Another year has come and gone and your New Year’s resolutions are set: you might eat more healthy, workout often, and learn to finally deal with stress. But have you gotten around to think about improving your environment? Your home and work environment influences your mood, impacts your behavior and motivation to act, it can facilitate or discourage interactions, and even create or reduce stress.
Sometimes the smallest changes in your living and sleeping environment can positively impact your mood. For some rooms it’s an accessory, for others it’s a plant or a new love seat. If you appreciate minimalist surroundings, nobody knows more about functionalism and minimalist living and design than Scandinavians.
Scandinavian design is a movement characterized by simplicity, minimalism, and functionality that emerged in the early 20th century, flourished in the 1950s, and remains popular in the 21st century. One of the leaders of this moment is the Scandinavian furniture brand JYSK.
JYSK’s sleeping and living products are renowned for their utility, simplicity, affordability, beauty, and center around warm functionality, flawless craftsmanship and understated elegance – all traits we seek to showcase in our homes and exuberate in our lives. So, are you looking to enhance your environment and in return, actually accomplish this year’s New Year’s resolutions? Then take a page out of the Scandinavian way of living and follow our tips below:
Light up your environment
We’ve always known that rooms with bright light, whether natural or artificial, can brighten our day, and studies confirm this (Interested to know more, read “Incandescent affect: Turning on the hot emotional system with bright light” in the April 2014 issue of the Journal of Consumer Psychology). So next time you feel overwhelmed turn on a lamp or open a window before you decide to indulge in a pint of ice cream to calm your nerves.
Light up your environment. Image courtesy of JYSK Kuwait
Declutter to destress
We all have it, that one chair that also doubles as a coat-hanger and shoes that litter the floor. You’ve tried everything to clear up your space but your hamper just doesn’t hold enough and your closet is too small. A clean entryway and living space is the key to a clear mindset, and adequate storage will encourage you to take the time to put things away.
Declutter to destress. Image courtesy of JYSK Kuwait
Start a conversation
Having more unrestricted spaces and open concepts is beneficial to our mental health and no home is complete without a living room. No, not the “visitor” living room filled with antiques and romanticized cushions – but the one you spend day-in and day-out in with your family and friends. An inviting space with comfortable chairs, decluttered tabletops, and inviting color-tones facilitates interaction and communication with your loved ones which can lighten your mood and start a conversation when things get tough.
Start a conversation. Image courtesy of JYSK Kuwait
Get a good night’s sleep
Sleeping well directly affects our mental and physical health and the quality of our waking life. Sometimes even small changes to your sleep environment can make a big difference to your quality of sleep. Keeping your room dark, cool and quiet, and making sure your bed is comfortable can help combat those sleepless nights. Choose a suitable mattress and pillows that fit the way you sleep, whether on your back or side, to avoid waking up with a stiff neck or back and refrain from watching TV or using your phone before you sleep.
Get a good night’s sleep. Image courtesy of JYSK Kuwait
JYSK is available at AAW Furniture Showrooms in Al-Dhajeej and Shuwaikh Industrial Area. Showroom opening hours are from 10am to 10pm seven days a week. For more information call 2226 1884 or follow @JYSK_KUWAIT on Instagram.
Featured image courtesy of JYSK Kuwait.
