Photo by Afshin T2Y on Unsplash

Working from home has many advantages. Fewer stops at Esso, less distracting chats over the water cooler, and the ability to chuck a load of laundry into the washer during your lunch break.

One of the downsides? You need to properly outfit your space with quality furniture, lighting, and network needs. Here are five things to consider when designing the perfect remote working space.

1. Lighting—Your eyes will thank you

You probably recall from Balaklava’s last blog called “How Improper Lighting Is Affecting Your Health in Ways You Didn’t Even Realize” that appropriate illumination is essential for good health. It’s also critical when it comes to creating optimal working conditions. Functional lighting means increased focus, fewer headaches, and increased productivity.

Care to guess what the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) claims are the most common workplace lighting issues?

•  Insufficient or poorly distributed lighting. Do you find yourself squinting or suffering from dry eyes?
• Glare. If you need a set of office aviators to get the job done, there’s a problem.
•  Improper contrast. Your work area should be brighter than the surrounding office areas.
• Flicker. Loose bulbs, overloaded circuits, old wiring or incompatible dimmer switches can cause irritating flashes. You want to avoid this—unless you’re aiming for the Studio 54 vibe, of course.

2. A stable network—Your patience will thank you

When it comes to your network, your business needs reliability and uninterrupted connectivity. No one wants their network buffering just as you’re about to present year-end figures or Zoom with a key client. Bufferbloat (say that fast ten times) is not as fun as it sounds. Rather, it’s what happens when software spikes during uploads or downloads. Balaklava can help ensure that the dreaded Bufferbloat doesn’t happen in your home office space.

Photo by Patrick Tomasso on Unsplash.com

September is Healthy Living Month. It’s probably not a huge surprise to you that lighting plays a monumental role in our mental and emotional health. 

What light does for our body

Light is key to keeping our circadian rhythm at its best. Maybe you’re wondering, what the heck is a circadian rhythm? It’s just a fancy schmancy name for our “internal clock”, aka the sleep-wake cycle.

Not only does proper, more natural lighting allow for better sleep, but it also

• keeps you safe and alert,
• helps you avoid eye strain and headaches, and
• is necessary for the nervous and endocrine systems (hormones, mood, etc.).

In a recent seminar, Mark S. Rea, PhD, from the Mount Sinai Light and Health Research Center, clarified that health benefits aren’t simply due to light’s wavelength but also to its contrast or brightness.

Research has determined that “lighting schemes” (mimicking a normal day) decrease aggression and sundowning in patients with Alzheimer’s. Studies between 1985 and 2024 about prison lighting all conclude that appropriate illumination reduces aggression and improves rehabilitation rates.

Discover How Smart Light Switches Can Transform Your Home's Ambiance 

Have you ever walked into a room and felt an immediate change? Chances are, the lighting had a big role. Smart lighting can completely transform any space, from setting the perfect mood to creating incredible lighting scenes. But how do you control it? There are multiple ways: with a smart device, your voice, dedicated touchscreens, and, yes, smart light switches. Keep reading to learn how smart light switches can help you achieve the ideal aesthetic for every room in your Collingwood, ON, home.

Impress Guests with a New, High-Tech Meeting Space

Balaklava is always looking for new ways to add value for our clients. We’re excited to announce the addition of new, high-tech meeting rooms available to rent at our Ontario office! As a brand that delivers clean, cutting-edge technology solutions to nearby businesses, you should expect nothing less from the meeting rooms for rent in Southern Ontario, Canada. Continue reading to learn more about this new offering from Balaklava.

Power Your Home with Sounds That Soothe Using Smart Home Control

Some of today’s smart home solutions can bring a welcome change to Southern Ontario, Canada, residents. Among them is the simplicity and joy that daily music can bring when allowed to flow effortlessly from room to room in your home. Enjoy your favorite melodies as you complete your afternoon chores or sit down to a meal—all with the ease of centralized control and a user-friendly interface.

Continue reading to learn more about the future of home entertainment and how you can enjoy the rhythms of life with multi-room music from Balaklava.