5 TIPS for Setting Up Your Workspace

If this health crisis has made one thing clear to us, it's that our homes can become much more than just places to sleep or watch Netflix until the wee hours of the night. For many, it has served as a movie theater, arcade, doctor’s office, daycare, restaurant, and even an office. Perhaps it could have served all these purposes at once, but given that remote work is here to stay, we need to optimize our space to the fullest—not only to be more productive but also to feel better.

How to Take Care of Your Health While Working From Home

Space—or rather, the lack of it—is one of the biggest challenges when it comes to creating a suitable workspace at home, but it’s important to carve out a space that helps us be productive and to make sure we have the right furniture and equipment to work comfortably and effectively.

That's why at Apricotte, youronline store for blue-light-blocking glasses, we want to share a few tips on how to make your home a healthy workspace.

1- Natural light

Being cooped up all day can make us feel disconnected from everything we love about nature and being outdoors. If you can, set up your desk in front of a window. Studies have shown that views of greenery—even in your peripheral vision—can help you feel rested and rejuvenated, allowing you to concentrate for longer. In addition, natural light has a major impact on us;Exposure to natural light helps regulate the body’s natural circadian rhythms (sleep and wake cycles), so you’ll not only feel more alert during the day but also sleep better at night.

Make the most of the brightest, sunniest days by sitting near a window, even if it’s just for a few hours a day. ““We shouldn’t underestimate the importance of natural light for our health and well-being,” explains Catharina Björkman, an expert on the Scandinavian lifestyle at Contura.

2- Bring nature into your home

Desk plants and flowers offer a burst of color, brightening up your workspace and improving the air quality around you. If you’re like us and love plants but can’t seem to keep them alive for more than a couple of weeks, we recommend aloe vera. NNot only is it easy to grow, but it’s also known for its air-purifying qualities, as it removes common household toxins. It also has antibacterial properties, and its gel can be applied topically to help heal minor cuts, scrapes, or burns.

Aromatic herbs, such as spearmint, rosemary, and peppermint, are easy to grow, and their natural scent will brighten up your workspace. They’ll also come in handy for cooking (or making a delicious cocktail after work). Other aromatic plants such as lavender, reduce heart rate and blood pressure , promoting a more peaceful and restful night’s sleep, which is vital for aproductive work routine.

3-Make a desk your permanent workspace.

We know how unproductive a makeshift office environment can be. Adding a desk to your life provides a permanent and comfortable home for your laptop. Take your time to find the right desk for your space (standing desk, desk

(folding, ladder-style, etc.) and, if possible, choose a desk with a drawer so you can store your notes, files, and laptop after work.

If investing in a new desk isn't an option right now, buy a laptop stand that you can place on the dining room table. When you look at the computer, your eyes should be almost level with the top of the screen. Typically, the screen or monitor is positioned too low. That’s how you end up craning your neck or slouching. There are two simple solutions.

If you're lucky enough to have a monitor or desktop computer in your home office, place a few books under the stand to raise it to a comfortable height so it’s level with your eyes. With a laptop, you’ll need a few more accessories: a laptop stand (sometimes called a riser) and an external keyboard and mouse. The stand should add a few centimeters of height and tilt

4- The Chair

We know how tempting it can be to work from the couch or bed, but this can cause serious back problems. The solution? An ergonomic office chair.

Ergonomics is the fancy term for observing the space around us and ensuring that the way we interact with it “makes sense.” For example, a seat that moves with you is very important for back health.

5- The Blue Light

!We’ll never get tired ofsay it! Excessiveblue light is extremely harmful. Not only can it cause serious eye damage, but it can also disrupt our sleep patterns and affect our mood, making us more tired, more irritable, and much less productive—which has a major impact on our mental health.

In addition to wearing your blue-light-blocking computer glasses every, we recommend that you take regular breaks regularly and thereby relieve the strain from your back, neck, shoulders, and arms. A walk outdoors will help improve brain function and concentration and reduce stress levels.