The pandemic has transformed how we work, with companies implementing a complete WFH (work-from-home) setup or a hybrid office policy. The latter allows workers to come to the office following a schedule with alternating time or day shifts to reduce the number of people in the workplace at a given time.
Either way, these changes have made setting up a home office unavoidable. While many are worried that working from home may decrease their productivity, studies have shown that the right working environment reduces cortisol levels (the stress hormone) and fosters creativity, allowing an easier work process.
This article will discuss how the right working environment allows you to complete your tasks without physical or mental hindrances and how you can create a productive workspace at home.
What is a productive space?
We can all understand how noise, clutter, dirt, pollution, and other irritants may interfere with one’s ability to concentrate on the tasks at hand. However, numerous other factors influence our ability to think clearly, and they are more subtle, often contributing to increased stress, a sense of malaise, and a lack of motivation.
For example, workplaces that are dark or artificially lit can have an impact on employees’ mental health and, as a result, their productivity. A lack of regular movement can also lead to an increasingly sedentary lifestyle. Even office color schemes, or the lack thereof, can have an impact on employees’ moods.
Therefore, a productive space is any space designed to increase productivity, cultivate concentration, and improve mental health. The design is influenced by several factors, such as adequate workspaces, plenty of natural light to increase productivity during the day, and a work environment that provides clarity of mind.
6 Elements of a Productive Workspace
The following factors can have a significant impact on employee productivity.
1. Evaluate your space. While being in an office ensures productivity since all your working requirements and needs are met, you can replicate this working environment in your home by converting an extra room into an office or allocating adequate space in one of the rooms in your house.
Before deciding where to set up your home workspace, we recommend evaluating your home based on three criteria. First, it should be free from distractions that may affect your focus or work performance. Second, think about how you can make your workspace more functional. Third, the home office space has to have proper air quality and circulation.
2. Consider how you work. When choosing how to organize your space, consider your specific needs and habits. From there, you could create a space to support your vision of an ideal workplace. Even if your workplace is small, you can transform that space through creative design ideas.
3. Stay organized. While your personalized workstation may serve multiple functions, it is important to reduce work clutter. You can hit your productivity goals by establishing a daily or weekly decluttering routine. Be mindful not to fill your workstation with unnecessary knick-knacks. A clear worktable provides clarity of mind, which is needed to focus on any task at hand.
4. Get creative. There are many ways you can maximize your space. For example, having a small filing cabinet is an excellent way to see less of the visual clutter of paper clusters. This helps you to keep track of all important work documents in a way that also allows for easy cleanup at the end of the day.
For those who have a more permanent—albeit small—workstation, you can make good use of equipment or furniture with colors that blend into your wall. This technique is great at minimizing visual noise and creating the illusion of a clear and spacey environment.
5. Choose a functional worktable. The right work desk is extremely important for being productive. Depending on your work needs, it should have enough space for all your work essentials, such as your desktop computer or laptop, any canisters for writing implements, a lamp, a keyboard, a mouse, and the like.
If you do not have a workstation in a reserved corner of your house, you can also use a C-table, a mobile table that can be wheeled just about anywhere, used alternatively for work or leisure. Once you’re done using it for work, a C-table can have many other functions and be used as a drink table or simply for decorating.
6. Prioritize your comfort. Studies have shown that working in a bad environment impairs work productivity, and this just does not refer to a noisy or cluttered environment. This can also mean being uncomfortable physically. This is why it is important to purchase a high-quality ergonomic office chair.
Here are some things to consider before you purchase an ergonomic office chair:
- Computer height and eye level: To achieve the best fit between your computer and your position or location, you must do two things. To begin, position the computer in front of you and keep it within arm’s reach (about 18–36 inches). Next, position the monitor so the first line of text is at or below eye level.
- Position of the head, neck, and shoulders: To reduce the risk of straining your muscles, nerves, and blood vessels, your head and neck must be vertically aligned in a stack-like position. Shoulders should be relaxed and in line with the ears, not drooping or tight.
- Hand and wrist: Two-thirds of your forearm should be supported by the desk, with your hand and wrist straight on the surface. Keep your elbows off the computer table; they should be flat and level with the keyboard and mouse on the cushioned part of the chair’s armrest.
- Back posture and sitting position: The correct sitting posture has your back slightly leaning backward for proper lumbar support, as opposed to the 90-degree sitting position, in which your trunk is perpendicular to the floor. The lower back is more comfortable when seated back against a cushion or pillow. Meanwhile, the hips can be at or slightly higher than the knees.
- Elevated knees and a footrest: The feet must have contact with the floor. You can also use a footrest to provide support. Then, leave about 2 to 4 inches of space between the back of your knees and the chair so that blood can still flow to the feet and ankles.
Wrapping It Up
With the world discovering new ways to work without human contact, the work-from-home workforce is evolving. To sustain your level of productivity during this difficult transition, choose to create an ergonomic office space that allows you to work comfortably.
An ergonomic home office should match your work habits. Factors such as office furniture or equipment, lighting and ventilation, and workspace design and layout are all vital aspects of office ergonomics. If your work environment does not have good ergonomics, you may jeopardize your physical or mental health in the long run.
Create an ergonomic workspace and watch how the right office space improves your focus, stamina, and concentration.
