Improve Your Productivity with a Smart Home Office

In the past most people had to be in their company’s office to do their job. Only a small percentage of Americans were able to work from home. The Covid pandemic changed all that. Now almost 60 percent of U.S. workers say they can do their work from home. And, more companies have shifted their workforce to remote work or hybrid work. This has led to more consumers investing in better and smarter home offices.

If you are one the millions of Americans who now work from home, you already know about all the perks. However, you may have discovered some disadvantages such as slower internet, more distractions, and a need for better computer and video conferencing options. There are a ton of ways to improve your productivity with a smart home office. Here are a few ideas for creating the best smart home office.

1. First things first, reliable high-speed internet is a must-have!

Everyone loves the idea of working from home, but there are a few things you may take for granted when you do. When you work in a corporate office, you may have gotten used to your company’s high-speed internet. Business plans generally provide internet speed that’s as much as five times faster than you can get with a personal internet plan. This may not seem like a big deal when you’re streaming movies or surfing the web, but if you need to upload large media files or presentations, you will quickly discover just how inadequate your home’s wifi network is.

If you’re not a networking professional, your first thought might be to upgrade to a business internet plan. While this may give you more speed, there’s more to a fast, consistent network than just having a high-speed internet plan.

If your wifi network isn’t professionally set up, you may still have issues with a splotchy or slow internet connection. This is especially true if you live in a large house, or your office isn’t located close to your router. If you want the fastest speed for uploads and downloads, it’s best to have a professional come out and configure your network for you. A professional installer can also make sure your network is secure.

2. Your lighting matters more than you might think.

If you’re trying to make improvements to your home office, the lighting may not be your first priority. But, great lighting is essential for a smart home office. Even if you have the best ergonomically designed desk, office chair, keyboard, and mouse, that won’t make up for bad lighting. According to research by J Environ Public Health, inadequate lighting can lead to anxiety, fatigue, lethargy, headaches, eyestrain, migraine, nausea, back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, poor concentration or lack of mental alertness, and daytime sleepiness.

If your office has windows, you can optimize the lighting by opening the blinds and moving your desk closer to the window. But, an even better option is installing a smart lighting system. Not only will it improve the lighting, but it will also make your home office more efficient and you more productive.

You might also consider smart blinds. Motion sensors and a smart home automation system like Control4 can automate your home office for the best lighting. You can use smart home scenes to create the perfect morning routine, such as automatically opening the blinds and turning on the lights when you enter your office. And at night, your blinds and lighting can be programmed to close and turn off automatically.

3. Add smart speakers to make your office even better!

If you do a lot of video conferencing, the right set up is a must. If you handle any type of video conferencing like Zoom meetings, client-intake meetings, or company conferences, having the right set up is important. A noise-canceling headset with a built in microphone will make your sound quality better so that everyone can hear and understand you.

If you want an even better sound system for your conferencing or listening to music, adding smart speakers will make your home office more enjoyable. One of the perks of working from home is that you can blast your favorite music while you work — if you want to. Plus, music boosts productivity and energy, which are two things you need a lot of if you work from home.

These are a few ways to improve your productivity with a smart home office. If you’re ready to find out more about home automation or designing a smart home office, call us today at (678) 392-2363 to learn more.