Since I first published this list of 25 obvious, yet effective, ways to improve your working environment, all the way back in 2022, it’s become one of the most read posts on my blog. Many of my coaching clients and course participants come back to this again and again, to find new ways to tweak their set up and improve their working environment.
Given that we are once again in January, and given that this week I’d do just about anything to make work a little easier, I’ve gone back to review and update the list to include a few new things and approaches. There are a lot of things you can try to make your day a little more comfortable, calmer and more balanced. What will make a real difference to you depends on the way you work and your personal preferences.
What makes this approach work (for me at least) is that the aim is to start thinking about making very small, incremental improvements, not big or radical changes that new year resolutions so often come with. I can always find ways to make myself 1% more comfortable, even on a bad day. And along the way, I gain a little more awareness and distance from being lost in digital productivity curves.
My “1% better” list
Use this list to find ways to make a small change, or maybe two, and see how things shift:
Working environment
- lights for different times of day, i.e. a work lamp, SAD lamp, fairy lights, a candle
- a selfie or ring light
- A place for a pet to be… if you can persuade them
- a place for papers/desk tidy
- open window or fan
- heated seat pad
Work set up
- a new mouse mat or a mouse you like
- wrist rest/mouse rest
- glare protector
- foot rest (cushion or yoga bolster can work, too)
- headphones that suit your ears
Stepping away from the screen
- an alarm or similar that reminds you to take regular screen breaks
- a physical reminder to go to a different room/downstairs/outside
- cushioned slippers or shoes (particularly handy for standing desks)
- a paper planner/diary you can use away from the screen to think/plan
- a lunch date/appointment with someone away from your desk
Engage your senses
- scented candle or a diffuser for aromatherapy oils
- music
- new flavour hot (or cold) drinks to try such as new herbal teas or coffees
- a secret snack stash (healthy or not)
- something tactile like a soft throw or a fidget toy
- a pet
Analogue joys
- a plant
- a nice coaster
- photos/pictures/art
- a rock or shell from somewhere you like
- record player
Healthy habits
- eye mist and glasses that help filter blue light
- a water bottle
- cleaning products for your workspace, i.e. eco wipes, disinfectant, screen cleaner
- find a window sill or high shelf you can use as a place to have meetings with your laptop or a sit stand desk or desk shelf
A few notes…
If you haven’t done so in a while and especially if you have recently moved things around, checking in on your work set up from a basic health & safety perspective and reviewing display screen equipment guidance is a good first step.
Many of us easily ignore or tune out constant factors that make working uncomfortable, like glare, noise, a bad chair and so forth. Try and look at your set up with fresh eyes.
Ask yourself, if someone else had to use it for a week, what do you think they might like or find difficult?
Support from your employer with purchasing office equipment for home working (or if you are self-employed here in the UK, you can apply for support with office equipment costs from the Department for Work) should help with making bigger changes, such as buying an adjustable desk, a suitable chair and other equipment.
What are you going to try to make your day tomorrow 1% more comfortable?
