Our environment influences our mood and mental health

It’s not a mystery that when we work and live in a comfortable and aesthetically pleasing environment we feel happy and productive. Whether you work from home or in an office environment/cubicle, make sure you keep your space tidy and neat. You can personalize your space by decorating it with items that inspire and motivate you. Try to digitize as much as you can (paperwork,bills, subscriptions etc) and not bring in the clutter in the first place such as ads, other people’s stuff and things that don’t belong in your office space.

Minimizing distractions leads to better productivity

Decluttering your space has many benefits such as being able to easily access everything you need, without having to spend a long time looking for it. If possible, have your workspace away from main traffic areas in your home such as the kitchen or living room. If you do not have a separate room for an office, creating an office nook in your bedroom is more ideal.

Optimize your lighting to keep your eyes healthy

Working in a low lit area can be detrimental to your eyes and health. Staring at a computer screen for hours at a time is harmful to your eyes and causes headaches and fatigue. Did you know blue light glasses can help filter out blue light to effectively block the transmission of a range of wavelengths emitted from devices? Make sure you have adequate lighting during evening hours and try to open your blinds during the day to allow natural light to enter the room. Sunlight has an effect on preventing depression and anxiety. Natural lighting also helps with visibility during zoom calls. Ideally, your screen faces a wall behind you (so you don’t have people walking through) and the lighting is coming from the front of you (or behind your computer screen).

A clear desk allows for a better workflow

Psychological Flow captures the positive mental state of being completely absorbed, focused, and involved in your activities at a certain point in time. If your desk is cluttered, it can cause distraction and stress. When you have to stop working on something because you are looking for an item you need , that is not readily available, it costs you precious time and takes away focus. For optimal workflow, your desk should be completely clear from clutter. If you have a desk drawer add dividers or small clear open containers to separate items by category. For example; pens, papers, measuring tools, cutting tools, clips, etc. That way all things have a home and you know where to put things back at the end of the day. On your desk, you should only have your most necessary items such as a planner or laptop, phone or whatever project you are working on.

Add personality

Instead of only having useful things on your desk or shelving in your office, I suggest you add some beauty. This can mean different things for different people. You can have one or two sentimental items displayed such as a photo of your family/dog or an award. Looking at these items should bring you joy. Think about adding a plant or two to your work area. Have it close to natural light or get species that do not need a lot of sun. Plants purify the air and can help lift moods, studies show.

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Why an organized space is important, especially when you work from home