Although working from home isn’t a new phenomenon, the pandemic has made remote working a central part of many of our lives. With that said, procuring the right working from home setup is essential to productivity and wellbeing, as small adjustments can help prevent strain, injury and fatigue.
Working from home in a smaller space poses its challenges, but there are many ways you can optimise your living space to accommodate a work station, even if you don’t have a home office. Read on to learn our top tips for working from a Pocket home.
Working from home in an apartment
One of our key working from home tips is to situate your work station near a window to ensure that you receive adequate amounts of sunlight. Your desk should be perpendicular to the window, and blinds can be used to reduce glare. This allows you to intermittently look out to the view, which is good for your eyes and focus.
If you need additional light, consider supplementing natural light with artificial task lighting. Focused and adjustable lighting can help you find the right amount of light for your work station, especially on grey days. Smart lightbulbs connected to a smart hub are also a great option for controlling light throughout your home, including colour temperature. Whether you choose desktop or wall mounted lighting, find products that enable the lamp position to be altered and the angle to allow for greater variety for direct and non-direct lighting.
Another tip for working from home in an apartment is to open the windows at lunchtime and at the end of the day for at least 30 minutes. By letting fresh air into your home office, you will improve indoor air quality and reduce C02 levels that can make you feel fatigued and reduce productivity. House plants are another way to purify air naturally, and you can even buy an air purifier.
Finally, be intentional when it comes to choosing your workspace furniture. Select an adjustable height chair with castors, and position your screen is at eye level between 52 and 73 centimetres away from your face to prevent neck, lower back and eye strain. A modular furniture system is a good option for your work station, as it can bring together shelving, storage, a television space and a desk at levels for both seated and standing work.
Working from a Pocket home
When talking about a Pocket home specifically, what is the best way to set up your workspace? There are several options, with some more desirable than others. Our preference is to place a desk in the living area, perpendicular to the window, which suits a flexible furniture solution and allows you to have a dedicated space for working. This also makes it possible for you to utilise your television as a second screen for your laptop.
Another solution is to use your dining table, although this will not give you as much exposure to daylight. Since this is your eating space, we recommend getting away from your desk to take breaks if you opt for this set up, and make sure you consider the ergonomics of your chair. The kitchen countertop can also be used for periods of standing work.
Finally, if you prefer working from home in your bedroom, we recommend that you place a desk in the alcove opposite the window or in the area perpendicular to the window of your Pocket bedroom. However, we’d like to note that working from your bedroom can affect your sleep quality and ability to separate work time from personal time.
We have designed our Pocket homes to maximise every inch of space, with all the necessary design features for a first time buyer to live and work comfortably in an urban city. We hope these working from home tips help you utilise your living space to its full potential, allowing you to be more productive and maintain a good quality of life whenever you’re working remotely.
If you’d like to begin your own journey to owning a Pocket home, register for a My Pocket account and have a look at our developments for sale.