People who work from home are famous for working from just about everywhere: the dining room table, the couch, or even while laying in bed. It’s a wonderful, very freeing feeling. Nevertheless, it’s important to know that not every home office is as good as every other. If your workspace isn’t well designed, it might be harmful to your health. Since you probably spend hours every day sitting in your home office, let’s make sure it’s healthy.
How Home Office Design Affects You
A healthy home office is more than just ergonomic furniture. A well designed home office makes you feel better and helps you get more work done. In fact, this is the root of ergonomics: the science of creating spaces and objects which are more efficient and safer at the same time.
There are many studies that show people who work in a well-designed office get more done. A study by the Carlson School of Management noted that people who replaced their office chairs with an in-office treadmill started performing much better. And that’s just a single improvement out of many that you can make.
A badly designed office, on the other hand, can hurt your health. Neck and shoulder pain, wrist pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, stress, weight gain…the list of “office workplace injuries” go on and on. In fact, an ergonomically designed workspace is so powerful that there’s a whole page of success stories on the US Department of Labor website talking about the benefits seen by organizations which made ergonomic changes.
Sadly, most people who work from home don’t think about their office design very much. Yet if you are a freelancer then you are paid based on how much work you get done — if you don’t accomplish as much, you aren’t paid as well. For freelancers, ergonomics is therefore critical.
Designing Your Home Office
Most people start out with the cheapest furniture they can find. As their business grows, they end up keeping it — because they’re too busy to upgrade.
The fact is, ergonomic office furniture makes a major difference. Just the right positioning of everything in your office makes a major difference in how comfortable you are. This starts with your desk. If you’re using a normal desk, be sure it’s not too low. Your desk should be high enough that you don’t find yourself hunching over. It should also be low enough that your wrists are at a comfortable angle. This means that the right desk for you will depend on your own height.
The chair behind your desk is important, too. Classic design work chairs by e.g Eames are always good. The Herman Miller Embody Work Chair is a modern icon specially designed for the demanding work environment. You should always try and get the best work chair you can — it makes a huge difference to how productive you are. High quality chairs have great back support and help make sure you don’t over-stretch.
Of course, you can always try no chair at all. A “standing desk” is a new trend in the design world, and many people find it helpful to switch between sitting and standing during their work day. (Add a treadmill, and you have a scientifically proven way to improve productivity.)
Reduce Noise
Even a little noise can be debilitating for people who work in creative fields, and just about everyone finds it hard to work in a truly noisy environment. This means that the ‘backyard office’ has become popular in some areas — being detached, they’re isolated from the usual sounds of the house. For the in-home office, sliding glass and bi-fold doors make it possible to keep sounds away while ensuring it’s still easy to watch the younger ones.
Let in Some Nature
Good natural lighting and ventilation are design elements that produce major benefits in the long term. Even a small window makes endless work hours much easier, easing eye strain and improving ventilation. At the same time, a little greenery can also make a big difference in the home office. Modern design tends to be heavy on stone, glass, and concrete. Indoor plants help refresh the atmosphere, improving air quality and adding an aura of relaxation. If you don’t have space for a large garden, you can always put a plant in the corner or some smaller herbs in containers on your desk.
The fact is, you spend a lot of time in your home office. That means it’s crucial to put in a little time up front ensuring it’s liveable. That initial investment will pay big dividends later, in the form of better health and more productivity.
Image sources: 1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 8; 9; 10; 11
