When you work from home… Typically, you fawn over your workspace in the beginning, and “want” it neat and organized. You are excited to setup your desk, your printer and computer. The artwork, pictures and your chair is all thoughtfully considered. Then you get to work! The lighting isn’t great, but you ignore it… Next thing you know you are complaining about neck pain, and headaches, and you don’t feel as productive as you were in the office… so what’s wrong? Existing ambient lighting is not intended for functional lighting in the home office, and it’s necessary to add additional sources.
Did you know that the character and quality of lighting in your workspace can help determine your productivity? Poor lighting can reduce your energy, dampen morale, produce eyestrain and headaches, and ultimately impair your ability to work effectively.
So how can you fix it? Consider where your light is coming from. Assess your natural lighting. Sunlight can produce a warm lighting most effective in improving your productivity, but in turn direct sunlight can create an overwhelming glare during particular times during the day.
If you have little to no natural lighting, then artificial lighting plays a key role. For instance, having a light source set behind you as you work on your computer could create an annoying glare on your screen decreasing your productivity, causing eye strain which then leads to that nagging pain in your neck (the one you are probably rubbing as you read this blog). It’s best to have natural light in front of or next to your work space to avoid glare and take full advantage of your outside views. You can also position your workstation facing north or south so that the sunlight doesn’t throw a shadow at any point in the day.
Consider the shadows cast by lamps setup for task lighting. You will want to avoid lamps that cause casting of shadows and floor lamps that bounce light on walls and ceiling. You will want to avoid working under the direct glare of overhead lights as well. Instead, you want to find creative ways to diffuse ambient lighting that will illuminate your whole office space with a warm texture, not a florescent nightmare.
If you are at your desk writing the next best seller or you sit up late hours entering in invoices, and writing estimates you need task lighting. A well-defined light source would suit your needs and feed your productivity. An adjustable or articulated desk lamp can put light exactly where you need it.
Beyond having the appropriate ambient lighting and task lighting, accent lighting can come into play. Do you have a beautiful piece of art? Lighting it up brings attention to it in the room and really updates your space to a new level that you can appreciate and feel like the executive you are.
Contact Farryn Electric today at 484-316-0449 for more information about professionally designed home office lighting.
