Home Office Makeover: Elevate Your Space

Working from home has its perks, but it can also be challenging to stay productive and maintain a healthy work-life balance. Upgrading your home office setup can help improve your productivity, comfort, and overall well-being. Here are some ideas to enhance your home office:

- Ergonomic furniture: Invest in an ergonomic chair and desk to improve your posture and reduce back pain. Look for adjustable options that provide lumbar support and promote a neutral spine position.

- External monitor: A second monitor can increase your productivity by providing more screen real estate and reducing the need for constant tab switching.

- Laptop stand: Raise your laptop to eye level with a laptop stand to improve your posture and reduce neck strain.

- Wireless accessories: Opt for a wireless keyboard, mouse, and headphones to create a more ergonomic and clutter-free workspace.

- Lighting: Improve your lighting with a desk lamp to reduce eye strain and create a calming atmosphere. Consider a lamp with adjustable brightness and colour temperatures for added flexibility.

- Organisation: Keep your desk organised with drawer organisers, cable clips, and a tray or bowl for small items. A pegboard or wall shelves can also help maximise your space and keep your essentials within reach.

- Plants: Bring nature into your home office with plants, which have been shown to boost mood and productivity while adding a touch of decor.

- Whiteboard: A whiteboard is great for jotting down ideas, creating schedules, and leaving yourself motivational notes. It's also a fun way to keep kids entertained while you work.

- Noise cancellation: Reduce distractions and improve your focus with noise-cancelling headphones or a quiet space created by soundproofing strips.

- Standing desk: Alternate between sitting and standing with an adjustable standing desk to improve your posture and break the monotony of sitting all day.

- Comfort accessories: Enhance your comfort with a seat cushion, footrest, and lumbar pillow. Memory foam options are especially popular for their pressure-relieving properties.

- Technology: Upgrade your technology with a faster computer, reliable wireless router, and a multi-port charging station to keep all your devices powered up.

- Aesthetics: Add some personality to your space with colourful accessories, such as a keyboard and mouse set, a desk mat, or LED lights.

Get a wireless keyboard and mouse

Upgrading your home office equipment can be an exciting yet challenging task. If you're looking to improve your setup, getting a wireless keyboard and mouse is a great option. Here's why:

Portability and Convenience

Wireless keyboards and mice offer unparalleled portability and convenience. With no wires to coil and untangle, you can easily pack up your devices and work remotely from a cafe or during your travels. They are compact, lightweight, and highly portable, making them perfect for remote work.

Improved Aesthetics and Space Management

Wireless keyboards and mice also enhance the aesthetics of your workspace. Without the clutter of wires, your desk will appear neat, modern, and spacious. This not only improves the overall appearance but also allows for better organization and comfortable posture while working.

Flexibility and Ease of Use

Another advantage of wireless devices is the flexibility they offer. You can use them from a distance of up to 9 meters (30 feet) from your computer, providing you with a more extensive range of motion. This is especially useful when collaborating with colleagues or navigating presentations.

Variety of Options

Wireless keyboards come in various formats to cater to different needs. For example, if portability is a priority, you can opt for a foldable wireless keyboard made from soft materials like rubber. These keyboards are usually waterproof and dustproof, making them ideal for travel. Alternatively, if you're a gamer, specialized wireless keyboards with game controllers and touchpads can enhance your gaming experience.

Security and Reliability

While wireless devices have been criticized for potential signal interference and security concerns, modern wireless keyboards and mice have made significant advancements in these areas. Many now utilize Bluetooth technology, which provides secure and reliable connections. Additionally, wireless devices with Bluetooth or radio frequency technology ensure a safe and reliable connection without the risk of intercepted signals.

Add a laptop riser

Adding a laptop riser to your home office can improve your posture and reduce tension and pain in your neck, shoulders, and back. It is also a great way to prevent your laptop from overheating.

There are many options available to purchase, or you can make your own. A laptop riser can be as simple as a stack of books, or you can get creative and make one out of cardboard, PVC pipes, bamboo, plywood, or shoe boxes.

If you're looking to buy a laptop riser, there are a variety of options to choose from. For example, the Wooden Laptop Stand is portable and functional, retailing for $33. The Besign Aluminium Laptop Riser is adjustable and minimalistic, priced at $24. The Boyata Laptop Riser is ideal for writers as it is fully adjustable and steady enough to type on, and it comes in almost any colour.

If you're feeling crafty, you can make your own laptop riser out of various materials. Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Cardboard and neodymium magnets
• Shoeboxes and a box cutter
• PVC pipes and paint
• Bamboo and glue
• Acrylic sheets and a heat gun
• Plywood and a jigsaw

Invest in a good chair

Investing in a good chair is one of the most important things you can do to upgrade your home office. Sitting for extended periods can lead to poor posture, backaches, and more serious health issues. A good ergonomic chair can help correct your posture and ensure you can work a full day without any back pain.

There are a few things to keep in mind when looking for a good chair. Firstly, make sure the chair provides adequate lumbar support. This will help prevent back pain and keep your back and neck comfortable throughout the day. It's also important to choose a chair with a breathable material, like mesh, to keep you cool. Additionally, look for a chair that is adjustable, so you can customize the height and tilt to find the most comfortable position for you. Finally, consider the price. Good ergonomic chairs can be expensive, but they are worth the investment for your health and comfort.

• Capisco chair by Fully: This chair is a bit pricey, but it's a certified B-corp company, so you can feel good about your purchase.
• Union and Stale chair at Staples: This $100 chair from Staples is a great budget-friendly option that won't break the bank.
• SOHO soft pad management chair: This mid-range option has a sleek design and a soft pad for comfort.
• Herman Miller Aeron Chair: This chair is touted as the "holy grail of all the chairs" when it comes to ergonomics. It's designed to model a spine and was created in collaboration with 30 physicians and biomechanical experts. The seat and armrests are adjustable for a perfect fit.
• Branch Ergonomic Chair: This chair is adjustable at seven points for personalized comfort and is recommended by a chiropractor for improving posture and decreasing pain.

Use a footrest

Using a footrest can be a great way to improve your home office setup. Here are some reasons why:

Promotes Better Posture and Spinal Alignment

A footrest can help you maintain good posture by keeping your feet elevated and supporting your lower body. This can lead to improved spinal alignment and reduced neck, back, and shoulder pain.

Reduces Fatigue and Enhances Circulation

By elevating your legs, a footrest helps reduce fatigue in your feet and promotes better blood circulation. This can contribute to your overall well-being and improve your focus while working.

Provides Comfort and Relieves Pain

Footrests are designed to provide comfort and support for your feet, legs, and knees. They can help relieve pain and pressure in these areas, especially if you spend long hours sitting at your desk.

Offers Dual Functionality

Footrests are versatile and can be used in multiple ways. Many footrests can be flipped over and used as rockers for active sitting, providing a bit of exercise while you sit.

Improves Stability and Durability

Look for footrests with non-slip bottoms to prevent them from sliding around. Additionally, choose footrests made with high-quality, durable materials that can withstand frequent use.

Easy to Clean and Maintain

Consider footrests with removable and machine-washable covers. This makes it convenient to keep your footrest fresh and clean, ensuring a pleasant working experience.

Install blue light glasses

Upgrading your home office can be a great way to boost productivity and enhance your overall work experience. One essential upgrade to consider is installing blue light glasses, which offer several benefits for individuals who spend a significant amount of time in front of digital screens. Here are some reasons why blue light glasses can be a valuable addition to your home office setup:

Reduce Eye Strain and Fatigue

Blue light glasses are designed to reduce eye strain and fatigue caused by prolonged exposure to digital screens. The high-energy blue light emitted by electronic devices can contribute to eye strain, dry eyes, and headaches. By filtering out or blocking a significant portion of this blue light, these glasses can help alleviate these issues and make extended screen time more comfortable.

Improve Sleep Quality

Blue light has been linked to disruptions in sleep patterns. Exposure to blue light, especially at night, can interfere with your body's natural circadian rhythm and suppress the production of melatonin, a hormone crucial for regulating sleep. By wearing blue light glasses, you can reduce the amount of blue light that reaches your eyes, potentially improving your sleep quality.

Protect Your Eyes

Excessive exposure to blue light may have adverse effects on eye health. Some studies suggest a potential link between blue light and damage to the retina, which could be associated with macular degeneration. While further research is needed, blue light glasses offer a simple way to potentially reduce this risk and protect your eyes from harmful blue light rays.

Enhance Visual Clarity

Blue light glasses can improve visual clarity, especially in low-light conditions. This is particularly beneficial for activities such as night driving, as the glasses can reduce glare from oncoming headlights and streetlights, making it easier to see and reducing eye strain.

Versatile and Stylish

Blue light glasses come in a variety of styles, allowing you to choose a design that suits your taste and personality. You can find options that are sleek, stylish, and versatile enough to wear during both professional and casual settings. Additionally, blue light glasses are typically designed to be lightweight and comfortable, ensuring that you can wear them for extended periods without discomfort.

Upgrading your home office with blue light glasses can provide multiple benefits for your eye health, sleep quality, and overall visual comfort. By reducing eye strain and protecting your eyes from harmful blue light, you can create a more pleasant and productive work environment.

Frequently asked questions