While there are definitely a lot of perks to working from home, some people are a lot more lucky than others when it comes to square footage.
While many have the space for an office or an extra desk in the living room at their disposal, many others have had to make do with only having one room in which they can actually guarantee they get a bit of privacy – their bedrooms, or worse, their beds.
Not only is working from your bed bad for your posture, but if you’re working from your bedroom, your brain may well start to associate that room with work rather than rest.
As a result, you may be finding it hard to switch your brain off when you need to sleep.
Now that more and more people are heading back to the office, Alison Jones, sleep expert at Sealy UK, has shared her top tips for reclaiming your bedroom as a place for rest and sleep again.
Declutter
Being surrounded by clutter isn’t exactly restful, but when your bedroom is doubling up as an office, it can be easy to let things pile up.
Alison recommends Feng Shui, and explains: ‘We’ve all heard of Feng Shui, the art of promoting good health and wellbeing through the placement of objects and the energy flow through a room, and this can apply to your bedroom too.
‘One of the main principles of Feng Shui is the notion of Chi energy being able to circulate freely, which includes under and around the bed.
‘However, bedrooms are often one of the messiest rooms in the house, and that’s especially true if you’re working around overflowing wastepaper bins, piles of empty coffee cups and stacks of paperwork.
‘Without even realising it, clutter and untidiness can play on your mind and raise anxiety levels. Not only that but it can disrupt the energy movement throughout your bedroom too.
‘So, take this as an opportunity to have a good tidy up. Make sure to move any storage from under your bed into cupboards, and clear away any work-related items that may be lying around.
‘Whether you follow Feng Shui or not, one thing’s for sure; creating a clean and tidy environment in your bedroom is a simple way to create a positive, sleep-inducing environment and improve the quality of your sleep.’
Do a tech detox
We know that looking at screens before bed isn’t a good idea, but even having your work equipment in your bedroom can keep your mind on work when you should be drifting off.
‘If technology has taken over your bedroom while you’ve been working from home,’ said Alison, ‘now is the time to put it to the side. Not only do laptops, tangles of wires, tablets and phones endlessly remind you of work, but the blue light emitted from device screens can suppress our melatonin levels which regulate sleep.
‘Not forgetting that constant email notifications or alerts can disturb you from a deep slumber, or encourage you to work longer into the night, leaving you feeling lethargic in the morning.
‘Simply packing away or removing your work-related tech when you finish for the day will help you effectively switch off and focus on getting a restful night’s sleep – not on responding to emails from your boss.
‘And remember, if your devices do remain in your bedroom, we would recommend switching them to silent mode.’
Make your bed a ‘sleep sanctuary’
If you still find yourself needing to work from the bedroom, you should work away from your bed if you can.
Alison said: ‘It is really important that your brain associates your bed with sleeping, and not working, so keep disciplined and don’t be tempted to climb under the sheets during the day.
‘Turning your bed into a relaxing “sanctuary for sleep” will help. Think fresh sheets, calming colours and sleep-inducing scents like lavender, sweet marjoram or cedarwood.
‘Airing your room after your working day will also help clear out any fustiness that might have gathered and will help maintain a cool sleeping environment – especially if you’ve had the heating on all day.
‘Separating your work and sleep environments in this way – even if they are in the same room – will bring huge benefits when it comes to the quality of your rest.’
Set (and stick to) boundaries
Even if it’s not yet possible for you to completely remove your work from your bedroom, you should still try and keep your work life firmly separate from your home life as much as possible.
‘For many of us,’ said Alison, ‘the return to the office will be gradually phased, and home working in some capacity is here to stay.
‘That means it might not be 100% possible to remove all traces of your day job from your bedroom.
‘However, establishing strict boundaries between work and leisure – for example, making sure you stick to office hours where possible and avoid working into the night – can really help you switch off when you need to.
‘Similarly, making the conscious decision to stand up and leave your bedroom when you finish working – rather than slumping onto your bed – will help you better define work and relaxation.
‘This does require some discipline, but it is essential if you want to maintain a healthy work-life balance.’
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