6 Tips for Better Home Office Lighting

When you work from home, the quality of lighting in your workspace can determine your level of productivity. Poor lighting can sap your energy and even cause eyestrain and headaches. Generally, ambient lighting isn’t enough for a home office.

Here are six pieces of advice to think about when curating your office lighting.

1. Utilize Natural Light

Sunlight produces warm lighting, which can improve your overall work environment. This natural light can come from a window or skylight; it is important, however, to account for direct sunlight that can create an unwanted glare throughout the day.

2. Indirect Lighting

Consider lampshades to help soften and scatter light throughout your space. You’ll want to avoid working directly under overhead lights and instead illuminate your home office evenly without casting shadows.

3. Decorative Office Lighting

Most home offices will have ambient and task lighting, but you may also want to add decorative and accent lighting for style. Wall sconces are visually appealing and can help draw attention to objects or other elements in the room. Many options can be found at Ferguson Bath, Kitchen and Lighting Gallery and Dial Electric Supply Co. Inc.

4. Get Rid of Glare and Shadows

Remember to think about where your light is coming from. When a light source is set behind you, it might create an annoying glare on your monitor. The same goes for if you write with your right hand — it may cast shadows if your task light is also placed on the right.

5. Create Task Lighting

A desk lamp is great for task lighting in your home office. You can place it near your computer so that it’s helpful while you do paperwork and other focus-intensive tasks.

6. Blue Light Blocking

If you work into the evening, think about wearing a pair of blue-light glasses to block those rays that can disturb your sleep later. Another option is a blue light-blocking screen to help filter out blue light and reduce disruption to your sleep pattern.