How to create a healthy working environment
Considering most of us spend upwards of eight hours a day working, and the average person will spend about 20% of their life at work, the environment we work in is crucially important. Positive or negative working environments can have a massive effect on our mental health. Being surrounded by plants and natural light, for example, can massively improve your physical and mental health.
Research has highlighted the importance of healthy working environments, suggesting that nearly half of people experience stress at work and are unhappy with their jobs. Studies have also shown that happy employees who enjoy their work environment are more productive, so it is a win win for companies to create healthy working environments.
With more and more people working from home in the post-covid era, many have more freedom to create a healthy work environment. There are also high levels of burnout as a result of working from home, so it is important to implement a work life balance so that work does not blur into home life.
Here are some ways you can create a healthy working environment when working from an office or at home.
Clear your space
A cluttered desk often equals a cluttered mind, making it hard to focus and be productive. An easy way to make your work environment healthier is to declutter your space. This is particularly important if you work from home, as home clutter can gravitate into your working space. Using storage solutions to ensure that clutter from previous tasks is organised away can have a positive effect on your focus levels and your mental health.
Work somewhere with natural light
Spending time in natural light helps to regulate our circadian rhythm to lead to better sleep, as well as combat seasonal depression and low mood. If it is at all possible in your work-from-home or office environment, try and work in an area that has natural light. It will help you feel more awake and less sluggish at work, and may have a positive impact on your mental health. Natural light can boost your mood and give you more energy, which most of us could benefit from during a long day at work.
Use a standing desk
Being stationary for hours on end can lead to many health problems. Some offices have adopted standing desks, meaning that employees can change the height and spend some of the day standing. While this is of course not always possible, if you have the means and are looking for a new desk, one where you can adjust the height could be a game changer for your physical and mental health. If you can’t get a standing desk, standing up every hour and having a short walk can also have a significantly positive effect on your health.
Create work life balance
This is crucially important when working from home, as it is easy for work to slip into home life, and vice versa. Having boundaries between work and home life is crucially important for a healthy work environment, but is easier said that done when you work from home. If you have the means, having an area designated as a home office can be helpful, as working from your bedroom can make it hard to switch off.
Have plants in your space
Plants can chill us out — the benefits are science-backed. Studies have shown that indoor plants can help to reduce stress levels whether in an office or at home. Looking at plants has also been shown to help conditions such as depression and anxiety, leaving participants calmer. Amazingly, they can also sharpen your focus and make you more attentive, boosting your productivity. Seems like a no-brainer to include plants in your working environment.
References:
https://revisesociology.com/2016/08/16/percentage-life-work/
https://www.healthline.com/health/healthy-home-guide/benefits-of-indoor-plants#7-benefits
