Do you think your WFH setup actually affects how well you work, or is it just a comfort thing?

I've been going back and forth on this with people and I genuinely can't tell where the consensus lands.

Some people I know have full home offices - natural light, plants, window overlooking greenery - and they swear it makes them sharper and less burnt out. Others work from a dark spare room or their kitchen table and say it makes zero difference as long as the wifi works.

I'm doing my PhD on this exact question (Uni of Sydney) - whether things like natural light, indoor plants, views of nature, and access to outdoor spaces during breaks actually correlate with well-being and productivity, or if it's just vibes.

What I'm finding so far is interesting but I need way more data points to say anything meaningful. The research so far (not just mine) suggests these environmental features genuinely affect cognitive restoration - basically how well your brain recovers from mental fatigue. But the real-world evidence from actual home workers is thin.

So two things:

1. I'm curious what you lot think. Does your setup matter? Have you noticed a difference when you changed something about your workspace? Or is it all the same to you?

2. If you want to actually contribute to the research - I have a 10-min anonymous survey open for Australian remote workers (18+, WFH at least partially). No payment, no catch, just contributing to research that could eventually inform better WFH policies. Ethics approved by Uni of Sydney (2025_HE000215).

The survey link:

sydney.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5pSBN04qiMJTBX0?source=AusAcademia

No pressure on the survey - I'm genuinely just keen to hear what people's experience has been.