I Analyzed This Home Office for How Well It Promoted Health and Productivity: Here's What I Found
By Donald M. Rattner, Architect
A nonprofit organization representing journalists and editors recently approached me with an intriguing proposal: would I write a piece for its quarterly magazine analyzing the design of a home office belonging to one of its members in terms of its effectiveness in promoting mental wellbeing and productivity?
How could I say no to that? Especially after receiving the charming photograph of the space in question, pictured above?
Here’s a marked-up version of the image, keyed to the comments that follow below.
Home office for a journalist. Courtesy of the IRE Journal.
A
Few elements in our environment are as beneficial to mental and physical well-being as abundant daylight, views into the distance, and glimpses of foliage — and all three are visible through the windows. Bravo!
B and C
I like how the theme of Nature is repeated inside by means of a desk plant (B) and the beautifully poised pooch (C). These both compound the restorative effects of natural stimuli and enlarge the sense of space by connecting indoors to out.
D
Speaking of beautiful pooches, one study found that employees who brought their dogs to work registered lower stress levels, higher levels of job satisfaction and had a more favorable view of their employer than those without canine companions. Other findings show similarly positive influences on people in pet-friendly households.
E
It’s a tad ironic that our animal friend is resting his haunches on a zebra-skin style blanket. Irony aside, it’s worth noting that our minds react to simulations of Nature about as intensely as to the real thing. Even subtle allusions to organic growth, such as the basket under the desk (E), whose design evokes palm fronds or similar plant-based products, can improve our mental state.
F
Blue was an excellent choice for the chair upholstery. Among other things, it lowers blood pressure and instils calm. No wonder it’s the world’s most popular color.
G
Many researchers currently believe caffeine ingested in moderation promotes health. So drink up!
H
It’s heartening to see good old paper and pen alongside their digital counterparts. Abundant evidence indicates that vigorous hand movement improves information retention and energizes regions of the brain associated with creativity and long-term neurological health (for example, here, here, and here).
I
Propping up the laptop with an inexpensive stand could stave off back and muscle ailments by discouraging the user from hunching over the keyboard.
J
The optimal height for a desktop computer places the top of screen at or slightly below eye level; depending on the user’s height, it might be necessary to swap out the dictionary underneath to achieve the proper alignment. In any case, I suggest picking a book with a different cover color, red being known to increase heart rate, blood pressure, and appetite. Work (and staying slim) is already hard enough.
K
If there’s one significant change worth considering, it’s to turn the desk ninety degrees so that its short side abuts the window wall and the individual faces into the room. This would help eliminate the anxious feelings we sometimes experience when our back is to a space and we can’t see who’s approaching. Such feelings are a genetic legacy of our days on the African savanna, when protecting oneself from attack by unseen predators meant the difference between survival and becoming some animal’s lunch. It would also reduce the optical strain that comes from looking at a computer placed in front of a window (I), the eye no longer shutting down at the same time as it’s trying to make out what’s onscreen.
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This post first appeared in the Investigative Reporters & Editors Journal, Q3 2020.
Donald M. Rattner is an architect, educator, and author of My Creative Space: How to Design Your Home to Stimulate Ideas and Spark Innovation