The vision of an office has changed considerably in recent years. It’s not just about the coronavirus, which has made many of us start working from home, but also about the technological advancement that continues to create new solutions to work from any place. Still, mobile-friendliness is no substitute for the convenience of a well-equipped working surrounding, where we typically spend many hours (approximately 40h.) per week.
A smart office, even a home office, is a multi-component structure. If we talk about furniture, lighting, and used materials, here everything is essential, even including pleasant little fine details. To organize the space where you work properly, it is critical to stick to the rules of ergonomics – an applied science that is invented to literally make our lives comfortable. Fortunately, current smart furniture manufacturers have a great variety of high-quality automated goods for office and home workspaces. One of the bright examples is an adjustable work desk with its unusual feature to set up the tabletop according to your preferences for standing work.
If you have not heard about this innovative computer desk before, you may find it strange and difficult to imagine working while standing. But, the result will make you think differently. The thing is that when balancing your working process between standing and sitting from time to time, you will feel more productive and less tired throughout the day.
What Does It Mean to Have a Smart Desk?
The desk should be such that the hands do not get tired, the chair – so that the back does not hurt, and the monitor – so that the neck and eyes are in order. After all, the more comfortable the workplace, the higher the productivity, and in general it is more pleasant to spend the inevitable long hours. And if almost every detail can be controlled – light, temperature, the softness of the chair, and the rigidity of the work schedule – it is important to understand how to do this and what options there are.
Obviously but the workplace begins with the desktop, and you should choose it based on your need. For example, an architect needs to place drawings, models, and notebooks on the table – and it’s good if not samples of building materials – so it’s better to immediately count on a larger area. But if you only need a computer and a cup of tea to work, you can get by with a compact model.
And yes, desks can be smart too. For example, they are already being produced with sensors that allow you to control the temperature in close vicinity – you can literally create your own climate in the workplace. There are also energy-saving models: the table itself puts all the equipment into standby mode when a person moves away from it. Or smart tables, the height of which can be adjusted manually, but automatically by connecting them to the application on the phone.
Not everyone is ready to install an expensive desk stuffed with sensors at home, but “smart” can mean “thrifty” and “convenient”. So, the manufacturer Progressive Desk offered several simple options for a height-automated table for standing and sitting work. Did you know that in a sitting position, the load on the back is almost twice as much as when working standing up? You should, definitely, try it to feel the difference!
For a home office, you should also look at tables that move easily, in case you want to move the workplace from the kitchen to the bedroom. Such a model could be Solo Ryzer or Economy Ryzer by Progressive Desk with the standard for them smart features and compact size.
However, nothing prevents you from actually setting up a desk with storage for cans of beer, a compartment for snacks, and chains with which you can cuff yourself to it in case of burning deadlines.
The point is that you can effectively use the surface of the desk only to the extent that you can reach it with your hands. If you sit at the table in one position, then this area is less than if you stand side by side, being able to take half a step to the side in an instant. The ability to change the location and position of the body at least for a short time helps to look at tasks from a new angle.
Of course, an important part of the workplace atmosphere is light. With lighting, everything is simple: the most comfortable for the eyes is natural, but the daylight hours are usually shorter than the working day, so you can’t do without lamps. Smart lamps already know how to independently adapt to the user. In general, light control, that is, regulation of brightness and operating time, reduces energy consumption by 15-20%, which is also economical.
Optimize Your Space and Conquer
In addition to the basic things – a table, a chair, and a computer – the workplace is usually full of all sorts of little things. The issue of tangled wires, as a rule, is solved by wireless charging. Pens, paper clips, business cards, and everything else that for some reason has not yet gone into a virtual format are organizers.
Hayley Mann is a technology enthusiast specializing in automation methods of ergonomics devices. Her engineering background helps her to create interesting articles on technical topics, making them understandable for all readers.
