How to Create a Positive Environment
A happy or positive environment plays a crucial role in supporting a person’s well-being.
We live in a world where almost everything is accessible, especially information which could be a source of stress if not consumed the right way. That’s why we need to create a space to give ourselves a break, find peace in the middle of the overwhelming busyness of the world.
In this blog, I will share my tips on how to create a positive physical and mental environment in your living, work, online and social spaces that nurture positivity and shield your senses from negativity.
Living Space
Keep it tidy
As simple as making your bed after rising, clearing up your desk, throwing waste straight into the bin, putting the dishes into the dishwasher, stacking your shoes and clothes neatly in the closet — these can all help in making your living space homey.
There is nothing much more comforting than the thought of going into a clean and relaxing home at the end of a long day.
Affirmations and quotes
Most people don’t realise the effect of having a constant prompt of motivating words. Writing down in a paper and posting it on your wall or gratitude wall if you have is one of the few ways to remind yourself of the words which highly resonate with you.
More often than not, you get these uplifting statements while reading a good book. Why not pause, take a moment and write it down in a piece of paper, so you get reminded how you felt the first time you read those words?
Declutter
Things accumulate through time. Absolutely. Hence, it is good that we revisit not just our closet but our kitchen cupboard and storage room as well every now and again.
We tend to keep unwanted things perhaps because they have a sentimental value, but most likely than not, you still have got clothes you are not using kept in your closet thinking that you might use it in the future. Why not store them all in one place to create more space for the essentials?
There is a great book called ‘Essentialism’ by Greg McKeown, which explains the basic concepts of getting rid of the unnecessary/non-essentials. You can read an overview of Essentialism and other highly recommended books here.
Reorganise your furniture
Re-arranging furniture gives you a feeling of starting anew. You’re basically in the same space, but with its new structure, it’s as if you’ve hit the refresh button!
The basic principles of interior design emphasise the importance of balance, harmony, and proportion & scale. Not to mention, space has to be functional. All these elements all together can create excitement and a sense of restfulness.
Organise your furniture in a way that helps you navigate in your space without any obstacles in the way.
Play some music
Music significantly affects your mood and motivation as well — no wonder why it’s customary seeing people have their headphones on anywhere.
Reading, running, working, training or doing the chores while having some nice music in the background makes such a huge difference. If you would like to know more about the psychological benefits of listening to music, check out VeryWellMind’s article here.
Workspace
Set boundaries
Work is a cycle; it never ends. It can be challenging to unplug, especially when the physical separation of living and workspaces is impossible.
Turning your computer off after working hours is a helpful way to get your mind away from your job. In this way, you can resist the urge of checking emails and chats from time to time.
Avoiding meetings before and after working hours as much as possible is proven to have been very helpful. Although working for an extended hour is sometimes unavoidable, you must give yourself a boundary as to when you are only supposed to engage yourself at work. And give your 100% once you’re at it to accomplish your tasks.
Learn when to say ‘No’
You are going to feel a little guilt in the beginning for saying no to people and perhaps making them feel bad, but soon you’ll realise that it will give you more time to do or focus on things that are far more important. And most importantly, what makes you happier.
Once you realise how important time is and how you should be spending it, you will be able to filter what’s truly essential and saying no to non-essential things will come out naturally. You can read more about this concept on Essentialism by Greg McKeown and The 80/20 Principle by Richard Koch, which are two of my highly recommended self-development books to read.
Take a break
Make use of your days off to unwind and think. Relaxing does not necessarily mean you have to be in the Maldives or the Caribbean. It could be a walk in the countryside or a park where you can soak under the sun while reading a good book.
Doesn’t always have to be days either. It could be half an hour to a few hours break each day to let yourself and mind quickly recover from the overwhelming busyness of the world. Why not take a nap to recharge if it will make you more focused afterwards? Just find some time to think.
Online Space
Turn Notifications Off
Turning notifications off from your smartphones is vital, especially during your flow state. It minimises distractions and will increase your productivity.
There are four things I find very helpful in managing the use of smartphone:
- Set Do Not Disturb mode from at least an hour before bedtime and rising — You would not want any distractions at least an hour before going to bed so you can wind down and have a good night sleep. Mornings are as crucial as evenings so having a few hours to yourself before the busyness of the online world kicks is a great start.
- Turning Social Media Messaging off — Imagine having at least 1000+ friends on Facebook messaging you all at the same time. I know that is almost far from happening unless you are a celebrity or an influencer, but the point is, you would not want your phone to be buzzing every second of the day. That is a massive ball of distraction. You would like to read messages only when you have free time to do so or if you are expecting an important message from someone.
- Turning notifications off from unused and unimportant apps — Similar to point #2, you would only want to receive useful information. Hence, removing prompts from unwanted sources helps create a clear mental space.
- Unsubscribe from emails — Try browsing through your mailbox and see how many unopened emails you have got from online shops, magazines, dating apps etc. More than a thousand? Why not unsubscribe from those senders if they only clutter your inbox?
Tailor Social Media Feeds to Your Needs
We all know that there are people who would rant and rave on about their frustrations in life on social media that gravitates negativity. Why not follow people or pages which is informative, uplifts your mood and enhances your creativity?
Informative pages could be news pages which could also be overwhelming. It is good to be updated with what’s happening in the world but make sure it is something that of use to you. You cannot control what gets published on news pages, but you can control what gets into your brain.
One of the things that I live up to is avoiding these negative inputs which you can read more.
Join Support Groups and Pages
There are loads of Facebook pages and course support groups which are useful. You can pick any group depending on your needs. It could be because you’re in a new city and want to meet new friends, you want to find a community which will help you realise your goals for self-improvement or putting up a business.
If you’re looking for a community which will help you realise your goals for self-improvement and define your future self, AMP (Accelerated Momentum Program) is a life-changing platform. It will change your perspective in life, from realising the importance of your time especially mornings and evenings, raising the bar on what you believe you’re worth and what you can do, defining and working towards becoming your future self.
You will meet like-minded people and get support through Pod Groups and Accountability Partnerships. One of the many incredible things the course has to offer.
Social Space
Cultivate Relationships with Positive People
It is not important how much people you have around you. What’s important is the quality of the relationship that you have with them. Sounds cliché, but it is accurate, and the realisation may also only come with age. There is a quote that says, ‘As you get older, you want to be surrounded by good people. Just the people that are good for you, good to you, and good for your soul.’
Surrounding yourself with people who radiate positivity is one of the best feelings in the world. And you would want to keep and cultivate the relationship with those people because they will lift you and push you towards greatness.
Walking Away from Unhealthy Relationships
Walking away from unhealthy relationships means creating boundaries. I am far from a relationship expert, but I think we all get the feeling when something is not right and that you should follow. It’s called gut feeling, and it is almost always undoubtedly correct.
Conclusion
A positive environment is enriching, and it’s up to you how to create it. Do not let your environment to control you; instead, you must take control of it.
I hope these tips will work for you as much as they do for me.
Originally published at https://www.wellness-centric.com on October 15, 2020.
