Room to work: Makeover your home office to increase productivity

While working from home offers a whole host of benefits in terms of flexibility and work-life balance, many of us can also find it challenging to stay focused and productive when there are so many potential distractions just a room away.

Whether you’re working from home, putting in some extra hours, or your kids are using the office space to complete their homework, the design and overall feel your office can have a significant impact on productivity.

Here are our top tips for creating a productive and efficient home office space.

Home office temperature

Did you know that warmer rooms have been shown to make people more productive? Open the windows or adjust your heating to ensure you’re comfortable and have plenty of blankets and a heater on hand to keep you warm during the colder winter months.

A comfortable desk and chair

It goes without saying that it’s hard to stay focused if you’re continually stretching, moving and adjusting yourself at your desk.

Setting up your chair and desk properly will help ensure you remain comfortable and focused throughout the day, not to mention supporting good posture. So, invest in a decent chair and ensure your desk is at the right height.

When setting up your chair and desk, you should ensure:

• Your eyes are between 60 and 92cm from your screen, with the top of the monitor at or below eye level.
• Both feet are resting on the floor or on a footrest.
• Your chair is slightly reclined to help reduce pressure on your spine and minimise the risk of lower back pain.

Declutter

A cluttered, untidy desk is never going to provide a good working environment. Try to keep your desk organised with minimum distractions. Do you really need all those books, photos and paperwork on your desk? Or could they be stored elsewhere, so they are easy to access when you need them, but not in sight where they can distract you?

Lighting

When you think of factors that have an impact on productivity in your home office, lighting may not be the first thing that springs to mind. But research has shown that lighting can have a significant impact on concentration and productivity, not to mention your mood and overall wellbeing.

Bad lighting can lead to fatigue, eyestrain, headaches and irritability, while good lighting will help you feel awake, inspired and focused.

The first step to ensuring your office lighting is optimised for productivity is to open the windows and doors in your home office to let the natural light in. As well as natural light, there are also plenty of home office lighting ideas that can help.

If the setup of your room allows, put your desk by the window to take advantage of as much natural light as possible.

Office Lighting Ideas

Lamps

A desk lamp will not only make your desk lighter and brighter, but it can also add a stylish touch to your office space. Choose a lamp that will make a real statement and help make your space your own.

Or why not opt for a practical, multi-functional lamp, such as one with an in-built wireless charger? Now widely available, these lamps provide the perfect place to charge your phone while you work, meaning you’ll save time searching for your charging cable!

Wall lights

If you’re short on desk space or you want to keep your working space as minimalist as possible, you can always fix a task light to the wall instead. These can be rotated and tilted on the wall to focus on your working area. This will free up desk space while still creating plenty of focused light.

Ambient lighting

Overhead ambient lighting should be bright enough that you can see what you’re working on but correctly angled to prevent glare on the screen.

Plan your lighting so that the light is diffused rather than direct, as this will illuminate the entire space, minimising glare and shadows. This can be achieved with the use of lampshades and upward shining lights.