How to Work from Home in Your Boston Apartment
Boston’s a beautiful city, but space is also at a premium. If you live in one of the many apartments scattered throughout this historic city, odds are you don’t have tons of room to spread out, do yoga, or set up a home office so you can work remotely.
However, since the onset of the pandemic, many of us are now working remotely full-time or part-time, whether it’s for a company in the Boston, Massachusetts area, a company based elsewhere, or even an organization that’s now fully remote. So, how to do you effectively pursue remote work while living in a Boston apartment?
If you’re looking for a remote job where you can live in Boston, I suggest setting up an Indeed.com job alert.
Let’s explore how to create a home office in a small space with some design ideas.
Choose a Quiet, Controlled Office Space
When starting your work-from-home job, be sure that you pick a quiet space you can control when it comes time to work. You won’t get any work done (because you’ll be distracted) if you try to do work sitting in front of the TV, after all.
Try to choose an office space that:
Has very few electronic distractions, like games, TV shows, and so on
Has plenty of natural light
Doesn’t have things for you to get into, like chores, food, or objects to play/distract yourself with; especially if you’re entry-level and pursuing full-time work for the first time.
Has a door that closes fully, especially if you’re working a job where you’re often on the phone or a video call, like an administrative assistant, customer service representative or project manager
Not sure if there’s a place in your apartment that qualifies for a DIY work area? Here are a couple of ideas:
Your kitchen, if there's floor space
A small desk and office chair by a window, where you may put a floating desk
A corner of your living room or bedroom
Get a Comfy Desk and Chair
Once you’ve identified the perfect space, be sure to set yourself up with a comfortable desk and chair. Why is this important?
You need to be comfortable while you work at home. Otherwise, you’ll constantly be fidgeting and want to get up and do something else. At the very least, invest in some chair cushions so your back will be reasonably supported while you type away on your computer. This is especially true if you work a job where you benefit from being in a state of flow, like a data analyst, data entry or software engineer.
If need be, your desk chair can pull double duty and be your working chair and kitchen chair or something similar. Many Greater Boston apartments are small, and it’s understandable that your spaces may have to pull double-duty. However, making a distinct choice for your desk and chair can contribute to a stronger work-life balance. Just be sure that your office desk is the right size for your home office setup!
Eliminate Distractions
Get rid of any and all distractions that might take you away from your work, including:
TV programs
Computer games
Even Internet access if you are constantly tempted
If you have pets, make sure they are taken care of before you sit down to work. It’s a lot easier to stick with a work routine and get a bunch of things done in a continual grind session than it is to constantly stop and start.
This can be tough for remote workers whose work bleeds into their personal life, like social media managers. Consider removing personal accounts from your work devices, and keeping your work devices put away when it’s not work hours.
If needed, you can set yourself up for success with time management apps. To keep yourself focused, consider using a standing desk or creating a minimalist, vertical space.
Position Yourself Near a Window
Boston is beautiful, but many of its apartments can feel too small or cramped for comfort. To keep your energy levels up and to prevent depression from setting in, try to set up your working space and desk chair near a window. Especially if you previously commuted to or from a nearby city like Waltham, Quincy, or Newton, you may be missing the beautiful view on your daily train commute.
Add a few bookshelves, a desk lamp, and you'll have a cozy office nook that's perfect for a studio apartment or tiny home with barely any square footage.
By doing this, not only will you see part of the beautiful Boston landscape. You’ll also get plenty of natural light so you can work with your circadian rhythm, giving your wellness a little daily boost. . Plus, you can always open a window to get some fresh air (provided it isn’t in the middle of winter!).
Consider Decluttering a Closet
If you’re still having trouble finding the right place to set up shop for your work, think about decluttering one of your closets. Get rid of anything in that closet you don’t use and put it in other closets or elsewhere in your apartment.
Then set up a desk and chair in that closet (with a line of sight to the above-mentioned window, of course) for a functional home office. Depending on how much space you have, you can put file cabinets or other office furniture, plus office supplies there as well. Look at IKEA for some great interior design ideas.
With this setup, you'll have a quiet and contained space in which you can work while maximizing the available room you have in your small Boston apartment. Even folks in very tiny studios can manage to set up a dedicated working place by trying this!
Using the Dining Room Table
Alternatively, you can set up a working space at your dining room table. Clean off any dishes or food that might still remain and wipe everything down. Then position your laptop, papers, and anything else you may need within an arm’s reach.
The kitchen is often a great place to do some work from home because it usually has at least one window. Plus, odds are your kitchen is away from your TV or other entertainment that could distract you from your work.
Never Work in Bed
You should try to avoid working in your bedroom or, even worse, on your bed. Working in bed is a bad idea because:
It trains your brain into thinking of the bed as a working place. This can make it harder for you to fall asleep come nighttime.
It may make you sleepy in the middle of your workday, which is no good - even if you have a flexible schedule.
It appears unprofessional, especially if you work in a field like human resources or in a sensitive industry like healthcare. You’ll want to make sure your remote work-from-home setup is as close to a typical office as possible.
If you absolutely have to work in your bedroom or if you are in a Boston studio, try to work in a corner away from your bed if at all possible. A corner office should still have plenty of desk space, room for things like a chalkboard or whiteboard, and storage solutions.
Summary
As you can see, working comfortably from home is more than doable in your Boston apartment no matter its size. By thinking about your working space carefully, you’ll set yourself up for success and avoid distractions.
You can also contact Cambridge Sage if you’re looking for a Boston apartment in the near future - maybe one with a dedicated home office!
Originally published January 2022; updated June 2022.