How to Create a Positive Work Environment
By Sara Butler
The Bureau of Labor Statistics has reported people spend about nine hours a day on work-related activities. So, if you sleep for eight hours a night and add that to nine hours you spend on work, 17 hours of your 24-hour day is spoken for! Since you spend so much time working, it’s important to create an environment at work that will contribute positively to your overall health. Here are a few changes you can make that will have a big impact on the health of your work environment.
Make Sure Your Office is Clean
It’s of vital importance to keep a place where you spend so much time clean and organized. This serves a couple of important purposes. First, when your office is clean and organized, it makes things easier to find, lowering your stress levels and maybe even increasing your productivity. Secondly, a clean office won’t harbor germs and bacteria that can make you sick; if you’re sick, you’re either going to be stuck at home for the day and unable to work or you’re going to be much less productive.
Another great way to add some health and happiness to your office space is by incorporating plants. They make the environment in your office more pleasant and they look nice as they help to keep the air clean. Peace lilies, Gerbera daisies, and Marginata are great office plants.
Light Ergonomics
You’ve probably heard of ergonomics for items in your office such as your chair and your computer, but what about the lights? Proper lighting is a very important factor in a healthy work environment. You should try to reduce glare where you can as well as shadows, to help reduce the chances of you suffering from headaches or eye fatigue. Natural light is the best light, but if you don’t have a window in your office, you can create a light setup that can help reduce stress and perform well.
Create Balance
Work is important, but remember that all work and no play can be a recipe for disaster! Americans are knowns for being workaholics. Working more hours may increase your productivity but it will eventually lead to high stress and burnout. If your boss is open to it, occasional things such as birthday celebrations, social gatherings, and team lunches can go a long way toward building fellowship for the team and help you to create more balance in your work life.
