working from home

 

Coronavirus: 

How to be happier while working from home

Millions of people need a home office for the first time. Some have perched at kitchen tables or made do with a laptop on the sofa for months.

But even if a vaccine comes soon, many people may never go back to the office full time. And the early signs of how the pandemic has affected the UK's mental health are not good

So what can we do to keep us happier at home?

Let in the light

 if you can, to put your desk near a window. Make sure you can draw the curtains back fully and clean the windows - inside and out. Dirt on windows can significantly reduce the amount of sunlight passing through them.

Also, use mirrors to bounce light around the room, and paint the room either white or a light colour also to reflect the light. And choose an upstairs room if you can - they almost always capture more sunlight, as do rooms with a higher ceiling.

Shut out the noise

Earplugs might be a solution for some, but if you want to go further, soft furnishings, thicker carpets and heavier curtains to absorb the sound are some of the things architects suggest.

If that doesn't do the trick, under-carpet boards, replacement ceilings, additional layers of plaster board on walls, and window shutters - without shutting out too much sunlight - can help.

Declutter

Studies have found that clutter can raise your level of cortisol, a stress hormone. That may be because clutter delivers conflicting stimuli to the brain, which then has to work harder to filter out unhelpful signals. 

 So have a proper clear out, get organised, and get some proper storage if you can.

Stand up

If you're not going to work, you may not be walking to the bus stop or the train station, or up and down long corridors to meetings and so on.

If your commute is now from the bedroom to the box room or the kitchen table, you're probably missing out on physical activity that can help keep you mentally as well as physically fit.

Multiple studies have found that exercise is a natural anti-anxiety treatment, relieving stress, boosting physical and mental energy, and enhancing well-being through the release of endorphins.

If you're not going to work, you may not be walking to the bus stop or the train station, or up and down long corridors to meetings and so on.

If your commute is now from the bedroom to the box room or the kitchen table, you're probably missing out on physical activity that can help keep you mentally as well as physically fit.

Multiple studies have found that exercise is a natural anti-anxiety treatment, relieving stress, boosting physical and mental energy, and enhancing well-being through the release of endorphins.

Use plants

Many claims are made for the mental benefits of contact with the natural world: reducing blood pressure, anxiety, stress and rumination (endlessly going over the same thoughts) while improving attention, memory and sleep.

Bringing plants and other natural objects and images into your home work space can have a significant impact.

Social contact…and not just online

Just click here to get instant access.