When working towards a healthier lifestyle, most of us focus on eating better or being more active. But did you know the spaces where you spend your time—like your home, office, or even your phone—can influence your habits just as much? By making small changes to your environment, you can create a space that naturally supports your health goals.

Environmental triggers

Each day, our behaviours are shaped by the environment around us, influenced by cues that trigger our habits and choices. These triggers can be simple, like seeing your phone on the table, prompting you to scroll instead of moving around, or more complex, like the way your living room is set up, encouraging sitting for long periods with the TV as the focus.

By recognising how your surroundings affect your behaviour, you can make small changes to support healthier habits.

For example, if you want to be more active and move more:

• Rearrange your living room to shift the focus away from the TV, making it less inviting to sit for long periods.
• Store remote controls or items associated with sedentary activities out of reach to encourage getting up.
• Keep exercise equipment, like dumbbells or a yoga mat, in plain sight and easy to access. This makes it easier to integrate short workouts into your daily routine and removes obstacles to getting started.

How to reshape your environment 

To transform your environment into one that promotes healthy habits, here are some useful tips to help optimise your surroundings:

1. Declutter and organise

Messy spaces can feel overwhelming and drain your energy. Tidy, organised spaces make it easier to stay motivated to cook healthy meals or stick to your exercise plans.

2. Create dedicated healthy spaces

Set up a small area for activities that support your goals:

• For example, a corner with a yoga mat and resistance bands makes it easy to start exercising.
• A space for mindful eating—away from distractions like the TV or phone—helps you focus on your meals and enjoy them.

3. Use visual reminders

Place cues around your space to encourage healthy choices:

• Keep a water bottle on your desk to remind you to stay hydrated.
• Put a meal planner on the fridge to help you stick to balanced meals.
• Leave your walking shoes or trainers by the door to remind you to get some movement.

4. Optimise your digital environment

Your phone and computer can influence your habits too:

• Use apps that track your health goals or remind you to stay active.
• Move social media apps to the back of your phone screen to limit distractions.
• Arrange digital tools to encourage productivity and relaxation.

5. Use light to your advantage

Natural light improves mood and energy. Try to work or relax in spaces with good lighting and, where possible, a view of the outdoors. Avoid working in dark areas for long periods. 

Summary

Making your environment healthier doesn’t mean big changes. Small, thoughtful adjustments can make healthy choices easier and more natural. By setting up your space and digital tools to support your goals, staying healthy feels less like a chore and more like a habit.

The goal is simple: make healthy choices appealing and convenient, while making unhelpful ones less tempting. Over time, these changes can help your healthy habits stick for the long term.