It’s expected that 50% of the UK workforce will work remotely by 2020, with almost 1.5 million employees currently ditching the office for their dining table.
New research reveals that London has the highest number of remote employees, with 408,000 people using the home as their main office and 250,000 people working from home every day of the week.
Several factors affect how productively you work from home, from the position of your chair to the music you listen to.
With this in mind, our experts reveal how to create the perfect setting.
Feng Shui
Feng Shui is the art of placement, teaching us how to position objects in the space around us to balance energy and create harmony. It has had a huge impact on the aesthetics of interior design and plays a huge role when creating a productive workspace.
To follow the art of Feng Shui, you should separate your working and living space to encourage good ‘work and home life’ balance.
Feng Shui expert, Priya Sher, shares how to position your furniture to create the most productive workspace. She said: “Avoid the sofa, as this provides a space that can energetically separate your living and working life. Position your desk so that the back of your chair has the support of a solid wall.
“Avoid sitting with your back to the window or open shelves is also a good idea. According to Feng Shui, open shelves act as arrows in your back, and a window in your back can make you feel unsupported.”
Other things to consider include the amount of clutter around you. “Avoid placing work files and paperwork on the floor as it signifies a deterioration of your business/career.”
“Also, avoid working from the bedroom,” Priya said, “If you have a choice of rooms, the East and South- East rooms are great for working.”
Color
Color Psychologist Angela Wright states four primary psychological colors: red, blue, yellow, and green. Whether you work indoors or outside, surrounding yourself with specific colors can help boost productivity.
She states: “If you’re in a physically demanding job, red is a great productivity booster. Workers that require a lot of physical exertion, such as tradespeople, personal trainers, and tree surgeons, may respond well to red.”
“Use blue for a productivity boost if you’re an office worker, it’s brilliant for completing administrative tasks or projects that require maximum focus. Add a splash of orange if you need extra inspiration.”
“For innovators and entrepreneurs, yellow will help if you have a little brain fatigue. It’s great for a productivity boost and will get your juices flowing.”
“Finally, if you thrive in a calm environment, green is the color for you. It’s great for people who practice yoga or meditation.”
Music to improve your mood
Like listening to music while working? Turns out it could be making you more productive.
The connection between listening to music you like at work and an improved mood is vital, says Teresa Lesiuk, Associate Professor of Music Education at the University of Miami.
Her research shows that listening to that music often produces “mild, positive moods” and being in that frame of mind can be helpful when attempting to get work done.
It turns out it’s not just classical music that stimulates productivity – however, we’d avoid anything too heavy.
Teresa Lesiuk states that personal choice is important, especially in those who are moderately skilled in their jobs. Those who listen to music often enjoy completing tasks more quickly because the music improves their mood.
Songs that include sounds of nature can enhance cognitive functioning and improve concentration levels.
If your work requires you to be more upbeat, listen to music that matches this tempo. Baroque is a good choice if you have much work to do.
Keep it cool
If you’ve ever worked in an office, you’ll know how difficult it is to get the temperature right and keep everybody happy.
Working from home means this is one less thing to worry about – as you are in full control of the thermostat.
Previous studies suggest that the perfect temperature to maximize productivity should be between 20 and 25 degrees Celsius. However, as our bodies are all different, keeping the room at a comfortable temperature should do the trick.
