Written by Kiana Mason, Sr. Content Specialist at Siege Media
They say happiness comes from within. We interpret this as meaning within ourselves, but in light of the novel coronavirus, it could be considered within our homes. After all, it’s where we spend most of our days and, therefore, our homes impact our well-being. For this reason, reimagining yours into a haven has never been more relevant.
Thankfully, we have control over those physical, emotional, social, occupational, spiritual and intellectual factors that play into our well-being. Below, we share some tweaks to make within your abode to ensure it’s serving you to the fullest.
Curate a Space That Promotes Positivity
To quote Justin Baksh, LMHC, MCAP, “we are reflective of our environments.” This means the spaces you spend the most time in can greatly impact your wellness. Beyond adopting habits to stay healthy at home, you should consider your home’s interior design and whether it reflects the way you want to be. For instance, decluttering and organizing your home can clear your head. Bright, natural light is a boon for your productivity and motivation, so keep those windows open during the day. And embrace nature as much as you can to improve your overall mood. That might mean bringing in plants and emulating their natural environments by diffusing scents reminiscent of the outdoors or playing music that transports you.
Create a Separate, Motivational Workspace
Just because you’re working from home doesn’t mean you have to constantly work at home. Creating a separate workspace for your nine-to-five can foster work-life-balance, whether that’s reconfiguring a guest bedroom into an office or putting up room dividers to section off a workspace. Within that workspace, it’s also important to promote productivity and know it’s OK to splurge a little to create a workspace that serves you.
Air quality directly affects your mental health. Consider setting up an air purifier nearby to help clear your mind. Or style air-purifying plants around your desk for the added benefit of nature improving your well-being. Facing your desk toward a window or the outdoors is another means to expose yourself to the outdoors. Finally, music can also greatly affect your productivity. Push play on some white noise to block out distractions, or create playlists that inspire your to-dos.
Dwell Well With Others
While some of us live alone, others live with roommates or family members. And it’s harder than ever to escape one another, putting added pressure on us all to uphold harmonious relationships. As Dr. Carla Marie Manly, a clinical psychologist, explains, “Dysfunctional relationships can make even the most beautiful home feel toxic.”
Adjusting your expectations of others during these unconventional times can help in times of conflict, as well as knowing that compromise is king in resolving issues. A part of that is also clearly communicating concerns to others instead of stewing on frustrations. In the face of confrontation, recognize what external issues might be affecting your own mood and set those aside. Finally, take care of yourself so you can take care of others. “Pick a place where you can practice gratitude every day,” encourages hypnotherapist Joel Thielke. Take this time to cope with the depression and anxiety you might be experiencing.
Living a blissful life might look a little different nowadays. But that doesn’t mean it’s unreachable. Take hold of your home environment and control what you can in it. Remember, happiness starts from within — you and your home.
See additional pointers for reclaiming your space and mindset in the visual in this article How Your Home Can Affect Your Well-Being.
About the Author
Kiana is a content creator with a passion for writing and all things creative. She loves exploring a diverse collection of topics including personal development, business and wellness. When she’s not writing you can find her traveling, going for runs along the San Diego coastline and performing music.
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