As you’ve probably guessed, I’m on a mission to make the workplace a healthy and hopefully happy place to be. I work from home now and love the way I’ve personalized my home office space. When I worked outside of my home, I would also ensure my cubicle was a pleasant place to be, personalizing it with pictures, plants, motivational quotes, etc. It was a place that felt like my little oasis in a big cubical world.
Gift giving lists are popular this time of year (I wonder why?!) so I thought I’d pull together my ideas for office gifts with a healthy twist.
- Salt Rock Lamp
I have a full sized salt rock lamp next to my computer and its gorgeous light helps me feel calm and at peace. I’m not going to get technical here, you can google lots of info on the salt rock lamp benefits and how they work, but essentially computers, artificial lights and other electronics emit what are known as positive ions. They can mess with our sleep patterns, cause headaches and are overall not great for our health. Negative ions are found in nature and can induce calm, peace, help us feel at ease, etc.
At work, salt rock lamps emits a small amount of negative ions and can help improve your concentration, reduce stress and give you energy. They neutralize the effects of artificial light and poor air circulation. A salt lamp on your desk near your computer will help minimize the effects your computer and monitor. You can buy them in person at The Healthy Vibe in St. John’s, CBS and Corner Brook or order it online.
- Water Bottle
If you follow my twice daily tips on Twitter you know I’m a big fan of drinking lots of water throughout the work day. Having a water bottle you like will help make drinking water pleasant and hopefully a habit. My suggestions are: no plastic, find something you like that you can fit in your purse or bag, and keep it filled. I like the brands Sigg and S’well in particular.
- Nice Journal
We all have different ways of keeping track of our projects, lists and time. Even if you use an online method, there is something lovely about having a nice journal to write notes in. I really like Studio Oh! journals for their size and pretty covers.
- Plants
Live green plants are another way to bring the negative ions found in nature into your work space. They help to clean the air and are nice to look at. Tending to a plant can be a great way to take a few minutes break if you feel you’re getting stressed or your mind in on overdrive. One of my favourites is the spider plant and it does quite well in low light. A bonus is you easily get baby spiders that you can cut and give to your office mates for their spaces.
- Picture Frames
Nice picture frames to put pictures of family members, pets, motivational quotes or even a small vision board. Fill your desk with pictures that help you feel happy and peaceful when you look at them. Find motivational quotes that give you a boost of energy or life when you feel you need it. I like Umbra picture hanging displays like this Umbra Hang-It Frame. It can hold so much goodness!