Lockdown: Why you shouldn’t set up your office in your bedroom

With South Africa in lockdown, non-essential businesses are now closed or forced to operate remotely. This means that many of us are experiencing what it’s like to work full-time from home. While this presents us with many challenges and limitations, it also provides us with the comforts of home.

Naturally, we’d look for the most comfortable and accommodating room to work in. The bedroom can easily be the most obvious choice. It’s your own private space and you can even work from your bed. It sounds perfect.

Despite these luxuries, working from the bedroom may not be as beneficial as you think, especially if you are working on your bed. Here are some reasons why you should avoid working in your bedroom.

Poor sleep

Studies have shown that working in your bedroom can lead to a poor night’s rest. This is because of the mental association your brain creates with an environment. By using your bedroom for work, you disrupt your brain’s mental association to relax in this room. This can make falling asleep difficult and even lead to insomnia.

This is also because of the mental association created with an environment. Your mind already associates your bedroom with relaxation based on your lifestyle before the lockdown. This can make it difficult to focus on the tasks in front of you.

Less productive

The bedroom also has many temptations. You might find yourself easing yourself into bed or scrolling through social media for longer periods out of habit. out of habit. These habits can be distracting and also reduce your productivity.

Poor posture

It’s common knowledge that hunching over your computer for extended hours can lead to poor posture and backaches. This is why it’s so important to work at a table or desk. It can also help to take a break every few hours and stretch.

Most of us don’t have office furniture in our bedrooms and may resort to working on the bed or a comfortable chair in our bedroom. These settings are soft and pleasant but they don’t offer us adequate back support. We might not feel it immediately, but this places a large amount of pressure on our spine and can lead to back problems in the future.

Where should you work instead?

With our most preferred option now out of the question, where should you work if you don’t have a room you can dedicate to your career? Unfortunately, there is no definite answer. It depends on the person’s needs and their home environment.

Ideally, an effective workspace should be comfortable and away from distraction. This space or room can be shared with other household members seeking a similar environment or be your private space. It’s also an advantage if there is a desk or table you can use. Your chosen space should be set up to your preference and dedicated to work-related tasks. This will strengthen the mental association your brain creates and make it easier for you to concentrate.

This content has been created as part of our freelancer relief programme. We are supporting journalists and freelance writers impacted by the economic slowdown caused by #lockdownlife.

If you are a freelancer looking to contribute to The South African, read more here.