Creating a Comfortable and Productive Home Working Environment
Over the course of the past couple of years, a huge number of us have seen a massive shift in the way that we work, moving from office work to remote work. The coronavirus and Covid-19 pandemic meant that many businesses were unable to operate safely on a face-to-face basis and governments around the world encouraged people to stay home as much as they could. Since then, many employers and employees have found that this working arrangement suits them much better. From the employers’ perspective, having a remote based team means not having to pay commercial premises costs and overheads, saving a huge amount of money for their business. From the employees’ perspective, working from home is more comfortable, cuts out commuting time, cuts out commuting costs and parking costs and is generally preferable. Of course, if you’ve found that you’re now permanently working from home or have a hybrid working contract, you’re going to need to make sure that you create an appropriate space to work from. Here are some suggestions that can help you to achieve this.
A Designated Workspace
First and foremost, you need to create a designated workspace for yourself. Sure, working from the sofa or bed can seem appealing, but it won’t be good for your body or your productivity levels. Instead, create a space that your body will associate with work, not rest. If you have a spare room, this could be changed into an office. If not, most people find that sitting at the dining table or a desk in another living space is best.
Furniture
You should have appropriate furniture for your office. Office Furniture is specially designed to support your body as you sit in the same place for hours on end. Ergonomic furniture, in particular, will really help to support you and keep you comfortable, while preventing chronic workplace issues such as repetitive strain injury. Make sure to have a comfortable desk, chair and any supports you may need, such as a back support, foot rest and more.
Natural Light
If possible, make sure that you’re working somewhere with plenty of natural light. Our body clocks run off circadian rhythms, which regulate when we should be awake and when we should be asleep. Naturally, our bodies tend to perk up when we’re exposed to natural light and wind down when natural light is removed. By working in a space that is flooded with natural light, you can maximise your energy and productivity.
Peace and Quiet
Most of us work better in quiet environments, which can be hard to achieve if you work in a home where other people are present. Make sure to establish boundaries with your family while working. Ask that people aren’t excessively loud while you’re trying to concentrate. If you live near road noise, airport noise, train noise or other forms of noise, you may also want to look into investing in noise cancelling headphones.
Hopefully, some of the suggestions above will help to guide you on the way to achieving a productive and comfortable work environment that you’ll enjoy working in!
