4 WFH Wellness Tips to Practice This Winter

Written by: Cora Gold

Working from home has many advantages, but it can be hard to be at your best during gloomy winter days. Here are four tips to prioritize your wellness while excelling at your WFH job this winter.

Decorate for the Seasons

Darker days and the holiday season can make it hard to enter your office environment each day. With so many enjoyable activities outside the job, work can become less inviting. Decorating for the seasons throughout winter can bring some cheer to your work-from-home set-up. When you introduce new items to your space, it can stimulate your senses and boost your creativity, so don’t be afraid to spruce up your home office.

With Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanzaa, New Year’s Day, Valentine’s Day and other events happening in winter, there are many options. You can hang lights, make paper decorations and display your favorite holiday figurines. It can be hard to balance holiday cheer with a WFH job, but bringing joy into your office can help.

Holiday decorations can bring feelings of nostalgia. If you have warm winter memories, having them around offers some joy as you navigate your work day. Adding a little color to your space can help even if you’re not into decorating. Winter days are generally gloomier than other seasons, but one study found physical exposure to color can boost your mood. 

Plan Around Natural Lighting 

Though natural light is harder to come by in the winter, prioritizing your exposure can help you have a happier and healthier season. One of the top benefits of working from home is you can choose your workspace. A location near a window can help you maximize your exposure.

If you can adjust your work hours, consider working when you know the sun will be out. Take a mid-day break to get some sunlight. Going out between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. can help you get the most vitamin D, which could improve your physical and mental health. If you have a backyard or balcony, take advantage of it in the winter by enclosing the space or using a firepit. 

Research shows sunlight boosts your serotonin levels, which can reduce anxiety and eye strain. It increases your productivity, which can help you get more done and make the workday feel faster. Sunlight also plays a vital role in regulating your circadian rhythm.

Healthy adults need between seven and nine hours of sleep each night for physical and mental health. The increased darkness in winter can throw you off, causing you to get too little or too much rest. Natural light exposure can help you feel tired at night and more alert during the day.

Prioritize Ergonomics 

Whether you work from home or in an office, it’s vital to prioritize ergonomics. These features improve your comfort and energy levels and include physical, cognitive, and organizational elements.

Your posture, movement, and safety all affect your physical ergonomics. Adjustable chairs, desks, and monitors allow you to get in the best position. You could switch between standing and sitting and place your equipment so your gaze stays ahead and your spine stays aligned.

A well-organized space can also help optimize your environment. The easier you can navigate your desk, shelves and other items, the less stress you’ll feel during the day. Both the physical and organizational components of your office contribute to cognitive ergonomics. Your stress, productivity, and decision-making processes all contribute to your ability to relax and focus.

You can also improve your cognitive ergonomics by catering to your senses. Comforting smells and sounds can contribute to a better environment that energizes you while working, and helps you keep that energy while with family and friends.

Make It Private 

A 2021 survey revealed 40% of WFH employees don’t have a dedicated workspace. Holidays can get chaotic with visitors, holiday programs, and excited children in or around your home. Making your workspace as private as possible is vital for successfully working from home during the winter season.

Many schools are closed during the workday, and cooler weather means your kids might be less interested in being outside. The same could go for your spouse if they get home early or pets if they need to spend more time in the house. Even if you live alone, holiday traffic, snow plows, and other noises could interfere with your work.

You can up your workspace privacy by thickening the walls in your home office. Heavy curtains, furniture, canvases, and other wall hangings can dampen outside noise. If you have a lot of people in your home, consider marking off a “quiet zone” around your office to limit your noise exposure. You could play nature sounds or white noise to help you drown out sounds. You can also try noise-canceling headphones.

Keep your office private by limiting outside communication. Consider implementing a “mail” system for house guests who want to share messages during the day. Instead of knocking and interrupting your work, they can slide a note under the door you can respond to when you come to a natural stopping point. If it’s urgent, ask them to call you instead of text. That way, you’re not always checking your phone to see if someone needs something.

Creating a Positive WFH Experience Every Season 

The lack of natural light and new distractions can make winter a strange time for work-from-home employees. With these tips, you can keep your spirits up and create a space to help you perform at your best.