Have you ever noticed how a bright morning can boost your energy and enthusiasm for tackling your to-do list? Or how a dark, dreary sky makes you feel drowsier?
It happens to everyone. While the weather directly impacts our emotions, there is another factor at work here: light. Not only can LED light improve or degrade our mood, but it can also help us concentrate and get more work done. That is why, when you work in a dedicated workspace, you will find LED Panel lights and LED Downlights as their first choice. After all, the more productive we can be during office hours, the more satisfied we will be. As a result, we are motivated to work more efficiently.
In this blog, we'll go over everything you need to know about indoor LED lighting and the changes you might need to make to boost your productivity.
What effect does indoor lighting have on productivity?
We all have internal body clocks, which are referred to as circadian rhythms. This is why we tend to wake up at the same time every day (normally with the sun) and become sleepier as dusk approaches. Indoor lighting can disrupt our circadian rhythm by tricking us into thinking it's a different time of day than our bodies recognize.
Consider waking up in a hotel room with blackout blinds. How will you feel if you turn on the light and it emits a warm, orange glow? You'll most likely struggle to wake up properly because your body will interpret the lighting as indicating that it's still time to sleep.
What happens, however, if you turn on the light and it shines a bright, white light into the room? Sure, you might be a little shell-shocked at first, but your body will soon adjust to its new surroundings — the brain turns on, neurons fire, and you're ready for the day.
This is essentially what indoor lighting does to you on a daily basis.
How to Increase Productivity in 3 Simple Steps
It is not always possible to completely redesign your indoor lighting setup, such as if you work in a shared office or live in a rented home. However, if you can take steps to change the color and temperature of the lights around you, you should notice a significant difference in your productivity on a daily basis.
If you have the resources to assess and improve your indoor lighting, here's what you'll need to do:
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Determine the Kelvin temperature of the lights you currently have.
Determining what color temperature you are currently using should be fairly simple. Simply check the packaging of your light bulb if you still have it, or turn off the light and unscrew the bulb to see if it's marked directly on there. Don't worry if you can't find the Kelvin measurement anywhere. Simply observing the light throughout the day can provide a rough idea of color and temperature.
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Determine which bulb color and temperature are best for you.
There is no exact science that can determine where the productivity cut-off point is on the Kelvin scale. However, it's a pretty safe bet that anything below 4000K won't be very useful in a working environment — the warmth of the light will simply make you too relaxed to get anything done! Anything above this rating, on the other hand, is up for grabs; which one you select will be largely determined by personal preference. If you're not sure what temperature works best for you, consider an adjustable CCT bulb, which allows you to adjust the CCT to your liking. If you want more options, consider an LED smart bulb, which allows you to change the color, dimming, and CCT!
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Keep an eye on your mood and productivity levels, and make adjustments as needed.
All you can do now that you've made changes to your indoor lighting is waiting for the results. Check in with your energy levels throughout the day to see if you're still on track to complete everything or if your enthusiasm and focus have faded. Of course, it's natural for productivity to fade and flow (after all, the circadian rhythm is a natural thing), but if you're still dragging yourself, it might be time to reconsider your indoor lighting.