Light Up Your Life
So, you want to buy a task light. We convinced you, didn’t we? But, what do you look for in a task light? And, once you get the task light, how do you properly use it? Most importantly, can you imagine the difference it would make to correctly use a task light? We’re here to answer these very important questions.
Task lights come in all shapes and sizes, but the key to finding the best one is looking at a specific set of criteria. The illumination should be warm and similar to daylight color (on the verge of being white), around 3000 – 3500K (we measure color temperature in Kelvins). It should cast just one shadow on the work surface, to reduce distractions from multiple shadows and the risk of eye strain. The color rendering index, which indicates how faithfully the light source can reproduce the colors of various objects in comparison to a natural source of illumination, should be as close to 100 as possible. While the task light should emit bright light, it should also be cool to the touch, allowing you to readily position it whenever necessary. The base should be sturdy and stable, so that when you pull on the light head, the entire task light doesn’t shift on your desk. And it must be highly adjustable. It’s imperative that the task light offers fluid adjustment without any rigid knobs or joints to impede your movement.
If you use the criteria above to select your task light, you’ll be happy to know it should be very easy to correctly position. Put the task light on the opposite side from your writing hand to stop your dominant hand from casting a shadow over your paper document while you write. Keep the head of the light below eye level to prevent any wayward light from shining into your eyes. Avoid directing the illumination at the computer screen to reduce glare. All you need to do, really, is allow the broad footprint of warm light fill the work surface in front of you.
With your new task light, you’ll likely see a marked improvement in how you work, especially with paper documents. If you’re still in the decision phase, allow us to assist you.