How to promote wellbeing in your workspace

Many of us are currently spending less time on cruise ships and more time working at home, therefore it makes sense to analyse your surroundings.

The founder of Uncommon co-working spaces, Tania Adir, has spent a decade researching wellbeing in the workspace.

Through her research, she has discovered that our productivity levels are affected by light, smell, surroundings and physical activity.

As a result, Tania has spent time with leading professionals in their field to create the ultimate working environment at the Uncommon co-working spaces in London. Her tips include the following:

Biophilic Design

Biophilic design is a major trend of the last few years – plants make people happy, greenery is good for you.

Sharing your workspace with nature’s own air purifiers provides a healthier environment for mind and body. 

Opt for Devil’s Ivy, Dracaena which is great for eliminating pollutants, or Ficus Benjamina.

Ergonomics

The ergonomics of your workspace are vital, to ensure comfort and physical wellbeing.

Chairs and desks should encourage correct posture and avoid the dreaded slouch.

At Uncommon, chairs are balanced for posture while standing desks give the chance to stretch out.

Sound

Sound is often overlooked – just because a space sounds busy doesn’t mean anything’s getting done!

You need to hear yourself think, and find your rhythm.

Uncommon has a music concierge offering an exclusively curated playlist for each space; these have been created to enhance concentration and increase productivity.

 Activity-based working

Activity-based working is another hot trend. Switch it up and use your space every way you can.

Be sure to move around regularly, or go for a short walk – exercise boosts efficiency and reduces stress. 

Mindfulness

Mindfulness is a familiar buzzword these days, and another important component to an efficient, productive workspace.

Try some deep breathing and mediations – deep breathing has proven the change the way your mind functions, allowing you to activate other parts of your brain.

When you’re feeling foggy, try to relax and take a few breaths. It can be hard to dedicate a time in the day to meditate, but even a guided one minute mediation can help you become more focused on your workload.

Plan your day with each upcoming task, priority and time assigned to each item on your to-do list to help you stay focused.

Take scheduled time outs as sitting at your screen all day can get quite frustrating.

Take a few minutes each hour to walk around and stretch. Set your phone aside as much as possible as they can be extremely distracting.

A study revealed that workers are 26 per cent more productive when they are not attached to their phone, so pop it in your desk drawer or bag, or give yourself dedicated phone breaks.