With social distancing and stay-at-home orders going into effect across the country, we’re spending more time indoors than ever before. Simple things that may not have bothered you about your space before could now be adding onto your already elevated stress levels.
Here are a few ways your home might be affecting your mental health and what you can do to adjust your space to make your home a little easier to stay quarantined in.
Clutter and organization
Clutter is a major source of stress for many people. Now that you’re spending more time at home than usual, you might be dealing with more disorganization than you’re used to. Fortunately, you can get clutter under control by developing a system for organizing the items that you have. Labeled boxes and holders are a great way to keep items organized.
Don’t beat yourself up if clutter happens. About 13% of Americans move every year, and you’re not always able to find a space with the storage you need. Consider giving yourself a space for clutter to happen. Create a designated side-table where things can pile up as needed but can easily be cleared away when it’s time to clean.
Lack of inspiration
Not only are we spending more time at home than usual but we’re also working from home more than usual. In 2017, 8 million Americans were working from home at least some of the time. That number has significantly climbed since the COVID-19 crisis.
If you’re not used to working from home, it can be difficult to feel motivated to get your work done. But the good news is that there are plenty of ways to make working from home work for you.
About 94% of surveyed employees believe that art makes their workplace more welcoming and 61% say it stimulates creativity. Put up some artwork around the area where you work in your house. You don’t need to buy frames or anything special. Tape will do just fine. If you don’t have any art hanging around, consider going through old magazines to find inspiring images you can cut out and hang around your space instead.
Lack of natural environment
Aside from social interaction, one of the biggest things we’re missing from our homes right now is greenery. Stuck inside, we’re not able to enjoy local parks like we used to. But just because you can’t go outside doesn’t mean you can’t bring the outside in.
The next time you’re making your bi-weekly trip to the grocery store, consider picking up some flowers or a plant or two to add some greenery to your space. Approximately 88% of survey respondents say that flowers change their mood for the better, and studies have shown that the presence of green leafy plants help make us feel more relaxed.
Staying inside for a long period of time is enough to make anyone antsy. But it’s important to stay indoors to help flatten the curve in the COVID-19 crisis. By following the tips above, you can make your space just a little easier to stay in.
