K Madhavan shares tips on how to transform your place of slumber into a workspace
The advent of work from home has upended routine life as we knew it, and one key change has been the narrative surrounding our beds. What was earlier a sanctuary of rest and relaxation has now become a multipurpose space, often serving as a high-functional, productive workspace as well. However, from back-ache to increased sleepiness, a wide variety of problems can hamper productivity if this workspace is not designed right. Here are five simple tips to ensure that your bed is well-designed for optimal productivity:
Get the right equipment
Immense research has been done on the ergonomics of office spaces, and offices go to great lengths to ensure that their space is optimised for work. However, when turning our beds into our offices, we tend to ignore these aspects. A comfortable mattress that is optimised to prevent back-ache is now more important than ever. Additionally, cushions, boulsters and bed tables can ensure that your posture is right, and prevent discomfort while working.
Keep it clean and clutter-free
Just like a messy desk can hamper productivity, a cluttered or unclean bed can do a lot of damage. Spills can be more difficult to clean on beds, and using a mattress protector is essential to prevent damage to your mattress and keep your bed clean. Avoid surrounding yourself with paper and work paraphernalia while working, and try to set up a system of organisation even if you are working from your bed, such as folders or bedside drawers. Additionally, using fitted sheets can help prevent your bedding from moving around as you shift in your bed during the day, and anti-pilling comforters can help avoid pieces of lint.
Ensure optimal lighting
From reducing eye strain and headaches to improving your mood, the right lighting can do wonders for your workspace. Moving your bed close to your window can increase exposure to sunlight and enable you to reap many benefits such as reduced sleepiness, increased focus and better mood. Aside from overhead lights, bedside lamps or clip-on lights on your bed can help improve the lighting in your workspace.
Minimise distractions
Distractions are often considered the greatest enemy of productivity, and working from your bed, rather than at a designated desk, can often amplify the tendency to get distracted. White noise and noise cancelling headphones can help tune out any noise in your surroundings. Moreover, letting your family members know that you are at work and do not want to be disturbed can also help reduce interruptions. If you find yourself getting distracted very frequently, this might be a sign that you need a break. Stepping away from your work and taking a short walk can help you stay focussed after you are back.
Create a ‘sleep zone’
One common challenge that individuals face when working from bed is the absence of a boundary between work and relaxation.To fall asleep quickly, and enjoy a night of uninterrupted sleep, it is important to ensure that your brain realises the difference between the need to be active and productive, and the need to relax. Clearing away all work-related items from your bed at the end of the day, switching from overhead lights to ambient lighting, adding calming scents through candles and essential oils and having a comfortable blanket that is used only while sleeping can help separate your sleep zone from your work zone, even within the same physical space.
While work from bed has now become a trending aesthetic on social media, transforming a space traditionally meant for sleep into one for work can often be a tall ordeal. While individuals engage in extensive research on the right ergonomics and products to be used in an office, the same is not done when one is turning their bed into their workspace. Therefore, the need of the hour is to engage in the right practices and invest in good-quality products to facilitate a comfortable and productive experience.
(The author is the MD of Peps Industries pvt. ltd., a spring mattress company in India.)