When it comes to working from home, creating a healthy work environment that supports your physical, emotional and spiritual well-being will maximize your productivity and creativity.
Due to injury and illness, there have been times when I ran my business out of my bed for months at a time. There have been other times I could not sit at a desk but could sit out of recliner. I currently alternate between sitting, standing and reclining. Why? Because that is how I can best serve my well-being, my businesses, and my clients.
Chronic pain impacts over 50 million Americans. It results in nearly $80 billion in lost wages. Lost productivity is estimated at nearly $300 billion annually.
[per Healthline article Chronic Pain: The Impact on the 50 Million Americans Who Have It]
To reduce the impact of pain or other health challenges on YOUR business, it is important to create a work environment unique to your needs.
Here are three areas to focus on to create a healthy work environment for yourself:
Your physical setup (ergonomics)
Ensure your workspace meets your physical needs. It is worth the time, money and research to put together a custom solution that works for you. For starters, this includes your desk height, height of the computer screen, height of your keyboard, distance to the computer screen and your chair height. You might even find you benefit from changing your environment throughout the day. If you have any type of pain, your ergonomic setup will significantly impact the number of hours you are able to work in a sustainable fashion. Maximize your setup and maximize your revenue potential. If you plan to primarily sit at a desk, this article on creating an ergonomic workstation might be of benefit.
The tone of your workspace
The colors and elements around you will affect your workflow. When I had a training studio for digital marketing, I specifically had yellow walls that were both energizing yet calming, and a plum back wall that supported bold creativity. If you love nature, incorporate plants into your workspace. For creative wall color suggestions, enjoy this article on home office color ideas and inspiration.
The lighting in your workspace
Your lighting will not only greatly impact your energy level but your physical health. For example, poor lighting can result in hunching your shoulders and squinting. Not good for your eyes and certainly not good for your back, neck and shoulders. And for some, especially if you are prone to migraines, fluorescent lights can negatively impact how you feel. Choose lights with a natural tone and with enough brightness to support your work area. Here are 5 tips for better home office lighting.
It can be tempting to ‘not invest’ in your work area, to think of it as an afterthought. To think it’s not that important. I challenge you to let go of this mindset and instead focus on envisioning a setup that will support YOUR needs, your well-being and your health. A setup that supports your energy, that supports your body. Because when you do, you are creating a workspace that supports you being able to best support your clients and that maximizes your revenue potential.
Your setup can be as unique as you! And for your sake, the sake of your business and your clients, I hope that is exactly what it is.
If you’d like to learn other ways your health issues might be holding you back in your business, I invite you to explore the BalanceUP® Lifestyle and Business Assessment.
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