Working from home comes with a spectacular commute: ten steps and you're there. Unfortunately, the fridge is also ten steps away, and by mid-morning you've paid it three courtesy visits. The spreadsheet remains unimpressed.
A useful workspace needn't resemble mission control. It needs to suit your body, your work and the home you actually have. Let's make it easier to use, without turning every purchase into proof that you're serious about your career.
Do you need a separate room to work from home?
No. A separate room can help, but you can also arrange a workable space in a shared room. Start with a stable surface, room for your legs and somewhere comfortable to put your equipment. If you work at the dining table, a box for packing things away may be more useful than dreaming about a study that won't fit.
Look at the actual snags. Perhaps light from a window falls across your screen, someone else needs the table or everything has to move before lunch. Those are different problems. Your home hasn't failed an inspection by continuing to be a home.
Adjust what you've got first
Sit down as you normally would and check the whole arrangement. The OSHA computer workstation guide points out that no single arrangement suits everyone. These suggestions give you somewhere to start, rather than a pose you must hold all day.
- Chair and feet. Support your back and rest your feet on the floor or a stable footrest. Adjust the chair height so you can reach the desk without hunching your shoulders. Armrests shouldn't stop you getting close enough.
- Keyboard and mouse. Keep them within easy reach, with your elbows near your body and your wrists in line with your forearms. Reaching the mouse shouldn't feel like stretching for the last biscuit.
- Screen. Put it in front of you, roughly an arm's length away, with the top at or slightly below eye level. Increase the text size before bringing your nose closer. Your eyesight and glasses may call for a different height or distance.
Laptops have a catch: the screen and keyboard are attached. For longer sessions, raising the laptop on a stable stand and using a separate keyboard and mouse lets you adjust them independently. An external screen is another option. Raising the laptop and typing with your arms in the air rather misses the point. The HSE illustrates both arrangements.
Try a chair's adjustments before buying if you can. Before choosing a huge monitor, check your available space and what you need to see. “Ergonomic” on the box doesn't mean it will fit you. No piece of furniture replaces changes of position and breaks, either.
Light to see by, not an interrogation lamp
A window beside you is usually easier to work with than its reflection across your screen. Move the equipment, adjust the blinds and aim the lamp at whatever needs lighting. Comfortable reading without glare matters more than a dramatic glow. These are also priorities in OSHA's lighting guidance.
For video calls, test your existing camera and microphone first. A short recording tells you more than twenty accessory adverts. Better lighting or a microphone nearer your mouth might save you replacing half the sitting room. Check what's visible behind you, particularly private information.
Give the working day a beginning and an end
A small daily ritual can help you get started: gather what you need, check your diary and choose your first task. A walk or a change of clothes might suit you. Pyjamas don't possess a secret power to destroy productivity.
Agree availability, time to concentrate and realistic expectations with your team where possible. At home, a chat about calls and shared tables can prevent the occasional “I thought you'd finished”. Caring for someone while working makes things more complicated. Headphones won't sort that out.
When you finish, note the next step for anything unfinished, save your files and close your work apps. Mute their notifications when appropriate. The list is allowed to have things left on it. You don't have to defeat the entire inbox to earn your dinner.
Take breaks before you feel folded in half
The HSE recommends short, frequent breaks from screen work, giving five to ten minutes each hour as an example. Adapt that guidance to your tasks and needs. It isn't a universal productivity formula.
Look away, change position and move as you're able. Switching to another screen may be entertaining, but it's still screen time. A reminder can help. If your workload leaves no room to stop, discuss the workload with whoever organises it. A bossier timer won't solve that.
It can also help to talk to people outside formal meetings. A chat with a colleague, lunch with someone or plans after work might fit into your week. Choose what suits your situation and how much company you want. There isn't a compulsory sociability quota.
Make a little room for yourself
A photograph, a plant you enjoy looking after or a drawing can make your corner more pleasant. You may prefer an uncluttered desk. Neither choice needs defending. Three pot plants aren't an entry requirement, and you needn't feel inspired whenever you switch on the computer.
In our world, the Spark of Creativity belongs to Magikito stories. A figure might remind you of that playfulness or make you smile. It means something to you. It won't guarantee ideas, sales or calm. You can meet the gang in the Brownie section.
How can you switch off when you work at the dining table?
Try marking the end of work by putting your equipment away and doing something different. Store the keyboard, notebook and laptop out of the way, leave yourself a note for tomorrow and give the table back its other job. If you can't put everything away, choose a change that works for you. There needn't be much faff.
When you review your workspace, four questions will do:
- Can I read and use the equipment comfortably?
- Have I got room to move and change position?
- Are there breaks and a reasonable finishing time?
- Which actual problem should I tackle first?
If discomfort persists, seek professional advice and review the workstation too. If you're employed, discuss equipment and working arrangements with the person responsible. A lovely corner won't fix an impossible workload.
The idea is to work comfortably, then get on with something else. The fridge will still be there. This time you can visit without pretending you're looking for inspiration.
