Learn how to create a comfortable and inspiring workspace at home with these valuable tips. Improve your productivity and well-being today!
Working from home isn’t always easy. You miss communicating with your colleagues, your back gets tired from sitting on an uncomfortable chair, and in the evenings it’s hard to switch off and have a good rest. Let’s figure out how to organize your home workspace so that you can work effectively and with pleasure.
1. Choose the right table and chair
To sit comfortably at the computer, you need to choose the height of the table and chair so that your feet are completely on the floor, and your knees are at the level of your hips. There should be enough space under the table for your feet. Your arms should be relaxed while working, and your wrists should be at the same level or slightly below your elbows. The distance to the monitor is approximately equal to an outstretched arm.
You can calculate the exact height of the table, chair and armrests depending on your height using a special calculator . There is an easier way – focus on the bend angle of your knees and elbows. In the correct position, it is 90 degrees.
If the height of the table is not adjustable, you can adjust it a little yourself. For example, put stable wooden blocks under the legs. To make sure your feet reach the floor, put a small stool, yoga cube, or stack of books under them.
2. Listen to your body and work in different positions
Sometimes it is impossible to organize a separate work place at home with perfectly selected furniture. Then use your imagination and try working in different positions. Listen to your body until you find a comfortable position.
In a TED talk, designer and author of the blog “ The Aesthetics of Joy ” Ingrid Fetell Lee says that she tried working on the couch, sitting comfortably in a chair, standing at the kitchen counter, and even sitting on a yoga block on the floor with her laptop on the coffee table. She gradually discovered that the most comfortable option for her is the kitchen table and a backless bench. In this position, she can sit at the computer for a long time without feeling discomfort in her back.
3. Place your workspace near the window
A 2016 American review of scientific research found that sunlight not only affects circadian rhythms, but also relieves eye strain, improves mood, makes people more attentive and focused, increases productivity, and reduces the risk of depression. Unfortunately, artificial lighting, regardless of brightness and temperature, does not produce such results.
Therefore, it is better to use natural light as much as possible. Place your workstation near a window and open the curtains so that light can enter the room without obstruction. It is especially important to work in natural light in the morning. This will help you wake up and focus on your work.
4. Tidy up your desktop
To get organized, you need to take two steps: get rid of the excess and organize the storage of what’s left. Throw away the trash – old, written-on diaries, unnecessary printouts and pens with out of ink. Perhaps you can convert some things into electronic form so as not to clutter the space. For example, instead of a paper diary, use an application on your phone .
Place the necessary things around the work area depending on the frequency of use. For example, place a pen, note paper, headphones, phone and charger so that you can take them without getting up from your chair. This will relieve unnecessary stress. By the end of the day, you will be less tired. It is better to put the rest of the things in a closet or desk drawer. For convenience, arrange them in boxes , folders for papers and organizers for small items. Choose transparent containers or label them. This will help maintain order and quickly find what you need.
After a workday, throw away any accumulated trash and put things back in their places. If you don’t have a separate work area at home, designer Ingrid Fetell Lee recommends getting a special box or basket and putting all your work supplies in it in the evenings. This will help you switch off and get ready for rest.
5. Create a pleasant space around you
Ingrid Fetell Lee says that a workspace doesn’t have to be ascetic. Not only a comfortable temperature and silence are important for effective work, but also pleasant sensory sensations. A beautiful picture in front of your eyes, soft upholstery on a chair, an invigorating smell. If you design your workspace to your taste, your productivity will increase by a third.
The designer recommends eliminating unpleasant factors first. For example, buy earplugs or noise-canceling headphones if extraneous sounds distract you. Then arrange the space around you the way you like. Put a flower on the table. Pour aromatic coffee into a bright mug. Cover your knees with a fluffy blanket. Turn on the sounds of nature. When we sit at the computer, our senses are practically not stimulated. An enriched sensory environment will correct this, increase your productivity and make work more enjoyable.
6. Organize a place for sports
Working from home is convenient, if only because you don’t have to waste time on the way to the office. Unfortunately, this often leads to a decrease in overall physical activity. During the day, we slowly move from the desk to the sofa and take no more than 1,000 steps per day.
To fix this, set up a small fitness corner at home. A mat is enough – your hands and feet won’t slip on it. Take a break and stretch periodically. For example, do a small set of exercises for your back . It won’t take more than 15 minutes.