Home Office Harm: How to Spot It and Stop It
It might sound dramatic to say your home office is a harmful space—unless, of course, it’s been wired incorrectly or you’ve balanced a printer on a rickety shelf above your head (we’ve all made rushed storage decisions).
Still, it’s a mistake to assume your workspace at home is automatically supporting your well-being— especially if you spend hours there every day while also juggling the needs of your family.
Between managing work deadlines and helping with school runs or snack refills, it’s easy to overlook how your environment affects your energy, posture, and even your mood. But a few small tweaks can make a huge difference. Here are some subtle ways your home office might be working against you — and how to fix that.
Air Quality
A home office that doesn’t get enough airflow or sits in the corner of the house where dust tends to collect can leave you feeling sluggish before the first hour’s even passed. It’s a good idea to open a window if you can, keep a small desk fan or air purifier around, and clean behind your monitors or shelves now and then. Plants can also help give the room a bit more life and stop it from feeling like a sealed-off box. Even a small low-maintenance plant on your desk can freshen the space – and it’s one thing in the house you won’t hear asking for a snack every 10 minutes.
Posture & Movement
When you’re balancing meetings, kids’ interruptions, and chores, it’s tempting to just grab the dining chair and sit wherever’s quiet. But poor posture adds up fast — and can leave you with aching shoulders, tension headaches, and a stiff lower back.
Quick wins like using a lumbar cushion, raising your laptop to eye level, or setting a timer to stand up every 30 minutes can help. Creating a small spot where you can stretch or pace (even if it’s just around the kitchen island) can also break up long seated sessions. You don’t need a fancy setup — just one that encourages your body to reset throughout the day.
Screen Exposure
Between work emails, online grocery orders, and catching up on school communications, your screen time is probably sky-high. Add in helping the kids with homework or the occasional cartoon distraction, and your eyes rarely get a break.
One simple step is to adjust your screen’s brightness so you’re not staring into a glow that could light up the whole neighbourhood. Using blue light glasses is also something to think about, especially if your job has you hopping between meetings, spreadsheets and emails all day or you often work in the evenings after the kids are in bed. Looking away from the screen now and then, even just to stare out the window for a few seconds, gives your eyes a much-needed rest and can boost your focus when you get back to work.
