How To Stay Comfortable (And Inspired) In Your Home Office

Working from home is big, and it’s growing.

Between 2005 and 2012, the number of U.S. workers who telecommute increased by 80 percent. And Global Workplace Analytics reports that 4.6 percent of the U.S. workforce—more than 6 million people, including telecommuters and self-employed workers—consider home to be their primary workplace. That means U.S. homeowners are dedicating more square footage than ever to home offices.

Here are a few tips on how to stay comfortable (and inspired) in your home office.

Pick A Room With A (Well Lit) View

Few of us plan our homes around our offices. Instead, we usually pick a spot with some extra space, like a spare bedroom, or an unused portion of the attic or basement. But there’s good reason to put a bit of planning into the room we choose for an office. Pay particular attention to natural lighting. It makes a big impact.

A 2013 study published in the journal SLEEP concluded that there is a strong relationship between workplace daylight exposure and office workers’ sleep, activity and quality of life. Workers with windows in the workplace slept an average of 46 minutes more per night and reported higher scores on quality of life measures related to physical problems and vitality, as compared to workers without windows.

More Separation, Less Anxiety

Beyond lighting, simply the physical separation of work and leisure space can lead to a happier, more restful life outside the office. When a home office is too close to where we sleep, for example, the temptation to work late hours can be detrimental to our health. A recent study conducted in Sweden indicated that regular, late-night computer use was associated with sleep disorders, stress and depressive symptoms in both men and women.

Some telecommuters who want to separate work and play go as far as constructing their own tiny office in the backyard. (Check out this great post on Lifehacker for an example.) But even if your office just down the hallway, it’s best to keep work and relaxation separate.

Set The Climate For Productivity

Temperature also has a big impact on productivity. So is it better to be warmer or cooler?

Cornell University researchers conducted a study by adjusting the thermostat of an insurance office. When temperatures were set at 68 degrees, employees committed 44% more errors and were less than half as productive as when the office was set to stay at 77 degrees. The theory goes: When our body’s temperature drops, we use our energy to stay warm. That means we have less energy available for concentration, inspiration, and insight.

ecovent can help you dial in the perfect temperature for your workspace, without the need to heat or cool your other rooms. Sign up for our newsletter to be the first to know when it goes on sale.

Image credit: Jeremy Levine/Flickr