Stay Home: Making the most of our living spaces

With a full lockdown in place in many parts of the world, we are all home for the foreseeable future, and as daunting as that may be, as claustrophobic as it may feel, it’s for our own good, and for the greater good, so we stay home and we stay safe. 

I think the best thing we can do in this situation is to simply focus on the present and make the most of where we are and who we are with (that could be in person or in virtual reality). There are so many factors out of our control right now, but one thing we can influence is our living space, no matter how big or small, this is the space that helps us feel grounded and safe; it’s a space that we call home. And so, we make the best of our home space; we think of ways to create a routine, and to demarcate spaces (even with the smallest of quarters) in order to maintain some semblance of normality as we go about our daily lives indoors. Here are a few things to consider.

Workspaces

With many of us working from home, it’s important to create some form of routine and also to create a separate workspace, so that our working life doesn’t become too entwined with our home life. You don’t need to have vast amounts of space, but if you do, that certainly helps. The main thing is that you don’t have your laptop with you in bed for example; try to have a desk setup and focus on your posture as you sit at your makeshift office space. Take breaks as you normally would at work, and create set working hours, so you’re not logged on at all hours of the day and night. Work life balance is more important than ever right now.

Natural light

Where possible, you want to encourage natural light, and create bright spaces in your home, or room. Natural light has this amazing effect of boosting our moods, which is why when we are outside, mood-boosting hormone, serotonin is released, which is one of those 'happy' chemicals in the body. So, if you’re surrounded by dark walls, this may be the time to grab a tin of paint and go lighter, go brighter to make the most of your living space. Your mood is affected throughout your day in so many different ways, and although it is natural to go through ups and downs, you want to give yourself a positive and uplifting space to be in right now, and always.

Photo by Natelee Cocks©

Home interiors

There’s a lot to say about feng shui, and the belief that how you order and organize the rhythm of your home affects the way you experience it. So, let’s use the extra time we have to shuffle around with that feng shui, and shake things up a little. With so much uncertainty in our lives, it makes sense to focus on the things that we have control over, particularly the ones that help to balance our moods. You might reassess the number of things you own, or simply organize them differently, look at things with the view of value and the energy that they instill, and see if the shift in balance of your home interiors helps to shift the balance in you.

Photo courtesy of Kuky Design© 

Comfort factor

As much as we want to be productive with our time and make the most of being home, for many of us, we now see our homes quite differently, as we naturally crave to be outdoors. So, I think this a good time to increase the comfort factor, and not just aesthetically. You might want to work on making your living space cosier, upping the comfort factor with a new throw, or feathery cushions, maybe light some candles to create a relaxed evening ambience. Along the same vein, seek comfort from a delicious home-cooked meal; try a new recipe, something that makes you feel warm inside, something nutritious. You might even have a virtual dinner with family and friends; it sounds silly, but in these current times, this is the new normal, so let’s embrace it and try to think less, take it one day at a time and surround ourselves with people and things that make us feel good, make us feel safe.