We have entered a digital era that seems to be producing and developing groundbreaking technology almost every month.

Many things that exist in 2020 wouldn’t have been a part of our wildest dreams a decade or two ago. Virtual reality gaming allows us to escape the world we know and enter new augmented realities. We spend as much time talking to Alexa and other artificial intelligence creations as we do our family and friends and we own smartphones with facial recognition, insanely high-quality cameras, and too many other gadgets to name.

We are also — because of these technological advancements — becoming more and more location flexible when working and no longer necessarily rooted in one place. This — of course — depends on your profession and your working environment, but every year more and more companies are increasing their workplace flexibility.

Increased workplace flexibility is all thanks to the emergence of wifi, online messaging tools, cloud-based technologies, and video conferencing platforms. These factors have allowed working remotely to be just as effective as working in an office and as such home offices are becoming a more important feature for potential property buyers. The only problem lies in trusting employees. Many businesses allow working from home but want to make sure employees are as productive — or more productive — working from home as they are in an office.

Here, we go over some of the most important factors to consider when designing a home workspace — the things required to make a bespoke home office a comfortable place to concentrate and consequently, keep productivity at an optimum level.

Recreating an ‘Office Space’: Your Desk and Chair

Working from home is brilliant for most, but you can’t operate from your bed or sofa. To be working at your peak, you need to be upright and focused. So you need a designated workspace that avoids distractions and is somewhere you can work comfortably and as focused as if you were at an office desk.

One of the biggest problems with focusing at work is remaining in the same position for long parts of the day. This problem can be even worse if you’re working from home while sitting on a makeshift office chair, like a stool or dining chair. These seating options aren’t designed for long, extended use. So Invest in a chair that supports your back and has ergonomic benefits. You can buy chairs and desks cheaply — just remember style and durability are less important than comfort. Good seating can combine all these options as long as it suits your height and allows you to maintain a good posture.

Keeping Spirits Up: Natural Lighting

When you think about it, businesses do so much to try and keep spirits high and workforce morale positive. Be it team-building exercises or Christmas meals, all workplaces need a good atmosphere to motivate employees and make them feel happy with their work environment.

Keeping your spirits up is even more of a challenge when you are working solo as motivation is just down to you. You might think being at home is your most comfortable place and it is. But it is easy to become disillusioned with your job if you aren’t in the right working environment — and anybody can feel like this if they are spending hours in one place.

To tackle cabin fever, it’s essential that home workspaces are well lit and connected to the outside world. Give your home office plenty of natural light. Try to situate your workspace near a window or at least somewhere with natural light. Windows, exposure to the outside world and natural light have a huge impact on employees’ physical and mental health. So move obstacles from windows and use mirrors or reflective surfaces to bounce natural light around the room and make your home workspace more productive.

Plants and Colour

Natural light is often considered the most essential office perk, but that doesn’t mean you should stop there. The objective should be to customise a home office and make it as comfortable and pleasant as possible. Things like plants and pictures go a long way at improving your workspace and overall happiness. Research shows that plants improve productivity levels and mood.  That added greenery is great for relaxation and giving your home workspace some character and colour.

Framed pictures and colour are welcome in all forms so long as they aren’t overwhelming or distracting. Subtle art and ornaments that don’t get in the way or shout out are great. Try to match them with surrounding colours or with any plants around the desk.