Make Your Home Office Healthier and More Productive

Many people work from home these days. Others bring work home from the office and try to get caught up in the evenings or on the weekends.

Working at home can be great, but there can also be far more distractions at home than at work. Family, neighbors, the TV, the refrigerator, laundry, and many other things at home can distract us.

Many of us don’t have an effective working environment at home. The desk is covered with bills or we're using the spare dining room chair. Some issues in a home office are simply unhealthy.

There are many simple things you can do to make your home office healthier and more productive:

1. Consider working while standing.

Many employers are moving to standing workstations. Numerous studies have shown that sitting for extended hours every day is a leading contributor to early death. To avoid this and shorten the time we spend sitting at a desk each day, there are specialty workstations designed to be used standing up. You can even purchase a small table to place on top of your existing desk to lift your computer setup and not spend the entire day sitting in a chair.

If you’re not used to standing for extended periods of time, your feet might become sore for the first few days, but your body will acclimate and you will become comfortable standing up and your long-term health will improve. Consider an anti-fatigue mat to help with the sore feet.

If you have not tried working while standing up before, remember there are many benefits to stepping out of your comfort zone. These benefits even include positive impacts on your mental health. Many people find they can concentrate better while standing. Give it a try before you reject the idea.

2. Clean off your desk.

The home desk seems to be a storage location for everything that can wait until another day. Bills, junk mail, briefcases, purses, receipts, hats, gloves, and magazines are just a handful of the things that find their way to the home desk surface.

Not only is it hard to find what you’re actually looking for when you need something, but working in all of that clutter is also distracting. Having unnecessary things that don't belong in your workspace on your desk takes away from the focus you should have on work and results in you being a less efficient worker and taking more time to complete work tasks. Also, personal things on your home desk are reminders of all the other things you need to get done in your personal life.

Clearing off your desk will help you get the physical and mental space you need to be at your best.

3. Consider getting an air purifier.

An air filter can remove many pollutants and allergens from the air. This is especially important in a home office. These rooms tend to be smaller, and we tend to stay in there for extended periods of time with little to no ventilation and sometimes with the door closed. Click here for our recommendation on an affordable solution to this issue.

4. Check your lighting.

Lighting in the home is frequently chosen to be attractive rather than functional. You would be well-served to work with more light than you’re probably currently getting at home.

Dim lighting can make you feel sluggish and less productive. You might need an additional lamp or some brighter bulbs. Click here for our recommendation on lighting for your home office.

5. If you’re going to sit, get a good chair.

If standing isn’t for you, at least be sure to get a high-quality office chair. You should be pain-free and have enough support that you don’t fatigue quickly. Your back will thank you. Click here for a recommended inexpensive yet comfortable desk chair.

6. Minimize noise.

Sound is important. If you’re not able to minimize the sounds in your work environment, consider getting some simple earplugs. You may prefer to put on headphones and listen to music or nature sounds while you work.

Avoid music with lyrics. Thinking one thing and hearing another isn’t the most effective way to work. There are many recordings of rainstorms, waterfalls, ocean waves, and the like available all over the internet.

Working from home can be better and more productive than working in the more conventional office setting. Take the time to optimize your workspace for both your health and your productivity. You probably already have some good ideas on how you can apply these tips to your home office. Let today be the day you start implementing them!

Thank you for reading. ☺️