Keep Calm & Create a Workspace at Home

We are writing this blog at a time when sadly, everyone’s normality has been completely flipped upside down by the COVID-19 pandemic. Working from home is a different world to a lot of people. Not only are we isolating, we’re working in our personal spaces; either alone, with our spouses or for those of us lucky enough – with the kids! Unless of course you are one of the key superheroes working on the front line. We appreciate and thank you so very much.

So now you need to create a working space at home. A place that will allow you to separate your home life from your professional working day. But where do you start?

Here are some of our top tips:

Create a designated space
Some of us may or may not be able to remove ourselves from the areas our children or partner spend a lot of time in, but try to ensure that you have a space in the house where you can work and store key items such as materials, folders, notes and a charging or docking station for a monitor. It can be unproductive just logging in from the bed or the sofa each day and your body won’t thank you for it in the long run! Make sure the space is always easily accessible to work in, it can be frustrating having to clear away and reset at the dining table a few times a day. If you can fit a desk in a corner of the spare bedroom, then utilise this space as your own, peaceful work haven, away from any other distractions.

Ergonomics

Ensure that your screen is 20 to 40 inches away from your face and adjust the monitor appropriately so that the centre sits at eye level directly in front of your face, this will reduce eye strain. We need to support our hands, wrists, shoulders and back when working at our screens for several hours per day. Ensure that your wrist position is neutral so that they can easily ‘float’ parallel above the keyboard. Remember to change your posture regularly so that you are not sitting in the same position for extended amounts of time. Investing in a good chair or making sure that you have a comfortable seat, with supportive arms, which allows you to sit upright and aligned with your desk will pay dividends. Productivity decreases significantly if you are not comfortable!

Limit your distractions
Social media, TV programmes, that aimless walk back and forth to the fridge hoping that something will magically appear when you open the door again for the 9th time … we’re all guilty of being distracted when working from home. So, to ensure that you’re as productive as possible; work without your phone screen being visible, mute your notifications, turn the TV off, try to work in a quiet place as any noises or conversations started by others are sure to make you lose your focus. Just concentrate on getting everything done so that you can chill out, spend some more time with your other half and the children or more importantly, do some self-care.

Biophilic Design
Many studies have proven that having greenery in your office has several benefits. It’s proven to reduce stress, increase productivity and creativity and make the workspace look more attractive. Being near plants indoors can also connect us to the outside world, which we are missing so much right now. Plants also clean the air and purify oxygen, which is something that is particularly important in our current situation! Plants that will thrive in the office and not need too much attention include succulents such as aloe or cacti, rubber plants and peace lilies. You can never have too many plants, the more biophilic design the better, we say!

These are just a few of the ways that you can ensure your workspace from home can be made as productive as possible. The rest is down to your own mindset. Try not to spiral into bad eating habits and organise your time efficiently, if you can do that, then this working from home business will be a doddle. Think positively and enjoy this time, reflect on how you appreciate your work colleagues and having that office space to look forward to returning to. Also, if you’re anything like us, be excited for the celebration drinks when we return to ‘normal’.

Stay at home, stay safe!

The Apteriors Team.