Optimising Your Home Office Space
Although the number of office workers commuting into Central London has dramatically increased since 2022, there are still more of us working from home than ever before. The remote and hybrid working models have become increasingly popular since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, with approximately 1 in 5 Brits now preferring to work remotely. If you do work from home, it’s important that you create a good working environment to avoid stress, distraction, overworking and burnout – but how can you best optimise your home office for added comfort, productivity and peace of mind?
Have a dedicated space
While many remote workers may find themselves ‘setting up shop’ in communal areas of the home like the kitchen or living room, this can be counterproductive. Try to allocate a dedicated space in the home for a fitted home office, which should be isolated and placed well away from everyday distractions. Separating your office from the rest of the home will help you to focus on your work and strike a better work-life balance.
Ergonomics
While your standard home furniture may seem like it does the job well enough, selecting chairs, tables and office equipment that’s designed ergonomically can go a long way in improving comfort levels. Ergonomic seating can help you to avoid tension in the shoulders and neck whilst reducing muscular pressure, eye strain and the risk of repetitive strain or carpal tunnel syndrome. This is especially true if you spend long stints typing at a computer screen as part of your job.
Lighting
In the same way that the positioning and distance between your eyes and the computer screen can significantly affect your comfort levels when working, your choice of lighting can also make or break your home office experience. Avoid bright, garish overhead lights and try to go with cool, calming, low-key lighting that’s less likely to lead to optical strain and headaches after hours of screentime.
Personalisation
Consider jazzing up your workspace with decorations that embody your personality and interests. Whether you choose to decorate with plants, artwork, pictures of your family or posters of your favourite movies, it’s easy to inject some life into your drab home office – this could help to boost your mood, provide inspiration and increase productivity levels.
Organisation
The key to any productive working space is organisation. Try to stay organised with daily lists, schedules and calendars – try to establish a daily routine and stick to it! If you’re looking to spruce up your home office, start by going through your desk and disposing of any clutter or unnecessary items. Group items and equipment by category and assign a storage place for each. Once you’ve organised your office accordingly, ensure that you tidy up regularly and stick to the system.
While long stints in the home office can be uncomfortable and isolating for some, it’s easy to improve your experience and optimise your environment as necessary. However, you choose to spruce up your office, just ensure that you take plenty of breaks and remember to maintain a healthy work-life balance when working from home!
