In the past few years, you may have transformed your guest room, living room, or bedroom into what was supposed to be a temporary home office. Since then, home offices have become an integral part of our day-to-day lives. According to Zippia, around 66% of US employees now work remotely, at least part-time. We work, eat, and yes, sometimes even sleep, in these spaces, which is why it’s so important to set up your home office with smart technology. A smart home office can help the workday run more smoothly, making your home life easier too.
What is a smart home office?
Smart home offices are the future of remote work. According to a survey conducted by Mordor Intelligence, the smart office market industry is predicted to reach $66 billion by 2026.
A smart home office uses tech to fully automate your workspace, improving productivity and efficiency. Smart technology takes care of menial tasks for you, so you have the time to focus on the important projects. You can also access your smart office devices remotely. If you only work from home part-time or need to take work on the road, smart technology makes the transition a smooth one. With devices like a wireless mesh network, smart lighting, a smart thermostat, Google Home devices, and smart desks, you can streamline your work-from-home life.
Wireless mesh network
If you’re looking for a WiFi system that provides full coverage for your home and your smart home office, a wireless mesh network is the perfect choice. As you take devices with you from room to room, a mesh system automatically gives you the strongest available signal by switching to the closest “node,” a small device also called a satellite or access point.
You can connect all your compatible smart devices to the mesh system. Then, whether you’re at home or away, you can control your connected smart home devices, such as lights and thermostat, from your phone. Most mesh systems also come with an app so you can customize your experience.
Smart lighting
Smart lightbulbs are a convenient and cost-effective way to turn your office into a smart home office. A smart bulb can last up to 50,000 hours, about 50 times longer than a typical lightbulb, and they offer the same level of quality and brightness—all while saving you money on your energy bill.
As mentioned before, you can control smart lighting from your phone, Bluetooth, and WiFi. Forget to turn off your lights before leaving the house? Want to turn on the porch light before coming home after a late night? Hoping to deter robbers while you are out of town by keeping a light on? Smart bulbs can do all those things and more. Some LED bulbs also allow you to change the color of your bulbs. Warm up your home office by changing the lighting to a gentle yellow or make your office more appealing to clients with a fun, matching color scheme.
Smart thermostat
With a smart thermostat, you can adjust the cooling and heating of your smart home with the simple click of a button. You can also set schedules to meet your needs throughout the day. Some smart thermostats sense when you leave or enter your home, automatically adjusting the temperature based on your set preferences.
Are there multiple people in your household working or learning remotely? A smart thermostat with multi-room or zone settings will provide the maximum control over your environment, allowing you to adjust the settings in each room or office based on individual preferences—no more fighting over the thermostat!
Smart home hub
Creating a smart home office can become overwhelming with the sheer number of devices, settings, and apps at your fingertips. One easy way to connect all your new devices is with a smart home hub, which puts all your tools into one manageable app. There, you can set schedules and see how your devices work together to create the ultimate smart home office setup.
Some smart home hubs have screen displays while others use speakers. Still others can organize devices by the room or floor of your house, which is ideal for a home office. You can set up your smart hub with voice commands, so you can simply tell the hub to dim the lights on one floor or turn on the AC.
Smart desks
Another amazing product to automate your home office is a smart desk. There are plenty of good smart desks on the market, but one that gets consistently great reviews is the SmartDesk Pro by Autonomous. The SmartDesk Pro is a standing desk that offers four programmable settings with an upgraded electrical dual motor. It is height adjustable and has a load capacity of over 300 pounds, while being roomy enough to fit two monitors.
Sharing your smart home office with others? The SmartDesk Pro features their quietest motor yet, at just 40 dB. You can also save your personal settings so if someone else adjusts your desk, you can easily return it to your saved position.
How to make the most of your smart home office space
Along with adding smart technology devices to your home office, there are other ways you can optimize your workspace. For example, be sure to position your desk or smart desk near a power outlet. Cord organizers neatly store your power cords without worrying about tangled lines. You can also place wireless chargers throughout your home, so no matter where you’re working from, from the couch to the dining room table to bed (no one’s judging), your devices are always fully charged.
Creating a smart home office takes a bit of research, preparation, and installation. But once established, you can tap into high-tech functionality to make your work life easier and more enjoyable. What smart home devices do you use? Drop us a line in the comments below. We’d love to hear your ideas.
