It’s that time of year when your Instagram feed fills up with images of ‘today’s office’ featuring laptops, iPads and notebooks pictured beneath palm trees, by pools and on white sandy beaches. Of course there’s nothing wrong with getting your work done in paradise. However, expensive laptops pictured so close to plunge pools makes us a tad nervous (and we just don’t know how sympathetic travel insurers would be about claims made for phones or laptops drowned while getting the perfect Insta-worthy pic!)

Also, have you noticed that on those rare beautiful sunny days when you find yourself working from home, taking your laptop outside to work in the garden doesn’t actually seem to be all that practical? So His & Hers’ advice is to forget about all those perfectly posed pictures of people working in exotic outdoor locations and focus on what really works – creating a cosy home office where you can get to work on making a few of your dreams a reality.

Given that this feature is being written from a home work station, we’re happy to share what we’ve learned from first-hand experience:

Don’t skimp on desk space. Even though we’ve all been sold the dream of a paperless office, they still don’t exist for most, and if you find that you need to use a printer from time to time, it’s worth investing in a desk that actually has space for one. This White Corner Desk from BiMi comes in a range of different sizes, with or without drawers, and has a lovely simple minimalist finish.

• Don’t forget to go outdoors from time to time. Yes, lots of people dream of working from home, but if you work remotely full-time, you may find yourself missing the occasional chat while making a coffee or eating your lunch. By scheduling face-to-face meetings with clients, sessions at the gym, or coffees with friends, you’ll ensure that you don’t end up getting lonely.

• Spend some time on getting your home office set-up right. Sometimes home offices can be one of the fastest parts of the home to be decorated and furnished, but if you’re going to be spending a lot of time here, it’s worth creating a room that feels comfortable, cosy and well laid-out.

• Choose a quiet part of the house for your home office if possible. If you live with your partner, or have a family, you may face regular interruptions while you work if your office is set up in the main thoroughfare of your home. Aim to give yourself a little quiet and privacy so you can focus when you need to and can power through the task at hand.

• Add a few finishing touches. Framed pictures, scented candles or reminders of a few of your achievements, both personal and professional, could help to lift your mood when you’re dealing with a heavy workload or tight deadlines.

We’re very proud to bring you this feature in association with BiMi. If you’ve created a home office and have any more tips you’d like to share, we’d love to hear from you. Please get in touch via the comments below or our social media channels. For more inspiration for your home, please pay a visit to our interiors page.