This is what working from your bedroom does to your mental health

For those that work from home, it is very tempting to start the working day in bed. Or maybe you’re banned from the bedroom when your roommate or partner has an important video call. Whatever the reason for this (at first sight) comfortable workplace, working too much in bed has adverse effects on your mental health.

Association with being awake

“Working from your bedroom can negatively impact your sleep. Unconsciously, you will associate your bedroom with being awake and alert. Especially if you already find it difficult to separate work and private life, it is not a good idea to work in your bedroom.”

Working in your bedroom and not in a specially equipped workplace has two consequences. Firstly, it will be more difficult to relax in your bedroom completely. It will then become more difficult to fall asleep. If you’re already a worrier and never fall asleep easily, this new habit will only make it harder to fall asleep.

Secondly, your productivity also suffers if you can no longer separate your private and work life. Not only does your brain subconsciously think, “Hey, but is also not this a place to rest?” when you are at work. Because your sleep quality is also less, you will be more irritated during the day, and it will be more difficult to concentrate. So it’s a lose-lose situation.

Still working in your bedroom

Are you dependent on your bedroom? This way, you ensure that the negative consequences on your mental (and physical) health are limited as much as possible.

Use signals that indicate the start and end of the working day

It is important to separate work and private life as much as possible when working from home, wherever in the house you work.

This means, for example, that you can start and end your working day with a walk “as a travel time”. Or that you light a scented candle next to your computer and blow it out when you close your laptop.

Create a workplace

It is, of course, best if you create a workplace by setting up a small desk. Make sure that your work items are no longer visible when you go to bed.

For example, you can shield the desk with a room divider. Or our favourite: a cloffice, a desk in a cupboard where you can close the door behind you at the end of the day.

If you only have room for a desk, you can also choose to simply put your work items out of sight at the end of the day.

Don’t work on your bed

Your bed is very tempting, we know. But you know very well that it is not very ergonomic. Working too much on the bed will also affect your back, shoulders and neck. Besides, your bed is sacred. It should just be a place where you relax and sleep