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How to keep your home office light and bright in the darkest months

BySF News

Oct 21, 2021 #Energy, #life

It can be harder to stay motivated in the winter. The colder weather and shorter days reduce our intake of natural light, decreasing our productivity levels.

We once relied on the hustle and bustle of the office and our daily commutes to wake us up, but with the introduction of home and hybrid working, people may find themselves feeling more sluggish than normal on the darker days.

To help keep you on top of your work, lighting experts at The Lighting Superstore have offered their top tips for illuminating your home office to combat the winter months and keep you feeling energized.

Bounce the light

Although we will have less access to natural light in the winter months, it’s still best to make the most of what you’ve got. By adding mirrors strategically around your workspace, you can maximize the daylight you do get.

Angle your mirrors to face the windows in the room so you bounce the light around the room. This not only brightens your office up but can also make the room feel far more spacious.

Couple your mirrored surfaces with light coloured painted walls for the best results.

Layer lighting

Stark overhead lighting can drain the brightness of a room and if light doesn’t reach the corners, it minimises the space making it feel small, tired and cramped.

By placing additional lighting fixtures to layer the space, it will instantly feel more comfortable and an inviting place to work.

Look to add a desk lamp next to your computer to create a task lighting space, being careful not to position in front of your screen as this can create glare and actually be counterproductive.

Line shelves or surfaces with LED strips and consider an extra floor lamp to fully illuminate your office and have more control over the light, throughout the day.

Add some personality

Sometimes it takes more than just light to brighten up a space. Personal flourishes can completely transform a mundane environment and make it feel more homely.,

Just because it’s an office and you’re there to work doesn’t mean it has to be boring. Add colourful cushions, gallery walls of your favourite pictures or decorative lighting, like this quirkily shaped lamp – for extra brightness and character.

It’s in the details

While layer lighting is important for creating an inviting and visually space, overhead fixtures are still key in a home office – as is getting them right.

Research has shown that working in blue hue lighting can boost productivity, increase alertness and reduce fatigue, so carefully choose your home office bulbs this winter, opting for a cooler tone for optimum productivity levels.

Choose an overhead lampshade that diffuses the light reaching all areas of space, rather than casting great shadows and beating down as you work.

Location is key

A really important step in creating the ideal home office is its positioning. Feng shui is the ideology that the positioning of interiors can affect the mood of the space, so be sure to play around before you settle on a structure.

By facing the desk towards the window and embrace access to natural light, you will benefit from the exposure to the sun, making you feel more energized and productive. This will also avoid any screen glare that can be damaging for your eyes and give you a sluggish feeling at the end of the day.

Natural light lamps

For a little extra boost to your home office lighting, consider investing in a ‘daylight lamp’. These clever little additions emulate the natural sunlight, preventing the dreaded SAD (seasonal affective disorder).

In the moody mornings or darkened evenings, pop your daylight lamp on to help wake yourself up. They are known to increase serotonin, calm anxiety and boost your mood – all important things for creating the perfect environment for the working day.

By SF News