Once January is gone, keeping your New Year’s resolutions can start to feel more and more difficult in the face of work, winter and the impending return of “Scandal.”
Here’s another scapegoat to add to the list: your house.
Psychological research shows external environments have a significant impact on human behavior, and the way you organize your home can either hinder or help your dreams of self-improvement. And there are small changes that might make your resolutions feel easier to achieve. Here are four science-backed design fixes to help you change your behavior in the new year.
Resolution: Sleep better
Design Fix: Install curtains — and use them
Toby Israel, an expert in design psychology and author of the book “Some Place Like Home,” says that light regulation is essential to getting a good night’s rest. Production of melatonin, the chemical that controls your circadian rhythm, is triggered by darkness; a room filled with glowing gadgets or light from the outdoors can negatively impact that process. Similarly, getting too little light during the day can disrupt your body’s normal melatonin cycle.
Israel recommends installing heavy-duty curtains in the bedroom. But be sure to open them first thing in the morning — that same daylight light will make you feel more awake.
Resolution: Improve your diet
Design Fix: Invest in good food storage
You want to think about what kind of environment you can create where it’s going to be easy to make healthy choices and really hard to make unhealthy choices,” says Marlene Schwartz, director of the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at the University of Connecticut.
The presentation of food has a huge impact on what we choose to consume. Make sure that the foods you want to eat are visible and easily accessible: Keep a bowl of fresh fruit on your counter and store washed, ready-to-eat vegetables in clear containers in the fridge. On the other hand, junk food and desserts should be kept in opaque containers. Schwartz also recommends portioning out food into meal-size containers when you put it away.
Resolution: Succeed at work
Design Fix: Seek views of nature
Gazing out a window isn’t pointless daydreaming — it can actually help you at your job. Avik Basu, an environmental psychologist at the University of Michigan, says that natural views can improve focus and reduce mental fatigue at work.
That’s because our brains are hard-wired to be automatically drawn toward nature scenes, a phenomenon called “fascination.” These moments of involuntary absorption allow us to rest what Basu calls “directed attention” (the kind of concentration required for reading, writing, etc.) and prevent fatigue, allowing us to work longer.
If you work from home, consider moving your desk or home office close to a window to take advantage of outdoor views. For those who can’t control their access to windows, an “artificial view” can achieve a similar effect: Hang a photograph or painting of a natural scene.
Resolution: Reduce stress
Design Fix: Cultivate coziness
On the converse, you’re more likely to relax in rooms that are darker and more intimate. There are a number of ways to promote relaxation in your living spaces. Dim lighting helps; try installing a dimming switch or switching out your lamp shades for ones in darker colors. Also avoid sharp and angular furniture.
And remember that what constitutes a comforting home is particular to the individual. Israel advocates “designing from within.” This means embracing the qualities that make your home yours. So prominently display that collection of knickknacks and fill the kitchen with smells of food.
