What kills our effectiveness? Home office investigated.

Change your working position!

Motivation is inseparable from well-being, which then affects our health. No need to commute or move around the office means that we move less than usual. Our only physical activity for 8 hours is often the way to the kitchen to grab a coffee. If we also unwind in front of a screen after work, we may end up spending up to 12 hours a day in the sitting position, whereas sitting for too long results in muscle cramps and an increased risk of straining or even tearing them. Besides, the lack of physical activity can be blamed for excessive fatigue as reducing the stimulation of body circulatory system slows down the heartbeat. Let's remember, therefore, to take frequent breaks.

Just the action of changing the position of the body has a beneficial effect on us - we shift our body strain and thus other parts of our body can rest. It is recommended to stand up at least every hour. Ideally, using a desk with an adjustable table top, it’s best to work in 45-15 sessions, where after 45 minutes of sitting, we work in a standing position for 15 minutes. Our efficiency boosts by 10-20% * when standing, so it isn’t only our health that can benefit from it. Research* shows that the employees who use desks with adjustable heights are more focused by 71%, more productive by 66%, and less stressed by 33%.

Choose flexibility!

Our response to the needs of home office work are desks from Wariant collection. You can choose models with a fixed top height and with electric and pneumatic height adjustment. We can customize the chosen model so that the desk has high partitions, as well as side partition screens that provide a lot of privacy and a sense of intimacy. The trendy range of colors of both the frame and the upholstered elements will allow the desk to become an aesthetically attractive element in your home space. Wariant is a collection of mobile furniture thanks to which we can change the way a space is arranged.

For those of us who treasure every square meter, a compact desk with a folding top is the ideal option. After finishing work, the home office is hidden and the room regains its former functionality. Opty stationary desks will appeal to traditionalists even more. Their simple and minimalist form will work in any interior while and its good workmanship will allow you to enjoy using it for years.

Sit well

Choosing the right chair seems to be obvious while arranging a home office. Nevertheless, it is observed that the price is often the main criterion when making the purchase. Although it’s understandable, the purchase may quickly disappoint us as when we buy a chair for work, we hope that it will allow us to work for many hours in comfort. Unfortunately, the cheapest chairs on the market often don't have anything to do with it. So, let's take a little more time to choose the proper office chair, bearing in mind the many hours we spend sitting on it while working. It will definitely pay off.

We should also remember about the right posture while sitting. Adjust the height of your chair so that your wrists rest on the top and your elbows on the side of your body form the letter L. Your feet should lie flat on the floor and the top of the screen should be at eye level. The distance between the face and the screen varies depending on the size of the monitor, but it is assumed to be between 40 and 80 cm.

Self-reliance not loneliness

Last but not least, to remain effective, we should also take care of our relationships with other people. It turns out that organizing your work remotely and fulfilling most professional duties online isn't an issue for many of us. What employees miss the most while having a home office, however, is the daily socializing over coffee or lunch. While working from home, unlike in the office, we don't waste time chatting on private matters, and thus, we also don’t develop connections with one another. Due to the lack of direct contact with co-workers, we can experience a decline in mood and motivation. Such a situation can lead to worsening the quality of teamwork and stirring up communication problems.

So, don’t settle for purely professional calls and e-mails. Let's exchange experiences and stay in touch. Now, as never before, team-building meetings have become particularly relevant, even if they need to be moved to online reality. An evening with wine is still possible. You can also organize an interdepartmental, online tournament with board games since a bit of rivalry is always a good idea. Home office has multiple benefits, but as you can see, it is not flawless. If working from home is a new experience for us, let's treat it as a project which needs to be done. Let's prepare ourselves properly, be consistent, and enjoy the results of our work.