Lighten Up! Don't Work In The Dark: Best Home Or Office Workplace Setup Guide

Your home office's ambiance and illumination directly impact your efficiency. A lack of proper illumination in the workplace can harm productivity by lowering morale, causing eyestrain and headaches, and otherwise making it difficult to concentrate and focus.

Study says Working in ‘darker’ workplaces triggers the release of the sleep hormone melatonin, which in turn reduces alertness, and increases the chances of error and accident risks. This further leads to lower productivity and poor-quality work.

Workspace illumination is especially crucial if you don't have access to a lot of natural light. Having overhead or recessed lights in a home office is common, but it's a common misconception that this is all needed. You'll need to supplement the ambient illumination with additional lighting sources to work effectively in a home office.

Here are five things to consider when choosing to light when setting up a home office.

Use Indirect Lighting In The Workplace

Only try to get something done while blinded by the bright lights above you. Consider methods to soften the ambient light instead so that it can enlighten your workplace. While a floor lamp directed upward diffuses and disperses the light, it is reflected off the walls and ceilings. The objective is to evenly light the room without causing uncomfortable levels of contrast or glare and without casting any unwelcome shadows.

Fix Up Some Task Lights

Choose a defined light source for your computer, paperwork, or other focus-intensive duties. A desk lamp that can be adjusted or bent in various ways is useful for many purposes. There should be separate task lighting for each part of your home offices, such as a desk for computer and phone work, a filing space, and a table for examining photos and layouts.

Reduce the Effects of Shadows and Reflections

Think about the source of your illumination: When working on a computer, having a light source behind you is a surefire way to get an eye-straining glare. The same goes for task lighting: be wary of unwanted shadows generated by bulbs. To illustrate, if you prefer to write with your right hand, but your task light is on the right, your arm and hand will cast shadows on the page. Also, consider the location of windows while setting up your workplaces.

Let There Be Natural Light

Natural light from a window, skylight, or other opening has several advantages that should not be ignored. Light from the sun can be harnessed to create cozy illumination, perfect for the office. On the other hand, there are times of day when the sun's brightness could be too much to bear.

To minimize eye strain and optimize your view of the outdoors, it is recommended that you place windows directly in front of or adjacent to your work desks and computer screens. As an alternative, you can turn your desk so that it faces north or south, eliminating any shadows that may be cast by the sun throughout the day. Solar blinds diffuse the light and lessen the temperature to make it more comfortable to be in the room during the day. Light coming in via a window can also be diffused by a simple blind or freestanding screen.

Consider Decorative Office Lighting

As was previously indicated, most home offices will have both general or ambient illumination and more targeted task lighting at individual desks. To complement the practicality of task and ambient lighting in your home office, you may also wish to install decorative and accent lighting. Mantel and picture lights are examples of accent lighting, which highlight a room's specific features. At the same time, wall sconces are examples of decorative lighting that indirectly provide aesthetic value.