Home Habits: Creating the Perfect Work from Home Environment

 Working from home requires that we cultivate an environment that stimulates creativity and helps us hone in our concentration. 

Nora Tobin, performance enhancement and executive coach to Fortune 100 companies, nutrition specialist and CEO of Nora’s Naturals Coffee, shares her top 3 tips for creating the perfect work from home environment!

Tobin says, “Working from home has given us a freedom and flexibility many have long sought for, but it’s important to make sure you are optimizing your space to be as productive and focused as possible. Small changes can make big differences in your mood, mindset and ability to focus.”

Tip #1: Have the right smells
Rosemary, Jasmine, Cinnamon and Lemongrass scents offer a wide range of useful benefits that can accompany your style and how you like to be productive. Rosemary scents are known to have a positive effect on memory and alertness, increasing both. For those of us looking to be more mellow, Lemongrass might be the better option as it is linked to easing anxiety and reducing stress. 

Tip #2: Have the right lighting
Lighting design changes based on the building type and what’s used for (leisure vs productivity for example). Hence why reading with a nightstand lamp is more enjoyable to most people than being under the overhead fluorescent lighting in most public buildings. For your home set up, you should be looking for light to be in the range of about 300-500 lux. For example, 500 lux for your workspace can be achieved with a 1,000 lumen desk light. By comparison, a sunny day outdoors is up to about 100,000 lux.

Tip #3: Have the right plants
Don’t underestimate having a plant by your side to join you in the action of working from home. Having been linked to improving mood, reducing fatigue, and lowering stress and anxiety, plants can be a great way to add life to your work from home space or even on top of your desk. The snake plant (Dracaena trifasciata) or modern bamboo plants are a great, low-maintenance option for those looking to add a little greenery to their workflow.