Photo Credit: Ken Tomita via www.pexels.com
With Covid-19 forcing employees to work from home, there’s never been a more appropriate time to organise and design your home office. This is a prime opportunity to kit out your spare room with new furniture and all those little knick-knacks you love.
Personalise Your Space
There’s no telling how long you will be working from home and the coronavirus outbreak may even spur more companies on to introduce remote working policies.
You could be spending a lot of time in your home office so personalise the space so that you stay engaged, productive and in a positive mood. Self-isolation could soon take its toll on your mental health if you don’t.
Invest in ergonomic furniture that protects your skeletal structure. Sitting in chairs that do not support your back can provoke posture-related injuries that cause discomfort and could have severe consequences later in life.
Go Potty With Plants In recent years, numerous scientific studies have underlined the health benefits of installing potted plants around the home. NASA has produced a list of plants that clean the air and researchers at Harvard School of Public Health showed how being close to nature reduces stress and better air quality improves cognitive performance.
Healthy Lighting
Wherever possible, position your seating where you can receive natural light. It is well-known that sunlight has a positive impact on your general mood and wellbeing. Sunlight also contains vital energy that nourishes the body with vitamins.
In the absence of natural sunlight, you might want to consider LED lighting that mimics daylight. Clever manufacturers have developed candescent lighting systems that contain a thin coating of nanoparticles that simulate the properties of natural light.
Lighting is also available in a choice of colours and light settings including Mediterranean, Tropical and Nordic, and can be adapted to mimic how light changes between sunrise and sunset.
Hang Inspirational Art
It’s well-known that engaging in art and other creative crafts stimulate the brain and enhance the cognitive system. But even looking at art can trigger neural pathways that provoke inspiration and attention.
Scientific research has found that artwork makes people feel happier, creative and more peaceful. Thought-provoking images can also conjure moments of inspiration and give your brain a moment’s respite to reinvigorate your day.
Smart Storage Strategies
A lack of space is arguably one of the biggest problems people have when working from home. Cluttered rooms also clutter the mind. In small home offices, the debris of files, pads, pieces of paper, books and boxes is even more amplified.
Disorderly rooms can easily be avoided with a smart storage strategy. Make sure everything has a place. Corner storage units and desks with draws provide plenty of room whilst tall bookcases and shelves take advantage overhead space that otherwise goes unutilised.
Designing a home office is more difficult than you might expect so it might be worth getting in touch with workplace consultants like Office Principles. Their professional interior designers will be able to create a home office that boosts your productivity and caters for your mental health needs.