Home office cannot do without lighting, but the type of light source plays a decisive role. Daylight in the room prevents many unsightly phenomena such as premature fatigue – but artificial light also has a positive effect, provided it is used properly. We show you which lights to recommend, when and why to enjoy productivity at home.
IDaylight in the Home Office: Why is it Important?
Daylight performs many useful functions for us whether we are at work or not:
- It controls the production of hormones. This, among other things, is responsible for why you feel different in the evening than in the morning.
- It controls our day-night rhythm. Without daylight and thus the position of the Sun, our internal clock does not know what time it is.
- It promotes productivity. Many studies show that people in daylight are more productive compared to darkness.
Of course, the last point doesn’t apply to you personally, but it means the population average. There are certainly night owls who are especially productive after dark – for example, because the phone is silent and they can focus better. However, on average, daylight has a positive effect on your productivity. Therefore, you should not ignore this phenomenon and test it at least temporarily.
How Do I Make Enough Daylight In The Home Office?
If possible, work in a room with large windows. However, do not position the desk in such a way that you look directly in front of the monitor in bright sunlight. It’s best to work with daylight on your side or behind you (although the side is best). If you are going blind, daylight will do you no good, because the pressure on your eyes negates the effect of daylight.
It follows that there can be a lot of daylight. If your room is so flooded with light that it’s distracting, the right roller blinds will help. You Can Work on Almost Any Window With the Right Tools Get engaged in just a few simple steps, This way you darken the room exactly as you feel comfortable. Especially in mid-summer with several hours of sunshine a day, you shouldn’t do without it.
working with daylight in the home office
many studies prove that early risers are more productive, earn more on average and are happier overall. This puts them well ahead of those who go to bed very late and start work late in the morning. If you manage to use the increased daylight hours for your purposes, you will be more productive, more successful at work and thus probably happier in the long run.
The Right Tools for Daylight Home Offices
There can be one downside to working in your own office with exposure to strong sunlight: monitors. Many models are not anti-reflective, resulting in bright light reflectance on the display. Of course, constantly turning yourself around to see something on the screen is not conducive to productivity. That’s why we recommend two things for your monitor:
1. Buy a device that is anti-glare. If you work on a notebook, you should use a model whose display is also matte. Reflection is a thing of the past and you can see everything perfectly from every perspective. There are also compatible files for retrofitting.
2. An alternative are very bright monitors or notebooks. These have such a high basic brightness that the images are easily overlighted. However, especially with the reduction in daylight, it brings with it the problem that the display is probably too bright and you will have to adjust it.
Artificial Light: Can It Replace Daylight?
The answer to this question is: Yes, but…! There are special daylight lamps for use in the home office. These differ from “normal” lights in a number of technical properties. Daylight Fixtures You Should Install in Your Home Office At least 5,300 Kelvin. to the color temperature of Come. To explain: the higher this value, the cooler the light. Use very low values, for example, for atmospheric lighting in the living room in the evening. These lamps have a low color temperature, which gives the light a yellow-orange cast. It’s comfortable, but not exhilarating. Sunlight from 5,300 Kelvin and above has already been well simulated. It is very bright, cool and whitish-blue in colour. This will help you mimic artificial daylight in a home office with minimal natural daylight. Light intensity is also important Lux . is measured in, Values of 500 and above are mandatory in offices, with 1,000 and above simulating real daylight. Fewer lumens lead to a light that’s a little too dark, which is also white and cool, but doesn’t quite achieve basic brightness.
Other Important Technical Features
There are little non plus ultra daylight lamps that automatically adjust to the respective position of the sun and thus to the brightness outside. So as it gradually darkens, these lights reduce their color temperature and brightness, causing the sun to literally set even in the home office. It can help calm your body. If the light stays too bright even though it’s already dark, you can disturb your day-night rhythm.
As with normal daylight, the same applies here: don’t set the lights on in such a way that you go blind. Then you’re trying to avoid glare round the clock, which is counterproductive.
direct and indirect lighting
For a home office, you should try to combine direct lighting with indirect lighting.
Your desk should always be well lit, which you can easily achieve with a lamp directly above you. Alternatively, use a floor lamp that stands next to the desk and provides adequate illumination. LED strips attached directly to the wall behind the desk also work well. Important here again: Be careful not to dazzle the bar.
How much direct light is desired depends on personal taste. “Helps a lot” isn’t always true, as too much light can have a disruptive effect. Then it is better to use indirect lighting.
benefits of indirect lighting
Indirect light can be both natural and artificial daylight. It reflects all light sources that are not aimed directly at the desk. For example, you can place a floor lamp in another corner of the room, which then fills the ceiling and reflects back onto the desk. Indirect lighting has a number of positive qualities:
- It eliminates harsh shadows cast by direct light. Indirect lighting softens and the excessive contrast between light and dark areas on your desk disappears.
- It provides uniform illumination throughout the room. So you don’t have an oasis of light at your desk while the rest of the room is dark, but everywhere you feel like you’re sitting and working in a room filled with daylight.
- With energy-saving LED lights, you don’t have to worry about indirect lighting being too expensive. The cost is certainly small compared to what you can generate at your desk.
Conclusion: work better thanks to daylight
In the office, the employer usually ensures the right conditions. At home, though, you’ll have to do it yourself—and lighting is a good place to start. Natural daylight from the sun is best combined with artificial daylight. It increases your productivity and prevents premature fatigue during long working days.
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