*Originally published on August 19, 2020:

Remote work has become increasingly popular due to its flexibility, allowing for more time with family and pets, and the freedom from traditional office culture and dress codes. So why not spruce up your home office that much more? Here are a few tips on how to make your home office a true office space:

DIY Home Office Tips and Tricks:

Find the Right Chair

The right chair may be the most important part of your office. If you're not comfortable, you're not going to be able to focus or get much done. Your favorite lounge chair may wreak havoc on your neck and back if you don’t have the correct posture when typing or reading.

According to the HP Store site, “For a home-office throne, adjustability is also king. A swivel seat prevents the back and neck from twisting, as do wheels (ideally five). ... If [the] budget won’t allow adjustable armrests, which often come at a premium, skip them altogether."

Set Daily Work Hours

Having a daily schedule is also important when working from home. Make sure you're able to balance out work for the designated work hours, with a set time to start and end each day. Maintaining a schedule is key because it's very easy to get distracted or come up with household projects for yourself to do instead of your work. Block out in your calendar a 30-minute break a few times a day so you can get up and stretch, eat some food, and give your eyes a rest from staring at the screen all day.

Dress and Act Like You're Going to Work

Dressing up for work at home is important for getting work done and improving one's state of mind. 

"Research shows that how we feel is affected by what we wear because clothes carry both a practical and symbolic meaning that can impact our behavior. Wearing more professional attire makes you feel more focused and productive. Loungewear like pajamas, baggy sweaters, and sweatpants can put you in a less attentive state, since you usually wear these clothes when you're trying to relax," according to studies at Ashford University.

Close Your Door

If you're lucky enough to have a door to close and children old enough to watch themselves, close it during meetings or when you need to focus on work. If you have constant interruptions from your older children, put a sign on the door that says, “Do Not Disturb unless it’s an Emergency”, when you need to. Closing the door will also symbolize “work time” to you and prevent you from jumping up and checking on every doorbell ring or interruption you hear.

Lighting

Lighting in your home office is of utmost importance. A dim-lit room can really make you tired, give you headaches, and decrease productivity, as can an overly bright room with fluorescent lights where you squint all day. Natural light from a window is optimal, and sunshine is a natural mood-lifter.

Dim lighting can also cause depression, as evidenced by a paper published by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). In the article, they detail how “inadequate lighting can contribute to the poor response to treatment of and exacerbation of psychiatric conditions, including mood disorders,” while bright lights have potent therapeutic and biological effects.”

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