WORK SMARTER IN YOUR DREAM HOME OFFICE

Right now we're working from home more than ever before. With this increase in working from home in some capacity, it makes sense to personalize your home office to make it as comfortable and efficient as possible, helping to boost productivity in the process.

A 'smart' office seems the perfect place to get things done, especially when you consider that a smart office will do a lot of things for you that you'd normally have to do yourself.

Tedious jobs like getting up and turning the air conditioner or fan on, or closing the curtains to cut the afternoon glare, will break your concentration. When we're interrupted from our work it can often take a few minutes to get back into the groove of things. In fact, studies have shown that interruptions throughout the day can total up to 28 billion wasted hours a year for all workers. Yikes! 

Don't worry, you don't need a personal assistant to manage distractions while you work from your home office. Smart home products can help you cut down on interruptions, focus on your work, and check off all the items on your to-do list. Here are some smart home products that can truly take your home office to the next level. 

Voice Control

No matter which automated system you utilize in your home office, voice control is the ultimate way to control it.

Without even needing to break eye contact with your screen, just ask Alexa or your Google Assistant to do the task for you.

Everything from customized lighting, climate control, indoor and outdoor window coverings, security, and even your speakers for work-related audio can be controlled with a simple voice command. 

Office Lighting

Office lighting is very important; you need good lighting to be able to work efficiently.

You also need different types of lighting for different jobs, and with home automation, you can control them by voice as the need arises. Smart lighting in your home can often be controlled through a central home automation system by creating scenes. For instance, you can create an Amazon Alexa routine that lowers your shades and turns on your lights when the sun begins to set. This can also be a good sign for you to start wrapping up your workday, as it can be harder to maintain a work-life balance when working from home. 

It's no secret that natural lighting improves wellbeing and work performance. With Somfy, you can precisely adjust natural light to suit you, using our stylish Situo remotes. 

If you plan to work at night, smart lighting will be beneficial to you. It's been shown that warmer lighting at night - with the blue light removed - can make it easier for you to get to sleep later. Many smart lights have different color settings, so you can create the perfect lighting effect. Get creative and experiment between several colors to find the one that works best for you.

Window Coverings

Perhaps the most annoying part of working from home next to a bright sunny window can be the glare on your computer screen. But as we all know, natural light is essential for workplace productivity.

In fact, a recent survey found it was the number one office perk most employees look for from their workplace. Another study by  Alan Hedge, a professor in the Department of Design and Environmental Analysis at Cornell, found workers sitting close to a window reported a 2% increase in productivity, and workers with access to natural light reported an 84% drop in eyestrain, headaches, and blurred vision symptoms. So clearly, natural light is important even if it sometimes results in annoying sun glare on your monitor. 

You don't need to waste time trying to cut glare yourself when the touch of a button or voice control can open and close your window coverings to suit your requirements, all from your comfy office chair. Alternatively, you can install sun sensors so that your blinds adjust automatically, according to the amount of sunlight.

If you know what time sun glare usually becomes unbearable in your office, you can use the myLink app to create a schedule to automatically lower your shades. This way you can say goodbye to sun glare without even thinking about it, every day.

Working from home can help you concentrate, but it can also be full of its own interruptions and distractions. This is why it's important to get your home office set up for success. Home automation products like voice assistants and automated lighting can help you create a home office environment where you can truly focus on doing your best work.