The Most Googled Questions About Working From Home
If working from home is new to you, you may have quickly realized that it’s not all midday naps and unlimited snacks. In between the countless video calls, the lack of human interaction, and the loss of clear structure, working from home has a whole set of unique challenges. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by this new normal, we’re here to tell you that you’re definitely not alone.
To find out more about how our customers and community are feeling about working from home — whether they’re longtime remote workers or new to the WFH life — we took to the polls. The Instagram Story Polls, that is. On May 28, we used Article’s Instagram Story Polls to ask some of the most-Googled questions related to working from home and received responses from over 1,500 participants.
This is what we discovered:
95-percent of people are more productive in a well-designed space.
When asked if they’re more productive in a well-designed space, only five percent of people replied “No.” There’s no doubt about it here — people feel more productive in a beautiful space. If you’ve ever tried to get some work done while distracted by your less-than-stylish furniture or a never-ending pile of papers that have nowhere to go, you’ve probably experienced this firsthand.
Whether it’s a modern solid desk that gives you room to spread out with all of your genius ideas, or a smart storage solution that controls clutter, a well-designed space limits distractions — helping you boost productivity.
Two-thirds of people don’t have a separate home office.
It might be a dining table that also functions as a modern desk, or that chair that you dragged from your bedroom, but 67-percent (or just over two-thirds) of us have to get creative when it comes to setting up an efficient work-from-home space.
While a lucky 33-percent of have their own dedicated offices within their homes, the majority of poll respondents are getting double-duty usage out of their spaces. Honestly, your dining chair has been waiting for the moment it gets some screentime during a Zoom call.
The biggest challenge of working from home? Too many distractions, according to 70-percent of participants.
Is it time to change over the laundry? Are the kids fighting about what cartoon to watch again? As 70-percent of respondents said, working from home has no shortage of distractions.
While modern office furniture can’t do your laundry or lower the volume on your kids, a well-designed home office space can help set you up for success. Sitting down at a desk like the Culla can signify the start of a workday, and a shelf like the Fantol Bookshelf can keep things organized so you’re not opening a can of organizational worms whenever you need to find something.
If you’re one of the 30-percent of respondents who are most challenged by their lack of space, there are also solutions that can help you get your work on in the coziest of spots. The Fantol Desk doubles as a bookshelf and sideboard when needed, but can easily be your main productivity station. And if you need a mobile chair that can easily tuck under your desk when not in use? The Svelti Office Chair’s got your back — literally.
76-percent of responses say a comfortable modern chair is key.
While a great desk is definitely important, 76-percent of our respondents say that a comfortable chair is most important when it comes to the perfect home office. This means something with ergonomic support that won’t ruin their back after a day of answering emails or playing solitaire. And, as 67% of respondents are working in double-duty spaces, it’s important to have a chair that isn’t just comfortable, but that can blend in with the modern decor when not in use. The Feast Dining Chair, for example, easily switches between work and play — while providing the padded, high-back support you can count on.
54-percent of participants use plants to personalize their workspace.
With a neck-in-neck result, it seems the biggest takeaway from this one is that there’s no right or wrong way to bring life into your workspace. If you’re like 54-percent of respondents who love decorating with houseplants, add one or two (or ten) to your desk to reap the countless benefits of a lush environment. If artwork is more your thing (like 46-percent of our participants), hang up a piece that brings you joy and look to it whenever you need a moment of inspiration. However you like to add personality to your workspace, you do you.
If you’re looking for an easy way to create a home office of your own, our new expert-curated product bundles remove the guesswork involved in the creation of a beautiful — and productive — space.