Electric.ie July/ August 2020

ELECTRIC.IE • The Magazine & Website for the Irish Electrical Industry • 29 Locking down productivity at home O ur working environment undoubtedly has a huge impact on wellbeing and productivity levels. The temperature, light and noise all make an instant and long- term difference to how we’re feeling and the decisions we make. Over the last few months, we’ve all had to make changes to the way we work and there’s a strong possibility more of us will continue to work remotely. To help boost productivity and wellbeing at home, here are a few top tips: Flick the switch The lighting that you choose in your workspace can take a massive toll on your physical and mental health, with a lack of lighting having the ability to cause migraines or eye strains. Fortunately, utilising what you have such as natural lighting or updating your home to include smart lighting systems will help you feel more motivated and alert. According to a recent report from the UK Green Building Council, workers with good access to natural light are up to 40% more productive. Of course, some home working spaces might be restrictive when it comes to natural light, but if you can make sure you have as much as possible it will make your workday that much brighter. However, if you can’t get real daylight, there are many solutions in place which can get you close to it. Using dimmer switches, for example, will give you a better work environment that is tailored ‒ By Sean Miller, Electrician Programme Manager at Schneider Electric Schneider Electric to your personal needs. Nobody wants their work environment to have a blinding clinical feeling, but nobody wants it to be too dark to work in either. Feeling the cold If you’ve ever had an ongoing thermostat battle with a colleague, then you’ve experienced the annoyances associated with workplace temperature issues. Now is the right time to make sure you have the perfect temperature to work from home, without having to stress about the fluctuations of hot and cold. Individuals must remember that having the ability to tailor their temperature to suit their needs might have a direct effect on overall energy usage. It’s important to keep heating within a specific range to ensure energy use and cost doesn’t skyrocket. By adopting smart home technology such as Wiser Heat, you’ll be able to keep an eye on the energy you’re using and optimise it to suit your needs as well as your budget. With multizone systems such as Wiser, each room can be controlled individually, which is ideal when you spend most of the working day in one room. We must remember that being cold hurts our productivity and optimal temperatures can actually make us happier. Sitting comfortably? Last but not least, your posture plays a key role in ensuring you can work productively outside the office. At home, you have the option to sit anywhere and not be confined to a desk. But making sure you have the right space with the right chair will improve your attention span and productivity. There are many factors to consider to ensure that you protect your mental and physical wellbeing while working from home. Adopting simple solutions like smart lighting and heating, and making sure that you pay attention to your posture, will allow you to get your job done in the most efficient and productive way possible.