Home Office Hacks: How to Use Technology to Your Advantage

Staying fit and productive in a home office environment requires a blend of discipline, smart habits, and the right technology.

In this blog post, we’ll discuss how to use technology to your advantage to create a balanced and efficient home office setup.

Home Office Hacks: Using Technology to Stay Fit and Productive

Here are some strategies and technical tools that can help you optimize your workspace, stay organized, and improve your health and well-being while working from home.

Workspace Setup

Decorate your office with pictures that induce calm and happiness or books that inspire you.

Room Temperature

Maintaining a comfortable temperature in your office is essential for productivity.

The ideal room temperature can vary depending on factors such as humidity, the clothing you wear, and your level of physical activity. These elements affect your thermal comfort and therefore your preferred ambient temperature.

In addition, climatic differences can cause people to become accustomed to higher or lower temperatures. In general, a common range for an ideal room temperature is between 64 °F (18 °C) and 73 °F (23 °C).¹

In the summer, a fan or a small, smart air conditioner for the office can be very useful. These devices can often be controlled remotely, allowing you to adjust the temperature without leaving your desk.

If you have a garden or a well-ventilated room with large windows at home, consider moving your workspace there during the summer to reduce electricity costs.

Another option is to work in a library or café during extreme temperature periods, such as winter or very hot summer days. This change of environment can also benefit your mental health, as it provides an opportunity for a short walk and the chance to meet new people in these working spaces.

Air Quality

An air purifier can improve the air quality in your home office, reducing allergens and pollutants that can affect your health. Especially if you suffer from allergies like pollen or dust, an air purifier can be a game-changer. I have the AC0820/10 from Philips.

Room Divider

If you share your office, a room divider can provide privacy and reduce distractions.

Smart Lighting

Proper lighting is essential for a productive workspace.

Smart lights have a chip inside, allowing them to communicate wirelessly with other devices. Each light can connect to an app, smart home assistant, or other smart accessories, enabling you to automate your lights, change their color, or control them remotely.

Hue by Philips offers smart lighting solutions that can be adjusted for brightness and color temperature to help reduce eye strain and create a comfortable working environment.

You can also program your lights to automatically change brightness at the same time each day. Controlling the amount of light you are exposed to helps regulate your circadian rhythm, which aids in falling asleep at night and waking up in the morning. This makes it easier to establish a consistent wake-up and bedtime routine.

In addition, you can set your digital devices to automatically switch to the dark mode at a certain time of the day. This will help reduce exposure to blue light at night.

Whiteboards

A whiteboard helps keep tasks, deadlines, and ideas visually organized, making it easier to manage your workload. Easily track progress on projects and goals by updating the whiteboard regularly, providing a constant visual reminder of what needs to be done. A whiteboard can also be a valuable tool for illustrating concepts and sharing information clearly.

Organizational Tools

Using a calendar, to-do list, notebook, and color-coded sticky notes can provide a quick visual reference for important dates and tasks, helping you stay organized.

Having a notebook at your desk is extremely useful. It allows you to write down assignments, messages, appointments, and important thoughts as they come to mind. This way, you won’t forget them and can address them later.

Google Calendar

Google Calendar, or a similar calendar app, is incredibly useful for time management. It helps you schedule your work and personal appointments, set reminders, and structure your day by dividing it into specific segments of time.

It can also be synchronized with your contacts and devices, allowing you to automatically see the birthdays of your friends and your upcoming events.

App and Website Blocker

1Focus is an app and website blocker for Mac that can help you eliminate digital distractions. By using 1Focus, you can significantly reduce your exposure to unwanted content and maintain a healthy balance in your digital life.

With 1Focus, you can block websites and apps on your Mac for a set period to help you stay focused while you work or study.

Smart Assistants

Voice-activated assistants like Alexa and Siri can be invaluable in a home office. They can set reminders, manage your calendar, play your favorite music, and even control other smart devices in your home. This hands-free assistance helps you stay organized and focused on your tasks.

For example, I use Alexa reminders and timers every day. While I’m cooking, I can set a timer to take the food out of the oven. Throughout the day, Alexa reminds me of important appointments. Additionally, it can be programmed to turn lights on and off, open and close window curtains, and start the robot vacuum.

Building Healthy Habits

Incorporating simple, healthy habits into your daily routine can significantly improve your well-being and productivity.

Apps like Easy Habits can help you build good habits and break bad ones. With its simple, distraction-free design, you can track your daily progress, set reminders, and see your daily streaks.

Staying Fit at Home

For physical fitness, platforms like Fitness Blender offer a variety of free workout videos that you can follow along with at home. I have been working out with these videos since 2015 and really love how well-designed the website and the content are.

You can sign up and create an account, which will allow you to create your own calendar and schedule. Alternatively, you can just follow along on YouTube. I do a 30-minute workout daily after waking up, before going to work. They offer a wide variety of workouts, from yoga to strength training, all designed to be done at home.

I haven’t found anything better than this. As an example, here are two of my favorite short videos from them: Low Impact Cardio Workout for Beginners and Easy Stretches to Do at Work.

To keep track of your calorie intake and weight goals, you can use MyFitnessPal.

Exercise Equipment

Incorporate exercise equipment like hula hoops, dumbbells, a yoga mat, exercise balls, back rollers, and foot rollers into your workspace. These tools can help you stay active and relieve tension throughout the day.

Treadmill Desk

A treadmill desk allows you to stay active while working. Walking at a slow pace while you work can improve your overall health without compromising productivity.

Extra Tips

Portable Tech

If you decide to work from a café or a library, it can be very useful to take a portable and foldable laptop stand, mini keyboard, mouse, and noise-cancelling headphones. These are essential for maintaining ergonomics and productivity when working on the go.

Stay Hydrated

Keep a water bottle at your desk to ensure you stay hydrated throughout the day.

Convenience Items

• Keep hand cream in your drawer to prevent your skin from drying out, especially if you’re washing your hands frequently.
• Keep tissues and a small trash can within reach to maintain a clean and comfortable workspace.

Health Checkups

Regular checkups with your doctor are essential to monitor your overall health, including eye health, which can be affected by prolonged screen time. If you feel tired all the time, can’t sleep, or suffer from mental health issues, don’t hesitate to consult with a professional healthcare provider.

Conclusion

Creating a productive and healthy home office environment is possible with the right mix of technology and smart habits. By optimizing your workspace, you can improve both your productivity and your well-being. Incorporating regular exercise, maintaining a comfortable room temperature, and using smart assistants can further streamline your daily routine.

Start implementing these tips today and see the positive changes in your work-from-home experience.

Further Reading

You may also like: Treadmill Desks: Combining Fitness and Productivity at Work

The recommendations provided in this article are based solely on personal experience and are intended for informational purposes only. This article is not sponsored, and no compensation was received for the products or services mentioned.