Your physical environment affects your mood more than you’d think. Let’s discuss what you can do to take control and raise your mood meter.
By now, you know that your well-being is affected by more than just your physical health. Your mental and emotional health play a significant role in your day-to-day. In fact, if you’ve got a cluttered space, research suggests that it can negatively affect your health and add stress to your life.
Creating The Ideal Space
Does it feel cluttered when you look at your home (or workspace)? Research on physical work environments suggests that your space can affect your well-being and work performance. A cluttered space can make you less productive and even affect your behavior and relationships.
Though there are several ways to lift your mood on a bad day, refreshing your space may be what you need. Consider the following when reorganizing your home.
Choose Mood-Boosting Colors
There’s a reason interior designers use certain colors for different spaces. While your workspace requires focus and energy, your bedroom needs to feel calm and relaxing.
Warm colors like red, orange and yellow tend to stimulate and energize. They can make people feel warm, optimistic and confident. You’ll see them often in restaurants.
Cool colors like green, blue and purple tend to promote feelings of calm and relaxation. They may even promote creativity. These colors are often found in relaxation spaces, such as yoga rooms.
Get That Clutter Out
Clutter can increase cognitive overload and affect memory. The simple act of clearing clutter can help increase focus and productivity.
When looking to clean and declutter, make a plan first. Depending on the space, you may want to tackle it all at once or in small increments. Try making a list of things to tackle and checking off one or two on a weekend. Or you can try setting a timer for 15 minutes to do a quick declutter on a busy day.
Decorate with Art & Photographs
Once your space is decluttered and clean, add things that bring you joy. Adding art that you love will bring joy to the space. Making it personal with photographs of loved ones or fun times can lift your mood as you reminisce on the memories.
Bring Plants Indoors
A 2015 study found that being close to greenery and plants can help reduce stress levels. Bringing green plants indoors can help make your space feel more homey and serene. If you don’t have a green thumb, choose low-maintenance plants like succulents or snake plants. If you’ve got a furry friend, make sure to check each plant before bringing it home as some are poisonous to pets.
Load Up on Scents
When you’re building a space, pay attention to how your senses interact with it. Your sense of smell plays a big role in your mood and can even recall memories. This is why lavender is typically suggested at nighttime for its purported calming effects, whereas lemon or peppermint is used more in spaces like the kitchen.
Building a Sanctuary
A space can be chaotic, or it can be a sanctuary. Building the space you need takes time, but it is so worth it. If your kids (or you) are returning to school this fall, setting up a place to study is a must. Make sure you have a designated study space like a desk and keep it free of clutter as much as possible. If your kids are feeling stressed about going back to school, don’t forget that there are ways to help manage that stress.