Tip To Maximise Your Office Lighting Design

It seems like one of the main things that offices are known for is their bad lighting. You know what we’re talking about: stark, white overhead florescent fixtures that seem to give you a headache the moment you step into the doors. Fortunately, we’ve seen a definite uptake in home office spaces over the past few years. Even now, more than two-thirds of Australians are still working from home.

But while many of us have left the corporate office lighting behind, does that mean that our home office lighting is any better?

We’re here to let you in on a little secret: your home office lighting is important! If you want to boost comfort and productivity in your home workspace, it’s essential to know how to light it right. This quick post will tell you all you need to know about the importance of lighting, how to have better workplace lighting and where to find the best home office lighting fixtures. Ready to get started? Let’s go!

Does Lighting Affect Your Work?

But wait, is lighting that important? After all, I can still get work done no matter how optimised my light is, right? It’s all just a matter of preference, isn’t it?

We beg to differ.

While we won’t go so far as to say that the right lighting is as important as your laptop, computer programs or the other tools of your trade, we aren’t going to…well, make light of it, either. The truth is, choosing the right lighting in an office space can make a huge difference to your short-term and long-term productivity, happiness, and even health! Here are a few ways that home office lighting can impact you.

Mood

Light plays a huge role in how you feel at any given moment. Don’t believe us? Step outside on a sunny day and take note of how you feel. Do the same thing on the next overcast or stormy day as well and compare.

Just like in nature, the lighting in your office space can impact your mood. Dim, low lighting can lead to drowsiness or relaxation, while extremely bright lights can make you feel more alert but can also make you feel tense or upset.

Creativity

While brighter lights may help increase productivity, the opposite is true when it comes to creativity. A study done in 2013 suggested that dimmer lights can promote creative thinking by creating a feeling of freedom. This means that if you need to generate some ideas, then warm, low lighting is a good choice.

Productivity

Several studies have shown that the colour temperature and intensity of office lighting do affect productivity. Dim, warm lights can cause drowsiness and eye strain, making it difficult to complete work effectively. On the other hand, both natural light and colder colour temperatures have been shown to impact work productivity.

Health

Did you know that poor office lighting can impact you both mentally and physically? Improper lighting has been shown to negatively impact our circadian rhythm (or internal clock), throw off sleep schedules and lead to migraine and headaches for some people. Healthy office lighting is clearly a beneficial investment!

5 Tips for Better Workplace Lighting

It’s quite obvious that lighting is important — so how do you achieve the best home office lighting possible? Here are five things you can do this week to achieve the goal of healthy office lighting.

1. Get More Natural Light

Make it a goal to work in daylight as much as possible, especially early in the day. Natural light will help keep you awake and alert, reduce eye strain, help increase productivity and improve your mood. If you have a source of natural light in your home office, be sure to keep it unobscured by heavy drapes or blinds. It’s also best to try and keep natural light sources in front of or next to your work surface to maximise your view and reduce distracting glares.

2. Avoid Glare

Working on a laptop or desktop? Glare is likely going to be one of your biggest grievances. Glare happens when light reflects off of a surface, and the result is very distracting and makes finding the perfect home office lighting for computer work difficult. The best way to avoid this problem is to keep your computer away from natural light sources and use artificial lighting such as recessed or indirect lights. Try not to have illumination sources pointed directly at your screen.

3. Invest In Task Lighting

One of the best things you can do when arranging lighting in your office space is to invest in high-quality task lighting. Task lighting is one of the three main types of lighting; the other two types are ambient and accent. It’s designed to supplement ambient lighting and create a focused area of illumination for a certain activity to help reduce eye strain and increase focus. Task lighting comes in many forms, though the most popular office options are adjustable table or desk lamps.

4. Switch to LEDs

If you haven’t done so already, swap out your old lightbulbs for LED options. Not only is this better for your wallet and the environment, but it’s also better for your workday. Many LED lights come with dimmers or adjustable features that make it easier for you to receive the right kind of light while you work. And unlike other types of bulbs, LED lights are not likely to cause headaches and eye strain, seriously impact melatonin production or interfere with your circadian rhythm.

5. Adjust Your Lights Throughout the Day

Unless you work in a closet office, chances are you’ll have the opportunity to adjust your office lighting throughout the day to make work more comfortable and productive. Stick to cooler, brighter colours during the morning (such as natural light and blue ambient light) and progress to warmer, yellow colours as the day winds to a close. Having greater control over your lighting is a sure way to help you feel more satisfied with your workspace. You may want to invest in dimmers or other adjustable lighting options to help you achieve this.

Discover New Home Office Lighting Ideas at The Lighting Outlet

You may not be able to do much about the lighting in your office building, but your home workspace is another matter. If you’re ready to take control over your in-house lighting design, we hope that these home office lighting ideas can help!

Be sure to check out our range of lighting solutions for high-quality, affordable lighting fixtures that will meet your every need. Have any questions? Our friendly team is always ready to lend a hand. Reach out to us today to learn more!