Photography^GettyImagesPerhaps as a knock-on effect of cleaner
air, other studies suggest having plants in the
room increases alertness and productivity.Declutter
Multiple studies prove something we all
know: clutter causes stress, distraction
and procrastination.
Avoid your home office becoming
a clutter-pit by scheduling regular time
to clean up and declutter as you would
any other part of the home. This includes
regular purging of your digital life including
your PC, phone and hard drives.
Whether they’re physical or digital, filing
systems and other organisational tools can
help you locate things quickly and avoid the
stress that comes with not being able to find
what you need to work effectively. Also, think
of social media as a kind of digital clutter and
deactivate it while you’re in work time.Reduce waste
Minimise your effect on the environment
and waste disposal systems by reusing
or recycling things like paper and printer
cartridges. The latter can be dropped off
at Officeworks and other outlets that sell
printers. For all participating stores, see
the Planet Ark website.Computers can be recycled for free
through the national TechCollect scheme,
which repackages old computers for
distribution to low-income communities.
See techcollect.com.au for your nearest
drop-off location.
You can also save trees and use the
printer less by moving towards the electronic
office when it comes to things like invoices,
bills and other documents.Maintain healthy rituals
It’s important to create and maintain rituals
around how you start and stop work and
finish for the day, Ashworth says. This
includes breaks and lunch.
You might start the work day by getting
dressed and taking the dog for a walk.
“Walk around the block with your dog
and come back and pretend you’re going
to work,” he suggests. “At the end of the
day, shut the door to your home office. At
a minimum, shut your computer. Screens
are needy children. The boundary betweenwork and home life has progressively
eroded and has become a real problem.”
Having rituals helps you maintain
separation between work and the rest
of your life, including the relaxation time
that’s needed to re-energise you for
another day at work.Schedule social time
If you’re working in a home office you’re
probably working on your own. Professional
and social isolation was nominated the
biggest negative of working from home by
22 per cent of Australians in a survey by
McCrindle Research.
In turn, loneliness can put a dent in
productivity. If you’re feeling affected by
loneliness, budget some time for a regular
social coffee. Even better, combine your
social catchup with a walk.
While investing time, money and energy
into all of the above may seem like a lot
of effort, Ashworth reminds us to look at
the big picture: “You are investing in your
productivity so you’re not sick, you’re alert
and can work better.”Linda Moon is a freelance health, travel and
lifestyle writer and a qualifi ed naturopath
based in Katoomba, NSW.Think of social media as a kind
of digital clutter and deactivate
it while you’re in work time.48 | wellbeing.com.au
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