Work from home has become more and more prevalent over time. While working from home has its own set of benefits, it also poses some unique challenges.
Science-backed practices exist that can help increase productivity when working from home. Here are a few.
Lighting
Home offices can be just as productive as any other businesses – the lighting can have a dramatic effect on how we feel and how much work gets accomplished. Poorly lit offices may impede concentration, tire out your eyes or cause unpleasant glares – all factors to be considered when creating an efficient work space at home.
Step one in creating an effective and appealing home office lighting design is using natural light as much as possible, not least because natural lighting produces warm illumination known to boost mood and productivity.
Alongside ambient lighting, task lighting should also be applied specifically to specific areas of your workspace. Desk lamps with swivel-head models are great at producing precisely the amount of illumination that’s needed; creative accent lighting can further elevate the aesthetics of the room and draw the eye towards art or objects within it that add character and enhance mood.
Temperature
To make the most of your home office, you need to ensure it has the appropriate temperature for productivity. Studies show that workplaces that are too cold or hot can hinder productivity.
While your ideal room temperature will depend on personal preference, most find a temperature between 72-76 degrees Fahrenheit is best for maintaining productivity in their office environment. Of course, other factors also contribute to helping keep people focused.
Additionally to temperature, decor should also be an important aspect of an office environment. Studies show that offices with plants tend to be more productive.
Air Quality
Home offices require many components for success; one element that often goes overlooked is air quality in the office space.
Air quality is an essential factor of health and well-being, impacting everything from concentration to fatigue to headaches.
Pollutants that contribute to poor IAQ include both biological and chemical contaminants, including allergens, irritants, dust mites, mold spores, smoke from cigarettes or wood fires, pet dander, carbon monoxide or sulfur dioxide emissions and more.
However, there are things you can do to improve the air quality in your office and boost worker productivity. A 2015 collaborative study concluded that workers in offices with adequate ventilation have significantly higher cognitive function scores when responding to a crisis or devising strategies.
Decor
Your home office decor has a direct impact on productivity. A bright color can boost creativity while neutrals make for a less hectic and stimulating work space.
Your space should remain clear and uncluttered, which makes concentrating easier. Avoid seeing stacks of papers everywhere that make focusing difficult.
Establishing a space specifically dedicated to documents within your home office design can be an excellent way to tackle this issue. A dedicated document space provides essential organization for essentials like documents that should be easily accessible without becoming overly messy.
Establish a routine at home so you can get ahead with your workday without wasting hours each morning on planning. A simple to-do list or weekly schedule will keep you organized and productive at home.
