Is your home stressing you out? Do you find yourself feeling particularly anxious when you realize that it’s time to head home? Did you ever think about the reason behind it? If not, it might be high-time you do so.
According to one study, the reason behind this might be the rise in the work-family conflict. What this means is that, while we feel in charge while working, we may feel overwhelmed by the amount of work waiting for us once we return home. Whichever the reason may be – this or something else – there are ways you can turn your home into a stress-free sanctuary you’ll actually wish to return to at the end of the day.
First, get rid of all wall clocks
As crazy as it sounds, having a lot of clocks in your home may actually affect your mood in a negative way. Since these devices are used for measuring time, they can subconsciously make you feel constantly under pressure to manage to accomplish all of your daily tasks on time. Thanks to modern-day technology we have clocks practically everywhere and on everything – wrist watches, clocks on cell phones, microwaves and stoves, so there really is no need to have one ticking your seconds away in every room as well. However, if you have a clock you find particularly dear, consider removing the batteries or stopping its mechanism some other way and use it as a decor piece only.
Keep your home tidy and clean
Returning to a messy home is definitely not something you should put yourself through day in and day out. Instead, organize regular cleaning sessions and tidy up whenever possible. Include your entire family in these activities because you shouldn’t be the only one trying to get rid of the mess as you weren’t the one who created that mess alone in the first place. So, teach your children to collect their toys once they are done playing and your spouse to rinse their plate and load it in the dishwasher as soon as they are done eating.
Find your happy place
Not all of us find the same things relaxing and that is fine. So, while your husband, for example, enjoys watching TV after a long day, you might find it boring. It’s important to figure out what relaxes you personally and try to practice that as much as possible. Whether it’s enjoying a nice, tall glass of your favorite wine on the patio or spending some time in your fancy outdoor spa pool, you should keep doing it until you reach the ultimate Zen. On the other hand, your interior design might be the reason you simply can’t seem to relax in your own home. If that’s the case, get rid of everything that’s stressing you out and focus on filling your home with items that bring you joy and make you feel calm.
Use rooms according to their purpose
Just like you probably never eat in your bathroom, you shouldn’t be sleeping in your living room either. This may sound strange but using the rooms according to their intended purpose will help you embrace some good habits, thus making you feel generally happier. The idea behind this is, for example, if you ban all the food and snacks from the living room (except when you have guests) you won’t have to worry about anything getting stained, wet or destroyed with soda, ketchup or chocolate. Furthermore, spending the night on the couch can hinder your sleep, which will make you all cranky and moody in the morning, among other things.
Basically, it all boils down to identifying the negativity triggers and getting rid of them. You can’t expect to be happy and at peace, if you are constantly surrounded by things that make you feel miserable. So, instead of avoiding spending time in your home, tackle the problem and turn your home into a warm, inviting, stress-free sanctuary.
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I never thought of taking the clocks off the walls! That is such a great idea – would probably help my anxiety.
I haven’t had a wall clock in years. I, however, to plan to hang a cock-coo clock on the wall, but merely for decorative purposes.
Wow now that I read about the wall clocks it totally makes sense now! Keeping my house tidy and clean definitely makes a big difference in my mood!
Yes, a tidy home can really make a difference in our mood. Definitely can relax when the house is clean.
These are some thought-provoking ideas. I have a really difficult time striking that work-life balance since I work from home. There’s no real dividing line between where work stops and life outside of work begins. We have a small house, and clutter accumulates much too easily. I know what you mean about clutter being stressful! That is probably my number one goal this fall and winter, is to REALLY declutter in a massive way. Hubby and I have discussed renting a dumpster so we can do some major clearing out of stuff – from our house, but also our cellar, porch, garage – and tearing down the dilapidated shed and workshop.
I totally understand about the work-life balance. It can be hard when working from home. Sometimes as a blogger, work includes the family. My office tends to be the place that catches all the clutter. I try to declutter in chunks instead of trying to tackle it all at once.