Desk in Front of a Window? [Pros+Cons] & [Ideal Setup]
Desk placement is indeed an essential factor to consider if you are working from a home office or workplace. The atmosphere and surroundings of your desk have a direct effect on how well you can concentrate, get work done, and use your time efficiently. You may be intimidated to put your desk in front of a window so that natural light can help you work faster.
But this choice is like a sword with two edges. There are good and bad things about putting your desk facing the window.
If you need to decide the placement of your desk, this will give you a complete guide to decide the place for your desk.
In this post, I’ll tell you why you should or should not place your desk in front of a window. And I’ll recommend the best spot for your desk in your office. Read on to get the answer to Should your desk be placed in front of a window?
Should You Place Your Desk in Front of a Window?
Well, a quick answer to this may be a NO! While placing a desk in front of a window can help you boost your creativity and get exposure to natural sunlight, it does offer some harm. Now, you must be thinking about what could be harmful in desk placement.
If you’ve got a busy or noisy neighborhood, it’ll directly interfere with your work efficiency. However, if you want to stay near the window, you can place your desk beside or near the windows rather than directly in front.
It was a quick answer for all those who were seeking, but every workspace is different. If you want to know all the goods and bads of placing your desk in front of a window, you should read on. You’ll get to decide yourself after examining your workspace design and space for the desk.
Pros of Placing Your Desk in Front of a Window:
1- Natural Light:
You’ll have the best office when you’re sitting at a desk. Sunlight will make your vitamin D levels rise. It also makes your eyes feel better and saves your energy.
Circadian rhythms work better when there is natural light around. This makes it easier to sleep at night an regulates the sleep cycle. It gives you more energy and clears your mind at the same time.
However, exposure to direct sunlight for a long period of time is harmful and cannot be productive. It can cause skin cancer, premature aging, or other problems. It would be best for you if you take the necessary measures to protect yourself from overexposure.
The best time to take a sun bath is from sunrise to 11 am and then in the evening from 4 pm to sunset. Avoid direct sunlight between 11 am to 4 pm.
Protip: Use Sunblock with more excellent SPF to protect yourself from harmful effects.
2- Saving Money on Bills:
After being in full sunlight for a while, you won’t need to use artificial lights again until the evening. Your bills will go down because of this, whether you have a home office or a traditional one.
3- More Space:
Most of the time, there is more space around the windows. Putting your desk in front of the window will give you more room for it and other furniture that goes with it.
4- Clean Air:
Keeping your desk next to a window will let in fresh air and keep your office cool. People who live in a nice, clean, and beautiful area will like having a desk in front of the window.
Fresh air brings lots of Oxygen, which is definitely good for a fresh mind and soul. It keeps the fresh air circulating inside the room, which makes the whole room fresh and chilly. (it may not be pleasant in winter)
5- Outdoor Scenery:
If you live in a friendly, clean town instead of on one of the Grand roads or highways, you can enjoy the beauty outside. Letting yourself take short breaks helps you feel better. A beautiful view can help you deal with worry and stay healthy.
But make sure you stay connected for a short time. You have a lot of work to do! :)
Now you know all the benefits, so, Let’s see what worst can happen if you place your desk in front of a window;
Harms of Placing Your Desk in Front of a Window:
Placing your desk in front of a window comes with a number of consequences that may be harmful to your work environment. Following are some cons of placing your desk in front of a window:
1- Lack of Focus and Distractions:
If you live in a hilly area or somewhere else that looks nice, you can put your desk in front of the window. To be safe, you should close the windows if you live near busy roads or in a noisy area. A noisy environment and strange sounds from outside make it hard to concentrate and decrease your productivity.
2- Glare and Reflection on the Computer Screen:
Exposure to the sun in the right way is good for you in many ways, but if your screen is facing the window, you’ll have to deal with the glare and light reflection from the screen. Either you’ll have to get new blinds or curtains, or you’ll have to move your desk.
Sunlight reflecting off of the screen hurts your eyes and makes it harder to see. Direct sunlight hurts your desktop because it makes it too hot, and it also hurts other devices by making them work less effectively.
3- Temperature Fluctuations and Discomfort:
Direct exposure to the sun for more extended periods may increase the temperature of your room. It could be more pleasing, specifically during the summers.
Moreover, prolonged direct exposure also leads to discomfort, and you won’t be willing to work for more extended periods. Another excuse for procrastinators 😏
4- Privacy Issues:
Friends or family members who are walking down the street will probably bother you if your office is on the ground floor. Also, people walking by on the street can see your work and what’s on your desk, which is another big privacy issue.
Putting your desk next to a window will make your back face the window. Someone can easily watch through what you’re doing on your screen.
5- No wall space for organizing essentials:
When you have a home or office, the walls can be used to hang cable management accessories, organizers, or storage shelves. Once you set up your desk in front of a window, you can’t use this space again. If you put your desk next to the window, on the other hand, you can use this wall to store a lot of accessories, line it with motivational quotes, and put your awards and shields on show shelves.
6- Challenges in maintaining a professional appearance for video calls:
If you’re a remote worker and you have to join video calls more often, it won’t be a better option. The video lets you see what’s going on outside, which can also be confusing for the people on call. Moreover, it isn’t good for a professional to have such a workspace where you can be easily distracted.
7- Dust:
Although, placing the desk in front of a window comes with fresh air and ventilation. But, it will come at a cost, as this air will bring lots of dust into your workplace. You may clean your office often, but if it’s near a window, you should think of it as being in front of a dust storm because it will be dusty all the time.
Most importantly, Dust particles get trapped in the tech accessories and devices, which reduces the efficiency of your system. It may cause overheating and other issues.
Factors to Consider If You Have To Keep The Desk Facing The Window
The following factors are helpful to consider if you want to keep your desk facing the window. Taking these measures will minimize the problems of placing the desk in front of a window.
1. Window coverings or blinds to reduce glare
Window coverings or curtains are the best choices to limit light, dust, distractions, and glare.
Moreover, you can use the same color scheme for the curtains as you chose for your brand. Invest in both the thick and thin blinders to ensure optimum lighting. Coverings will also limit distractions, and they’ll give your home office a softened look and pleasing ambiance in the morning.
2. Proper positioning of the desk to minimize distractions
Distractions while working are misleading. They negatively impact your focus and attention on a particular task, leading to poor or bad-quality work. You won’t achieve the expected results while working with distraction.
To limit distractions, Put your desk perpendicular to the window instead of placing it in front of it. Using blinds and curtains will help, but that will also limit the natural light you’re craving for.
3. Using an anti-glare screen protector for the computer:
Protect your screen from glare and light reflections with an anti-glare screen cover. These screen guards have a coating on them. Light can’t get to your eyes because the shield spreads it out. This spreading out of light makes it easier to see and keeps your eyes from getting tired by lowering the brightness of the glare.
Pro tip: To keep your eyes from getting tired, you can also buy glasses that block out lousy light.
Best Ideas to Boost Productivity at a Desk Facing the Window
You can take a number of measures to make you stay productive on a desk facing the window. Below are the tips that I found helpful for working on a desk beside or facing the window.
1- Create a dedicated workspace with minimal distractions
Your workspace should be dedicated to work only and not other stuff. That means you shouldn’t eat or watch Netflix at your desk; it won’t help you stay focused and awake. The surroundings shouldn’t be distracting, and it should help you work instead of getting in the way.
2- Organize and declutter the desk regularly
Distractions like a messy or disorganized desk can be a problem. Your desk won’t be able to focus if there is stuff all over it or on it. It is easier to get things done when your desk is neat and clean. Furthermore, a desk that is overloaded with cords, accessories, and misplaced items makes it difficult to work and creates a disturbance.
3- Implement a task management system to stay organized
Following a task management system or scheduling software allows you to stay clear on your goals and tasks for the day. It keeps you organized and managed and gives you more time to batch other stuff. You can also use the batching technique to divide your responsibilities into four categories.
These categories include Creation, Ideation, Management, and Learning. You can divide your tasks into these four categories accordingly, or you may create your own categories.
4- Take regular breaks and incorporate movement into the work routine
Doctors say that professionals should get up and move around every 30 minutes, whether they work from home or in a company office. It keeps your blood flowing, keeps your muscles healthy, and keeps your spine straight. Our spines naturally curve in specific ways.
If you spend a lot of time sitting or not moving around, these curves may need to be fixed. You should definitely buy a standing desk that you can change the height of. With a standing desk, you can work in both sitting and standing positions.
Feng Shui Analogy of Desk Placement:
The placement of furniture in a room correctly is a significant part of Feng Shui. Feng Shui – A Chinese practice that promotes harmony and balance. So, where the desk is placed has a significant effect on the person using it.
According to Feng Shui, you should be sitting at a desk with your front to the door and your arms crossed. Ideally, any position where you can watch the door and have your back towards behind the wall is the best position and windows on the sides would add to its ambiance. According to this analogy, you should follow the best desk setup ideas to place your desk and ultimately it’ll affect your mood, work, and productivity.
Best Desk Placement Spot in the Office
Your desk should be somewhere other than right in front of the window; it should be next to it. Why? Since sunlight will be shining straight on the screen if your desk faces the window. Your eyes will feel worse, and you’ll have to work harder or read things more slowly.
Additionally, you can choose a space on the side of the wall to give your desk more support and stability, especially if it is currently moving.
3 Steps to Ideal Setup for any Work desk:
| Beside the Window |
| Your back should be against the wall |
| You face the Door |
How can you make your workspace better?
Any workspace can be improved considering the following four recommendations. If your workspace already fulfills all four factors, let me congratulate you because you have the perfect workstation.
Ergonomic Desk Setup:
Consider buying a desk by keeping in mind your height. The desk should be customized to keep you in the best position. Ergonomic desks make your sitting comfortable and help in injury prevention. It keeps you sitting in the correct alignment and posture.
It reduces fatigue, and you feel more comfortable while working. An increase in comfort level also increases your work hours.
Natural Light:
Naturally lit rooms are beneficial for getting work done because they keep you alert and focused. Natural light gives you more energy and makes you more creative. This is because highly energized workers are more likely to be productive and creative.
Based on a study by Harvard Business Review, when there isn’t enough natural light in the office, employees feel tired and unproductive.
Minimum distractions:
Distractions are a big enemy of focused work. If you’re distracted, I bet your employees won’t work with maximum efficiency. Some major sources of distractions in the workspace include Mobile phone usage, noisy environment, office interruptions, email notifications, or other irrelevant discussions.
Another big source of distraction is Stress and internal conflicts. If you’re disturbed, whether you’re working in a peaceful office cabin, you’ll still be distracted.
Privacy Concerns:
Lack of privacy directly interferes with the level of productivity. How? Less privacy reduces your sense of autonomy, and you feel you have less control over your work environment. You can use desk dividers or partitions if you’re in an office. The home office provides you privacy unless your family or someone from the window isn’t always distracting you in the middle of work.
Why do you want to place your desk in front of a Window?
Before making any decision, you need to rethink and consider the purpose behind keeping your desk in front of a window.
Get an answer to WHY you want to place it in front of a window. Is it natural light that is making you change your desk position? Or any other reason?
There can be many causes to place your desk in front of a window, including natural light, eye strain, mood changes, and productivity.
Placing your desk near a window can be helpful; being in the sun will make you more efficient and give you more energy.
The outdoor inspiration is another reason to place your desk in front of a window. If you live in a peaceful area with refreshing air and scenery, it inspires you to work better. This is an ideal setting for more creative workers such as designers, artists, or writers just like me 😉
But there are a lot of bad things about putting your desk next to a window. It could be the outside environment, the weather, the glare on the screen, a screen that doesn’t work well, or privacy issues.
So, before changing the position, you need to find out WHY you want to do it.
FAQs:
Where is the best place to put a desk in an office with a window?
Ideally, the best place to put a desk in the office is on the side of the window where you can watch the door. But, you’ll need to consider the space, office interiors, and environment before placing the desk.
Which way should a desk be facing?
In my opinion, the desk should be facing the door but not the window. Why? Because, a desk facing the door gives you a more inspired, open, and inclusive feeling. But, desks in front of the window may cause distraction, and glare from the screen is another problem.
Conclusion:
Placing the desk in front of a window should be entirely your choice, It depends on your personal preferences, office space, interior, and environment.
| PROS | CONS |
| 1- Natural Light 2- Saving money on bills 3- More Space 4- Fresh Air 5- Outdoor Scenery
| 1- Lack of focus and distractions 2- Glare and reflection on the computer screen 3- Temperature fluctuations and discomfort 4- Privacy Issues 5- No wall space for organizing essentials 6- Challenges in maintaining a professional appearance for video calls 7- Dust
|
I hope this write-up has helped you in choosing the best place depending on your suitability and has given you various perspectives on desk placement in an office so you can decide accordingly.