How the right lighting can make or break your work from home life
With many of us having to adjust to working from home in the past year due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, this has meant adapting to a new working style from the comfort of our own homes.
Though at first it may have seemed new and fun to be at home, after a while it can become hard to concentrate as we are distracted by household chores and home-schooling children. One thing we can control though, is the lighting in our home office. Here is how it can make or break your work from home life.
1. Get enough natural light
When you choose the room for your home office, consider its location in the house and where you will place your desk. Try and locate your workspace near a window which will be well lit for the majority of the day.
In fact, one study has shown that getting enough natural sunlight can improve your mental health and your cognitive efficiency. This means that being near a wide window can improve your concentration, reduce stress, and even allow you to switch off better after the working day has done.
2. Task lighting
There might be areas in your home office which need lighting more than others. Therefore, these areas might need a concentrated light source to help you carry out certain tasks. For example, you may require a desk lamp to illuminate your keyboard for once the sun has started to set.
3. Ambient lighting
Ambient lighting refers to the overall lighting of the room. More colloquially, this might be referred to as the ‘big light’ or the ceiling light. You need your overall lighting solution to compensate for varying degrees of sunlight which you might get during the day and depending on the weather outside.
4. Feature lights
Why not spruce up your office with a feature light. Just because it is being used as an office doesn’t mean you have to stick to drab neutral colours and simple lighting. It can be very stimulating to have focal points and added interest in the room.
A feature light doesn’t have to be overly experimental, though it could be if you wanted! Take a look at different coloured lampshades and browse a selection of chandeliers to give you some inspiration for your home improvements.
5. Layer your light
It is very important to make sure to strike the right balance of light and dark, especially when sitting behind a screen all day. Staring at a computer screen all day can cause health concerns because of the blue light that it emits, as well as the fact our eyes have to adjust when we look away.
Due to this, it is crucial to layer your lighting so that you can listen to your body and adapt your lighting to suit it. Some days you might not need the light to be bright, but some days you may benefit from it. Use a variety of light sources and experiment- and always get more than you think you need! After all, you can never have too many decorative lamps.