Publish on: Mar 24, 2020
Unless you make the list of key workers, the chances are you’re going to be working from home for a while, and for those who don’t already have a home office set up, this new world of conference calls in your living room could take some getting used to, and unfortunately doing a run to IKEA to pick up a new desk or chair is no longer an option.
So how can you create a productive and healthy work environment with the things you already have? The simplest idea from an interior design point of view is to move your workstation or desk as close to a window as possible. Daylight will help keep you focussed and alert, as well as boosting your mood and make your workspace as friendly as possible.
If you live in a city, then it’s unlikely you have the luxury of a pleasant view, so if the idea of staring at the building next door for eight hours a day is a bit depressing, then inject some colour into your workspace to have a similarly uplifting effect.
Place a piece of art in your visual field and utilise the power of colour psychology. Yellow is a good colour to incorporate into your working space as it stimulates our intellect, giving us a rational, clear and focused outlook, which sounds like exactly what we all need in these strange and unprecedented times.
Divide and conquer
A key point to working from home is to divide areas for work and relaxation. Consider the arrangement of your furniture. Ensure there is sufficient storage so you can hide away your work life when the evening hits.
You can also split up your space using scents, so candles and diffusers are your friends. Citrus is a stimulant so works well in office environments, whereas jasmine and lavender are more calming.
Air it out
Good air quality is really important when you’re stuck indoors for long stretches at a time – and could even help to keep the dreaded virus at bay.
Good ventilation is always associated with low microbes inside your home. The best way to avoid viruses is to fit a really good, mechanical ventilation system with a filter.
If that’s not possible, plants are are vital for clean, filtered air, and having lots of them around has been proven to reduce stress levels and blood pressure. So next time you make a dash to the supermarket on a doomed mission to score some pasta, thinking about picking up a commiseration houseplant.
They can even help absorb the toxins emitted by office equipment. Plants like English Ivy are great positioned near computers. They assist in purifying the air by absorbing toxins like ammonia, formaldehyde and benzene.
Sit up straight
Attitude is everything when it comes to working from home, and just because you don’t have a fancy office chair doesn’t mean you can get away with slouching.
We can easily make any chair more comfortable and ergonomic by sitting on the edge of the seat with a folded jumper or foam wedge underneath. This encourages our legs to sit at 120 degrees, achieving what NASA calls neutral body position, the ideal position for sitting for long lengths of time.
If you’re looking for interior designers in Buckinghamshire, get in touch today.
