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MAKING YOUR OFFICE A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE

That's right, live. When you break it down, the average full time office worker is in their office or cubicle for 9 hours a day. We may spend an hour getting ready in the morning, an hour in traffic communing each way, we're lucky if we get home in time to fix something resembling a dinner. We may, if we're lucky, have three or four hours to spend at home relaxing and doing what needs done before it's time to go to bed so that we can get up and do it again the next day. So, if you include commute time in this figure, as it is related to the workday, that's eleven waking hours spent dealing with career, versus about five, maybe six waking hours actually spent at home. Now do you see what I'm saying? Those of you poor souls who end up taking your work home at night will need no further convincing!

Some people who are "all business" will find that their office and home lives should stay miles apart. Their work area is stark white and nothing personal exists in their space. For the rest of us, a few minor additions to the workspace will make the days go by faster and make us more emotionally comfortable in an otherwise stressful environment.

Photos - Firstly, adding a photo or two of loved ones in a nice photo frame on the desk or on the wall can make for a pleasant focal point during those times when you need to look away from the computer and give your eyes a flex. Hanging a vibrant art print on a far wall can also provide mental stimulation while at the same time giving your eyes a much needed break. It is recommended to, every 45 minutes to an hour, look up and away from your computer screen and focus on something as far away as you can for a few minutes. This done regularly not only wards off eye strain and the resulting headaches, but it has been proved to slow the progress of nearsightedness in those who have it.

Plants - Not only to plants liven up almost any environment with their bright colors and beautiful shapes, they also act to clean the air around them and bring much-needed oxygen into their surroundings. The smell of flowers in bloom can be uplifting to the spirit and fun shaped planters are their own visual stimulant. When bringing any plants into the office, make sure you have something that can survive in a low-light or fluorescent-light area. Bulb plants (like hyacinth) are not recommended because they have very specific requirements to keep them healthy. Good plants to consider would be along the lines

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