A survey conducted by Premier Inn explored how Brits have adapted to remote working during the COVID-19 lockdown, with more than half (54%) of those surveyed reported to have transformed their bedrooms into a makeshift office.
The hotel company’s survey included 2,000 adults working from home during the current lockdown period, examining how they were adapting to working life after offices closed up in March this year.
In this research, Premier Inn found that workers have been splashing out on items to help optimise their bedroom environment, 13% reported to have purchased a desk chair, 10% having bought a new desk, whilst 17% invested in a pillow that was comfy to lean on.
In addition to this, just under half of participants in the survey reported that waking up in a messy bedroom lowered their mood during the day, whilst 52% claimed that both their night and morning routines had altered dramatically since working from home – a third having more sleep than when working outside their homes.
This research was conducted to raise awareness to the importance of separating your work and sleep environment, Premier Inn’s head of sleep Sarah Simpson commenting:
“We welcome millions of guests every year and no one understand better than us the importance of getting a great night’s sleep – which is why we take such great care in getting all the details in the bedroom right”
“As more and more people are working from their bedroom it is important to have a bed that supports you for both work and sleep and that your bedroom environment is set up to support both uses.”
Simpson has also listed a range of top tips to help optimise your bedroom for this unprecedented shift to remote working, many of which attempt to separate your work from your sleeping routine as much as possible whilst conducted in the same space; including packing away work equipment when finishing for the day and tidying the bed before starting work to get you in an organised frame of mind.
Simpson states that there are “loads of things” remote workers can do to help optimise their bedrooms to these new adjustments, “From starting your day right by getting out of your pyjamas to winding down and getting into crisp, clean (crumb free) sheets”
How Long Will Remote Working Last?
Whilst the government’s advice still remains to work from home where possible, after their recent review late last month, a number of changes have occurred, including the reopening of many different businesses.
In response to this, companies have started planning for how to phase employees back into their offices, the government still urging for workers to only be allowed back into the workspace where necessary, and only when these spaces can effectively execute and manage measures that help to further slow the spread of COVID-19 (e.g. social distancing and hygiene practices).
However, with a range of different workspaces beginning to open up this month, the government’s latest revisions to lockdown mark the beginnings of Brits being allowed back into the office.