A pleasant environment can make a positive difference in your emotional state. When you are especially vulnerable due to trauma, the need for a “positive boost” is especially great. Therefore, do all that you can, to improve the appearance of your office environment. Try the following tips:
- Reduce the clutter. Just as it’s important to try to reduce your “mental clutter”, it’s important to look around your work space and reduce the clutter. Take time out over a lunch hour, or at the beginning or end of the day to review your entire work space. Consider what is necessary. Consider what can be discarded. Consider what elements or items can be stored or organized in a more efficient manner. For example, if the inside of your desk is a disaster, try improving its organization. You may want to ask your employer to purchase a desk organizer. You can also try trading with colleagues at work, for office organization or storage items. Some persons may have items that they don’t want, and you could use!
- Take away pictures that will bring you down. For example, is the picture of your former partner still sitting on your desk? Get rid of it! Instead, put up pictures that will bring you up. If you don’t have any pictures of loved ones (children, family members, a close friend, maybe a nice picture of yourself?), get some taken!!
- Make sure you have an inspirational picture/calendar/something in your work space. Print out our motivational calendar available in the Health and Wellness category.
- Review the ergonomics of your work space. Take the initiative to consider the comfort or lack thereof, caused by your office chair, computer keyboard, etc. If you identify specific problems, see if these can be dealt with by your employer. Try to approach this in a positive fashion. If this is not possible, see what you can do, to improve your situation. For example, if your chair offers insufficient support, you can try rolling up a towel, and placing it at the small of your back for greater lumbar support. If you have any identifiable medical problems, you should always consult with your family physician or chiropractor before making any changes.
- If you have office equipment that doesn’t work, do something about it. Give it to your office manager, with a request to have it fixed!
- Consider whether you are permitted to have a radio playing during office hours; if you have an office, you probably have the luxury of playing music so long as you can perform your work. If you have a workspace, and are permitted to play music, choose music which is uplifting but non-intrusive to your colleagues. If not, if you eat lunch at your desk, try tapping into some unusual music during your lunch hour, such as Hawaiian music via a Hawaiian radio channel.
You spend much of your time at your work space. Therefore, it’s worthwhile to spend time to ensure your work space offers maximum comfort.