A lot of us experienced the novelty of working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic, and many of us are still doing it. Moreover, thousands of people around the world now freelance from home for a living, such as artists, writers, and content creators.
But is it really that easy to stay productive when working at home? Well, here are some of the key factors that can decrease your activity in the work-from-home environment.
1. Your Desk Chair
There's nothing worse than an uncomfortable chair. And, when you're trying to stay productive, the wrong chair can become a big problem. While some chairs look aesthetically pleasing next to your desk, they may not be such a joy when you're actually working.
Try to avoid chairs with hard bottoms, such as that shown in the photo above, if you're going to be spending hours at your desk. Stiff bases can lead to a pretty achy behind, and this can certainly become a distraction while you're trying to work.
On top of this, lumbar support is very important in a chair. It's pretty natural for humans to slump, or sit in positions that are bad for our backs. This can, in turn, lead to spinal problems if done repeatedly.
A chair with lumbar support fills in the gap between the curve of your lower spine and the back of the chair, which allows for much better posture. So keep an eye out for chairs with both cushioning and lumbar support next time you're looking for a new one.
2. Background Noise
While you may think that the link between background noise and productivity all comes down to noise pollution, music, or other rowdiness, this isn't necessarily the case. While many people prefer silence when in the zone, this isn't the preference across the board.
What you may not know is that listening to certain music can actually promote your productivity. Some people listen to certain frequencies of sound, such as alpha waves, to increase their concentration levels. Additionally, some find music in general, such as jazz and Lo-Fi, as great concentration boosters. You can find some great Lo-Fi music streams on YouTube, as well as jazz.
However, if you'd rather silence during your work time, but can never seem to shake irritating background noise, you might want to look into buying some noise-canceling earbuds, which can block out a lot of distracting sounds.
3. Lighting
Lighting really is everything when it comes to working. When lights are too bright, or too dim, you can experience headaches, tiredness, and a general lack of motivation.
Try to avoid working in darkness, as it can make for a pretty unhealthy work environment and affect your mood and drive. However, working under harsh lighting can also become an issue, and can cause headaches and fatigue. Natural sunlight is always the best option for a healthy work environment, so try to place your desk near a window, or in a well-lit room.
4. What You're Consuming
Remember this: what you eat affects your mind a lot more than you think! While it's common to assume that only your body depends on healthy food, your mind certainly does too. It's important to keep in mind that the things you consume can directly affect your motivation and drive.
For starters, being hungry can be a huge distraction. Trying to work while your stomach grumbles is beyond difficult, so make sure you're keeping yourself satisfied. If you're worried about work or study snacking, try switching to a couple of healthier alternatives, such as nuts, fruit, wholegrain carbs, or veggies.
It's also important to keep in mind that caffeine and sugar can both negatively affect your motivation. Many experience headaches, stomach issues, and fatigue from caffeine, and caffeine crashes can massively impact your productivity. The same goes for sugar. Eating high quantities of sugar can easily result in a sugar crash, leading to tiredness and a general lack of motivation.
5. Overworking
We've all done it. Working just for just a few hours longer can seem like a good idea at first, but it's easy to find yourself exhausted and burnt out pretty quickly. This can then set you on a bit of a no-motivation spiral for days or weeks afterward, where you're just determined to stay as far away from your work as possible.
In order to avoid this, try to set stricter boundaries around when you work and when you rest. Eating into your leisure time can end up doing more harm than good, and you can easily find yourself doing a 180 if you push yourself too far. Remember, you don't just live to work. You're allowed to take a few hours to chill out each day, and you're allowed a day off!
6. Blue Light
In recent years, there's been an increasing discussion around blue light. Blue light is simply a part of the visible light spectrum, but it is now thought that it can have some negative effects on us, including headaches, fatigue, insomnia, and even the quickened degeneration of the retina.
Blue light is released from our phones, laptops, and televisions screens, meaning we're very often exposed to it. And, while it's not currently thought to be extremely harmful, you might want to try avoiding blue light to avoid the issues it can create. A great option for this is a nice pair of blue light glasses.
These can look exactly the same as typical glasses, but are designed to filter out blue light instead of improving vision. You can find these on Amazon for $20-$30. You could also get a blue light filtering app for your devices. Likewise, you can find some of the best here.
It's Important to Create a Healthy Work Environment for Yourself
If you want to ensure your productivity levels stay high, it's always a good idea to consider your environment. The chair you sit in, the food you eat, and even the light reaching your eyes can all hugely affect how you work or study.
So take some of these tips on board to ensure you get that work done, and don't forget to give yourself breaks!