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The UK has adopted a working from home culture quicker than many EU nations and the USA. Indeed, commuter numbers are still more than 20 per cent below pre-pandemic levels. If you’re one of the many people who now enjoy hybrid working, it’s important that you have a comfortable, ergonomic home office to match. Below, we explore how you can refresh your home office this summer.
Desk and chair
Working from home can boost productivity and improve your work/life balance. But one of the main drawbacks is that a poor setup can leave you with back pain. Indeed, 81 per cent of desk workers who have started working from home since lockdown, have had back, neck or shoulder pain. One way to alleviate this is to have the right desk and chair. For a start, you should purchase an ergonomic chair that’s capable of supporting your lower back. Then, you should make sure you have a desk that aligns neatly with your chair, providing you with the space to work comfortably.
Refreshing your home office this summer
Lighting’s important for your office too. Harsh lighting can make it harder to focus. Instead, you should try and encourage as much natural light to enter as possible. After that, it’s worth creating a layered lighting system. By adding floor lamps, a reading area and other ambient lights, you can make your office a better place for work.
Plants
Plants can provide a calming influence on your office. This can be particularly useful if you’re experiencing a stressful day. You can add potted plants to your desk to offer some colour, or you could add them to the bookshelf or window sill. Alternatively, if you have extra space, you could also invest in a larger plant such as a monstera. Your plants will usually require care and watering, but by looking after your plants, you can achieve a sense of calm amidst a busy day.
Clever storage
A cluttered, messy office can make it difficult to work. You’ll struggle to find important documents and it can make you uneasy looking at an untidy room. Instead, you should look to declutter with clever storage. You can utilise storage solutions such as storing items under the bed or installing a walk-in wardrobe. Alternatively, if you need subtler options, you can use hanging storage to tidy away some of your items. Plus, you should purchase some files to organise your paperwork efficiently.
Your home office is more important than ever before in the working from home age. And by following the advice above, you should be all set to give it the overhaul it needs to boost your productivity and wellbeing.