Jun 27, 2022

3 Benefits of a Dedicated Home Workspace

Remote working has become the norm for many people across Australia in the last few years. By now, we’ve established that there are some clear benefits and downsides to working from home.

Benefits of working from home
No daily commute! This is a huge time-saver, allowing for more sleep and cutting out stressful rush-hour traffic.
Working from home also creates a flexible schedule for day-to-day tasks like hanging up the washing and even just being home to sign for parcel deliveries.

Downsides of working from home
It can be difficult to draw a line between work mode and home mode. We find ourselves answering emails whilst eating breakfast or finishing off tasks late at night. Productivity and a work-life balance is poor because the physical and mental distance between office life and home life has disappeared.

The solution? A dedicated home workspace.

Benefits of a Dedicated Home Workspace

1. Productivity

The science:
As humans, we instinctively create cognitive biases (mental shortcuts) toward physical spaces in our day-to-day life. These help us establish order and purpose for each space.

When working from various locations within our homes, we disrupt the order and blur the purpose of each space. This causes us to become easily distracted. For example, working from the kitchen table might prompt us to start thinking about the shopping list or encourage frequent snack breaks that distract us from work tasks. Creating and maintaining a dedicated workspace reduces the potential for these distractions and helps us focus on our to-do list.

With a separate office space, we’re removing ourselves from our home life. The look and feel of this space has its own established purpose – a legitimate office room to focus and get tasks done. The temptation to do non-work-related tasks decreases and home distractions are removed, generating enhanced work focus.

2. Physical well-being

When working from the dining table, kitchen island or sofa for hours on end, our posture is neglected. Incorrect posture can cause back and neck pains, tension headaches and consistent cramps.

Creating a clear desk space with a supportive chair, a raised screen to meet eye level and space for a mouse. The height and structure of a desk space has been specifically designed to keep us supported and comfortable while working for long periods of time. Investing in a home office will offer physical benefits that last beyond working years!

3. Mental well-being: the work-life balance

For many people, working from home has skewed the balance between work and our personal lives. Work hours stretch into the evening creating burnout as it’s almost impossible to fully switch off.
Having a physical location to associate with doing work helps create mental boundaries between home and work life.

Work smarter, not longer.

With a dedicated home workspace, we’re able to mimic the motions of entering the office, breaking for lunch, and leaving the office at the end of our set working hours. This allows our minds to switch off at the end of the work day and focus on family, friends and personal projects. A strict schedule and clocking-out system will also help us reach daily targets within a consistent time frame, so work responsibilities don't eat into our free time.

Once a clear boundary between work and home life has been created, we are in control of our schedule. We have more time to spend on mood-boosters such as exercising, nutritional cooking and socialising. Days feel more productive and energy levels are high resulting in a healthier and happier overall life.

Top tip:
Leave any work electronics in your home office to help disconnect from the work mindset. Leave the stress of work at your office door and enjoy quality time with loved ones!