising and communicating well with each other will go a long ways to make it as hassle-free as possible. I love when my hubby gets to work from home, even if it does mean sharing my beautiful office!
What’s YOUR best tip for sharing a workspace at home?
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