How to Create a Healthier Home Office (Especially If You Work From Home)

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Quick question. Where do you spend more waking hours than anywhere else in your house?

If you run a business from home, I already know the answer. It's that desk. Or that kitchen table. Or, let's be honest, that corner of the couch with a laptop balanced on a pillow. No judgment. I've been there.

We put so much thought into our homes for the holidays. If you read my entrepreneur's Thanksgiving prep plan, you know I'll happily spend a whole weekend getting the house guest ready. But the space where we actually build our businesses? It usually gets whatever energy is left over, which is not much by November.

So let's change that. Here are simple, mostly free ways to create a healthier home office that helps you feel better, focus longer, and actually enjoy showing up to work.

Let the light (and the air) in

If your office is a dim corner where the sun never visits, start here. Move your desk closer to a window if you can, even just a few feet. Natural light makes a bigger difference to your mood and energy than any fancy desk accessory ever will. If moving the desk isn't an option, swap that harsh overhead bulb for a warm desk lamp, so you're not working under what feels like a gas station light.

Then think about air. Winter is when we seal ourselves inside with the heat cranked, and a stuffy office makes that 2pm slump hit even harder. Crack a window for a few minutes in the morning, even when it's chilly. Add a plant or two. (A pothos is nearly impossible to kill, and trust me, I've tried.) Fresh air in the morning, a fresh brain for the afternoon.

Clear the clutter and draw a line

Here's something I learned the hard way. A cluttered desk is a cluttered brain. When I'm surrounded by stacks of mail, three coffee mugs, and the kids' permission slips, I can't think straight. So I do a five-minute reset at the end of every workday. Everything that doesn't belong on the desk goes back where it lives. The next morning, I sit down to a clean slate instead of yesterday's chaos.

The other half of a healthy office is boundaries. When you work from home, work has a sneaky way of leaking into every corner of your life, and your life leaks right back into your work. That's exactly why I'm such a fan of protecting my evenings, something I talked about in how to run your business and your home during the busiest season of the year. Your office needs an "off" switch too. Close the laptop. Turn off the lamp. If you can, shut the door. It sounds small, but it tells your brain (and your family) that the workday is officially done.

Get up, move, and give your eyes a break

The funny thing about working from home is that you can go an entire day without walking more than 40 steps. Bedroom, coffee pot, desk, repeat. Our bodies were not built for that, friend.

Start with your setup. Raise your screen so the top of it sits around eye level (a stack of books works great). Keep your feet flat on the floor, and find a chair that doesn't make your back complain by lunchtime. Then build movement into your day on purpose. Take calls standing up or walking around the house. Set a timer to get up once an hour, even if it's just to refill your water.

And please give your eyes a break. Every so often, look away from the screen at something across the room or out the window for a few seconds. Your eyes do a lot of heavy lifting in this business. Treat them kindly.

Rethink what you clean with

Okay, confession time. When was the last time you actually wiped down your keyboard? Your mouse? Your phone? (I'll wait.) Those are some of the most touched surfaces in the whole house, and in a home office they're shared with crumbs, coffee drips, and the occasional kid who just wants to "see something real quick."

A quick wipe-down once a week makes a real difference. But here's the part we don't think about enough: you're breathing that air all day long, in a small space, often with the windows shut. So what you clean with matters.

That's why I switched to Truly Free for our cleaning supplies. Their plant-based, non-toxic cleaners come in refillable packaging, and I like knowing what I'm spraying on the desk where I spend my whole workday. Bonus: they're delivered to my door, so restocking is one of those household tasks I've completely put on autopilot. If you want more ideas like that, check out how I automate my home like I automate my business.

The easiest way to try Truly Free is with their free app. Download it and you'll get $10 toward any purchase. No catch.

In the US, Canada, or India? Download the free Truly Free app here and grab your $10.

Anywhere else? You can shop the Truly Free web shop here.

Make it a place you actually want to be

A healthy office isn't just about air and posture. It's about how the space makes you feel when you walk in. If your office feels like a storage closet with Wi-Fi, of course you dread sitting down there.

Add a few things that make you smile. A photo of your family. A candle or a cozy throw for chilly mornings. A vision board with the trips you're working toward. A sticky note on your monitor that reminds you why you started this business in the first place. For me, that "why" has always been more time and more freedom for my family, and I love seeing it every single day.

You don't need a big budget or a Pinterest-perfect makeover. You just need a space that feels like it's on your side.

Start with one small change today

You don't have to overhaul your whole office this weekend. Pick one thing from this list. Move the desk toward the window. Do a five-minute end-of-day reset. Set an hourly reminder to get up. Or grab your free $10 and swap out the cleaners you use in the room where you spend most of your day.

Small changes add up, and the space where you build your business deserves a little love too. After all, a healthier office means a happier, more focused you, and that's good for your business and your family.

Next up in this series, we're talking money. I'm sharing small swaps that add up to big savings, so you can cut costs before the new year and keep more of what your business earns. See you there!

💛 Thanks for reading!

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