Working from home
While working from home can sound idyllic to a lot of us it becomes increasingly difficult to distinguish between work time and leisure time.
When your house becomes your office, it blurs where you draw the line at finishing your work for the day and switching into evening mode in other words how do you set your boundaries?
Since the arrival of Coronavirus we have all had to adapt in one way or another and as humans we can be quite resourceful.
Fragrance zoning has become a very popular way of setting our mood and separating our work life from our home life even in the same setting.
According to the new wellness trend “fragrance zoning” otherwise known as “scent – scaping” it is possible to divide your house and your day up by using different scents.
What are the benefits of fragrance zoning?
With the stress of the virus and feelings of isolation and the difficulty of adjusting to working from home it is recommended to use the power of aroma to modulate your psychological well being.
You can choose smells to help focus on work without distraction; to motivate exercise and to reduce stress. By using a smell to structure your day you can create a morning and evening ritual.
How do you fragrance zone?
Experts recommend that you use one scent during your working hours and a totally different one when it comes to winding down.
Over the past year home fragrance has boomed and online searches for candles has increased by more than 182%. Taking inspiration from the idea of a perfume wardrobe fragrance zoning is emerging as a trend to create moments and moods throughout the “at home” day.
An example of the different scents recommended would be a refreshing peppermint spray in the morning, an energising citrus candle after lunch and a relaxing lavender scent for the evening.
Scents to boost energy
It is recommended to start your day with something invigorating such as zesty citrus scents to help energise you for instance you may want to try the Aromatherapy Associates Revive Morning Bath and Shower Oil which contains a blend of grapefruit, rosemary and juniper for a zingy start to the day.
Scents to create a calm environment
When it comes to balancing emotions there is no better smell than roses and one of the more successful and best selling candles for this contains Bulgarian roses as well as ambergris for a comforting aroma.
Scents to boost concentration and to motivate you
If you are working from home frankincense will create the perfect work environment.
The best way to surround yourself in the scent for the duration of your working day is with an essential oil diffuser which releases the scent slowly without over powering the room. One example of this is The White Company Essential Oil Diffuser which offers three time setting to ensure the perfect dose of scent.
Scents to help you relax and sleep
Lavender is renowned for its dream inducing aroma and incorporating it into a hot bath can amplify the benefits.
Taking a long soak with a relaxing scent will help you to drift off into a peaceful stress free sleep ready for the day ahead.
How do I choose a scented candle?
This depends on what you are trying to achieve – relaxation, stimulation, calmness etc.
Essential oils have been used as remedies for a range of mental and physical health issues. Lavender oil is good for stress, rose oil eases tension, ylang ylang oil boost emotional wellbeing and jasmine oil reduces symptoms of anxiety.
Expert perfumers combine a mixture of these essential oils into one fragrance that can be made into candles, diffusers, room sprays or perfume.
The fragrances we choose for our homes can be just as important and personal as our perfume choices.
Certain aromas can trigger familiar senses in your memory such as meaningful holiday or a fragrance that reminds you of a loved member of the family or even a scent you love personally all of which can settle your mind and give you a physical sensation of the memory.
Recently, we’ve seen a rise in the use of smell to shape our day. One way is by using smells to help us focus on work without distraction; another is through choosing smells that motivate exercise and reduce stress. By creating specific smells for morning and evening rituals, you can create consistency throughout your day.
You may even find it easier to get out of bed when you know there will be an invigorating scent waiting for you downstairs! All this means more time spent working or exercising (or enjoying one’s free time) with less interruptions from distractions or stressful thoughts about what tasks lie ahead.
What scents have helped you stay focused? Which ones are most helpful during evenings?
