5 Healthy Work Habits from Your Garden Office

2020 for many, is likely to be remembered as the year that revolutionised flexible working and working from home. Some have had it forced upon them whilst others have relished the opportunity, and no matter why you now find yourselves working from home, it really can be so rewarding on many levels.

Whether you are an employee, a sub-contractor or even a business owner, working from home provides the ability to avoid hefty rents, save time and money on commuting, embrace a better work-life balance and provide total flexibility.

With a large proportion of the UK staying at home this year, holiday plans shelved, for the time being, many are turning their attention and their savings to home and garden improvements, so why not think about workspace improvements and consider installing a garden office.

Why is it Important to Create a Healthy Home Workspace?

Implementing a healthy workspace is paramount, especially if you’re not used to working from home.

Thinking that you can just set yourself up from the dining room table, or the spare bedroom, as and when you need to, will be disruptive and difficult. Your concentration will be compromised and your productivity levels will flag. You will tire easily, deadlines will be missed, and pressure can quickly set in, affecting your health and welfare.

This may also affect your personal relationships as well as your relationships with your work colleagues and peers.

You need to set up rules around your designated workspace so that is off-limits to everyone else during your working hours. Try to stick to a regular schedule and if possible, only go to your designated space when you need to work. It is also important to walk away from your workspace once your hours are done so that you can switch off completely.

Creating the Perfect Working Environment in 5 Easy Steps:

Step 1 – Eliminate Distractions!

There is no doubt that in order to work successfully from home, you need to set up a dedicated healthy workspace where you won’t constantly be bombarded with noise and distractions. Trying to answer phone calls or emails in the midst of everyday family life or spreading out across a busy kitchen table will not provide a space conducive to working. It is important to create a peaceful, stress-free zone in order to be able to fully concentrate and focus on being productive. The hustle and bustle of the family or even pets around you, will provide too many distractions, your focus will drift and then your work rate will drop.

Step 2 – Create a Suitable Workspace

Plan your space so that everything you need to work comfortably with is within reach, otherwise, you will forever be wandering around looking for things, providing many opportunities to get distracted.

Ensure your office furniture is comfortable and practical and that you have everything you need to work efficiently, such as a computer, a printer, a telephone and any other essential equipment you may need. Set up video conferencing channels such as Teams or Zoom so that you can stay connected with your colleagues.

Block out excessive noise from household members or traffic by wearing headphones or listening to soft music or soothing nature sounds which studies show can actually calm part of your brain, helping you to concentrate better whilst lowering your heart rate and blood pressure.

Your interior design, in particular your colour choices, can have an effect on your mood and working habits. For help picking the right colours for your office, read this article which has some great information on colour selection.

Step 3- Have Lots of Natural Light and Airflow

Light, bright and uncluttered spaces are well known to be more motivational than dark cluttered spaces.

You will also need to consider the temperature of your space; too hot and stuffy will have you wilting within hours, too cold and your concentration will quickly falter.

Good airflow will keep you alert and refreshed for longer.

Step 4 – Include Regular Breaks: Clear Your Mind and Make Better Decisions

In order to keep yourself focused and fresh, it is important that you take regular breaks away from your screens, allowing you to refuel your mind and body.

Be sure to take a full lunch break and walk away from your computer so that you will feel refreshed when you return, ready to tackle the afternoon ahead.

Get outside as much as possible, do some gardening, take a walk or even a quick jog. Research shows that spending time in nature lowers stress, helps you relax and clears your mind assisting you to make better decisions and remain completely focussed.

Step 5 – Pack Everything Away

After a successful day’s work, put your work away and tidy your work area so that you can start afresh the next day.

Keeping work reminders out of sight keeps them out of mind, and helps you relax and recharge your batteries, setting a positive tone to each new day.

 

Bringing It All Together

So, creating a healthy workspace successfully can be really simple, if you plan it carefully.

You just need to create a dedicated space that you associate with work, that has lots of natural light and good airflow, away from all the distractions within the house.

A space you can make your own and set up to solely meet your needs, and no one else’s!

A space that is surrounded by nature within a tranquil setting.

A space that could incorporate an outside seating area for those all-important breaks away from the computer screen.

A space where you can develop healthy home working habits.

The solution is actually very simple – an outdoor office or garden office from SMART Garden Rooms, Offices & Studios. The Affinity Range can be supplied with a covered canopy area, perfect for relaxing and entertaining or the Key Studio Range with an added deck will provide outside seating to escape to.

By installing a SMART garden office, you can create the perfect dedicated workspace, away from the everyday distractions, complete with lots of natural light and a peaceful and calming interior – you can even add an outside seating area!

Let SMART Garden Offices Help You

With 7 beautiful and diverse ranges available in up to 64 sizes, there is a SMART to suit every taste, garden size and budget.

All SMART’s boast full thermal insulation, UNLIMITED double glazing and professional installation, with prices starting from as little as £7,788.

With a SMART garden office, you have the ability to create a garden office that is bespoke to you, configured exactly as you would like. With a whole host of optional extras and upgrades, the only thing that will limit you is your imagination.

SMART is one of the UK’s leading garden room manufacturers with over 19 years of experience in the garden office marketplace. Crafted and manufactured in the UK, a SMART garden room is a product of innovation; combining raw materials, traditional craftsmanship and CAD/CAM technology resulting in a high-quality product that can be installed on-site in a matter of days and which will last a lifetime.

With a peace of mind 10-year structural warranty and finance options available, a SMART garden room is a perfect solution to creating a dedicated healthy workspace simply, quickly and cost-effectively, whilst still adding value to your property.

To order your brochure, click here.