
Does sitting by a window help you work better?
Heading back to the office? Try and nab that window desk.
Yes. A 2018 study at Cornell University found that natural light from a window reduced eye strain, headaches and drowsiness. And a 2021 study at the Bartlett School of Architecture, University College London, found that workers in open-plan offices were most productive when sat at window desks.
However, this depends on the office layout. Workers facing windows with a large number of desks behind them reported lower productivity. Possibly due to the nagging fear of co-workers talking about them!
Read more:
- How dangerous is it to wear a tie?
- I love wearing my pyjamas when I work from home, but could it be affecting my productivity?
- Can you absorb vitamin D through a window?
- Why do I always get an energy crash in the afternoon?
Asked by: Neil Slater, Falmouth
To submit your questions email us at questions@sciencefocus.com (don't forget to include your name and location)
Authors

Luis trained as a zoologist, but now works as a science and technology educator. In his spare time he builds 3D-printed robots, in the hope that he will be spared when the revolution inevitably comes.
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