A good home office is one in which nothing distracts you from your work. Therefore, if you have small children or communicative relatives, a spacious room with good lighting can loose to the cramped closet.
You can equip yourself a work corner almost anywhere – in the bedroom, in the dressing room, under the stairs, on the loggia. The main thing is to choose a room with the lowest noise level. Believe me, silence is much more important than a beautiful appearance.
If you don’t have a free and quiet room, try adding white noise. An extractor hood in the kitchen, an air purifier, a fan, even just an open window with street noises – the monotonous hum is much less distracting than conversations or the sound turned on the TV.
Separate Your Work Area From Other Space
The main problem for those who are not used to working from home is the inability to concentrate due to the relaxed atmosphere. To get rid of all temptations and feel like at work, separate the space from the rest of the apartment.
You can do this with a little rearrangement. For example, move the closet or shelves with books to visually separate your work area from the main room.
Another option is a temporary workspace. For example, a folding table that will unfold when you start job tasks and put away back as unnecessary. Such a solution will help to clearly separate working hours from rest hours.
It is important to remove from the focal zone everything that you associate with rest: a game console, musical instruments, and any other things that you grab onto as soon as you get tired or bored.
Take Care of the Ergonomics of the Workplace
At first, you may be comfortable sitting in an easy chair or couch, but only until you get shot in the back when you will try to get up. Therefore, take care of the ergonomics of the workspace in advance. Your health depends on it.
Think about the furniture you might need, maybe there are some specific things that are required for your higher productivity or comfort. Make a plan and pay your attention to the online sites that can provide a wider choice of furniture types and designs.
Choose the Right Chair and Adjust It
If you have the opportunity to buy a new chair, choose a model with variable heights and good lumbar support. When you sit on it, the lower back should fit snugly against the back.
At the same time, there should be free space between the edge of the chair and the knees, otherwise, pressure on the legs and pinched blood flow cannot be avoided. If the backrest is tilted too far and there is no way to lift it, consider an orthopedic pad.
When the chair is found, you need to correctly adjust its height. When you are seating at the table, your hands should be about the same level as your elbows or slightly below. The wrists should be straight without kinking. Adjust the height of the chair to the correct position.
Then check if your feet are on the floor. If the heels come off, make a footrest. For example, from a ream of paper or several books.
You can also purchase an adjustable, movable footrest with a variable angle.
Adjust the Position of the Monitor
The monitor should be at eye level at arm’s length. If you have it lower, make a stable pedestal out of handy items.
If you are using a laptop, try dedicated stands and a portable keyboard.
Choose accessories that can be adjusted so that you can change the height depending on the workplace and even complete tasks while standing.
Those who communicate a lot on the phone may need a headset. Talking in this way will be much safer for the neck and more comfortable than pressing the smartphone with your shoulder to your ear or keeping your hand suspended.
Adjust Lighting
Lighting plays a huge role in our productivity. Lack of light relaxes, deprives you of energy, and induces sleep. The best option is plenty of daylight. If possible, arrange a workplace next to a window. Place the table so that the sun’s light comes from the side and does not fall on the monitor, otherwise, glares will be a problem for you.
If your window is facing the sunny side, it can be uncomfortable at lunchtime because of too much light. This is especially true for the office on the balcony – during the day it will probably also be very hot there. The solution may be to install blinds or use curtains.
If you are working in an area without a window, provide a good light source. In addition to the overhead light, buy a table lamp. Adjustable clamp fixtures work well. They do not take up space on the table as they attach to its edge or to the wall.
As for the color temperature, it is better not to install fluorescent lamps with cold white light – long-term operation with it increases the risk of problems with the vision. Choose options with a parameter from 2,500 to 3,500 kelvin. It is a warm yellowish light that is comfortable and does not harm your eyes.
The modern interior of home office -DepositPhotos
