More than half of workers have become more environmentally friendly when working from home. Find out how you can, too. Now that it’s no longer our employers switching off the lights or turning down the heating, homeworkers have been making their own, more sustainable choices. As a business owner, you can run an eco-friendly startup from the comfort of your home. Here are a few ways to help.
Eco-Friendly Startup Tech
According to a survey conducted by Which? ‘UK internet use doubled in 2020, and our survey found that 39% of us were using electronic devices such as TVs, game consoles and laptops more often now than in pre-pandemic life.’ So adopting more eco-friendly business practices is key.
If you are working with a team, communication is paramount. You need an active website, mailing services for materials and product transportation, packaging, and storage. A cloud-based application is vital for sharing documents. You need a communication network so having functional business telephone systems is advantageous. Try signing up to ecotalk or another eco-friendly service.
Simple habit like always turning devices off at the wall when not in use are easy ways to reduce your energy consumption. If sockets are hard to reach or you’re likely to forget, use timer switches or plug-in remote-controlled sockets to turn off laptops and printers, TVs, and game consoles overnight.
Recycle or Donate Waste
If your business produces byproducts, consider linking with a recycling company rather than throwing them as waste. Join local community groups to share, swap or donate just about anything from books to laptops and phones, and from food to furniture and tools. Reusing, repurposing and upcycling saves valuable resources from going to waste, and it’s easier to connect with neighbours when you’re working from home. You could partner with an eco-friendly waste removal provider like anyjunk, who strive to be as sustainable as possible.
Choose an Eco-Friendly Office Chair
If you plan to work from home full time, your priority is creating a comfortable workstation that enables you to focus on the work. It would be best to have a comfy chair and desk high enough for you. For four decades Italian furniture brand, Knoll has been a leader in sustainable design for work and play. In addition to ethically made desks, tables, and stools, the brand offers ergonomic office chairs. Knoll believes strongly in third-party certifications for sustainability and most of their office chairs are both Clean Air GOLD and BIFMA Level 3 certified.
Maintain a Healthy Work-Life Balance
The temptation to work extra hours is high when working from the house. Ensure that you start work at the set time and close at the right time. To maintain an excellent work-life balance, focus on your strengths, outsource others, prioritise your time and tasks for the day, and set and stick to working hours.Removing distractions from your working area will help you concentrate on the work. Avoid being distracted by the TV or anything else around the home as it slows down your work pace.
You might find that investing in an eco-friendly clock helps you to structure your time. Setting an alarm clock to go off when you start and end your working day is a useful habit to make sure that you stop working and go and take some exercise or relax with your family.
Making an eco-friendly startup thrive working from home is a challenging but it is doable. Focus on your goal. Try adopting a few simple habits and make sure you keep a work-healthy balance.
