Tips for Creating a Conducive Home Office

While working from home means less time spent on commuting and more time for family, a work day at home can be filled with distractions. Looking to maximise your productivity? Here are some tips on making your home office more conducive.

Carve Out a Productive Space

Carve out a corner in your home and designate it as your ‘office space’. The area should be dedicated to work, with potential distractions such as your television or gaming console removed from the space.

Having a designated work space is an important step to keep you mentally checked into ‘work mode’. So no to having your bed and sofa close by! Just like the actual office, your work space should be properly furnished to help you stay focused.

Include Proper Furnishings

Speaking of furnishings, a good office chair can help address bad body posture – often the root cause of body aches after sitting at your desk for a prolonged period of timeIt would be wise to invest in a good quality chair to reduce strain on your muscles. Here is a handy checklist when shopping for that ergonomic chair:

• Adjustable seat height – The dining-turned-office chair has to go! Ideally, your chair should be adjusted to a height that allows your thighs to be horizontal and your arms aligned to the height of the desk. Your monitor screen should also be at your eye level or slightly below it. This will provide stability and keep your posture upright.

• Lower back support – Sitting down for a prolonged period without lower back support can lead to slouching, and strain your back and neck. A chair with good lower back support should fit and support the curvature of your lower back.

• Backrest – The backrest provides support to your mid to upper back and keeps your shoulders and neck straight. A good backrest should be angled at about 90 degrees upright or slightly reclined.

Minimise Noise

A certain amount of noise is inevitable in any urban setting, and can stem from many sources – construction or renovation works, road traffic, or simply from having your family all at home at the same time! The good news? More often than not, these distractions are temporary, and there are simple steps you can take to minimise them.

 

• Install door draft stoppers and curtains –  As sound enters primarily through doors and windows, using a door draft stopper to seal the gap between your door and the floor can decrease noise levels. Curtains can also help minimise sounds coming in through your window.

• Plan ahead – There are some sources of noise that you can manage, and your neighbour’s home renovation is one of them. Home renovation may generate uncomfortable levels of noise but remember that these are temporary, and your new neighbours are as eager as you to have the works completed as soon as possible! Enquire about the renovation schedule from your neighbour or their contractor. If possible, plan your work commitments around it to avoid times where loud noise due to drilling and hacking might be generated.

• Provide feedback – Taking an urgent business call or just need that short respite? Have a chat with your neighbours or their contractor to work out something with them. If there is excessive noise from renovation work going on for a prolonged period or at timings that are not allowed, you may inform your nearest HDB branch which can help look into the matter.