Mental Health Moments: Why Your Office Environment Matters To Your Mental Health

⌛ By Kaylin R. Staten ⌛

For natural introverts, environments matter. While I can truly work from anywhere -- as long as it has a WiFi connection -- I thrive in areas tailored to me. 

Why do our office environments matter to our mental health?

Personal items can boost productivity.

First, you spend much of your waking and working hours in your office, especially if you remotely work or the thesis of your work involves sitting behind a computer most of the time. It’s your home away from home. You want to tailor your office to your needs, wants and personality. So, add items that fit who you are as a person. 

For example, my office boasts my Leia Organa POP figure collection, my continuously growing library of books, and personal photos in eclectic frames. There’s nothing like motivating yourself with photos of people and places you love, especially when you’re looking forward to a vacation or just a relaxing evening with a loved one. Little reminders of who you are can motivate you, even when you’re not feeling like your most productive self. 

A clean office is vital.

This may seem like a no-brainer, but make sure your office space is clean. Some of us like to clutter items on our desks, floors, and beyond, especially when you are hard at work on a project. Just make sure your office is clean. This is important for those of us who are allergic to dust mites, like yours truly. 

When my office or home are dirty, I can’t focus to my full capacity. It does begin to affect my mental health, even when I don’t realize it. Cue the overwhelm. If you work in an office environment, you don’t really have to worry as much about this. A cleaning service or someone on staff could be on hand to vacuum, dust, and take out the garbage. When you’re your own boss who works from home, however, those responsibilities happen to fall on you. Keep up with your office chores at least once a week so your workload and mental health are at optimal levels. 

Toxic experiences and environments are counterproductive.

I’m sure all of us have at least one story of a toxic work situation. This doesn’t involve a physical office environment, but negative work relationships can take an obvious toll on your mental health. You could have an overly micromanaging boss, a co-worker could have it out for you, or you could work in a high-stress position. 

If you find yourself in a toxic work environment, create your exit strategy and continue to work there until you implement that strategy. Your mental health is worth more than being stressed, anxious, and depressed all of the time. If you find yourself in this type of situation, do something that alleviates stress when you’re out of that environment. While it’s helpful to talk about it to a therapist or someone you trust, dwelling on the situation doesn’t always help -- at least in my experience. 

Please note: These blog posts are not clinical, although we will provide symptoms and other information. These posts are based on my experiences with anxiety and mental health in general. If you or someone you know needs help, visit a website like Mental Health America to learn more.

Mental Health Moments blog posts are every other Tuesday of the month. Our CEO and contributors highlight what it's like to live with a mental health disorder and continue to fight the stigma through storytelling.

Kaylin R. Staten, APR, is an award-winning public relations practitioner and writer based in Huntington, WV with nearly 16 years of professional communications experience. As CEO and founder of Hourglass Media, she uses her compassionate spirit and expertise to delve into the heart of clients’ stories. She is a recovering perfectionist, mental health advocate, wife, cat + expectant mom and Leia Organa aficionado. Connect with Kaylin on LinkedIn.