Why Your Bedroom Isn’t Your New Office

If you didn’t already work from home, then the idea of remote working amidst the Covid-19 global pandemic may seem quite novel and liberating – no morning commute, no need to get dressed, favourite TV show on in the background and working from the comfort of your bed when you’re too lazy to get up.

However, working from home does take a lot of hard work and dedication. You need to structure your day like you would in the office otherwise you may find yourself succumbing to the lure of your bed. And while that may seem appealing – let’s face it, there’s nothing more comfortable than your bed – it’s not conducive to working smarter or sleeping better.

Why working from the bed may impact sleep?

According to The Sleep Council, bedrooms should be kept for two things: sleeping and sex.

With a third of us getting by on less than six hours of sleep per night, this makes this even more important. Working from your bedroom can have a negative impact on your work, productivity, posture and sleep. The chances are most of us are feeling slightly more anxious than normal given the current Covid-19 situation so it’s key you strengthen the mental association between the bed and sleeping. That means avoiding taking work to bed and any worries!

Even just checking emails before we go to sleep can impact on your sleep quality. The blue light that is emitted from these devices suppresses melatonin levels affecting the time it takes for us to fall asleep, plus the content we are consuming may also make us more alert and stimulated.

Put boundaries in place

When you work from home it can be tough to separate work from your home life. You need to set, and maintain, clear boundaries. Ideally, you need your own office area – not the bedroom. If you don’t have a spare room, then try to set up a designated office area e.g. this could be a corner of a room with a pull-out desk, an area under the stairs etc.  Do your hours and avoid work creeping into personal time.

Remember if you do work from bed the odd day, and we mean an odd day, make sure your bed is up to scratch. It should be super comfortable and supportive!