Physical environment

Our environment influences us all day long, consciously, but much more often unconsciously. This means that we do not always realize that we are guided by our surroundings and that we set our own course less than we would like. We distinguish two types of environment: social environment and physical environment. We will now look more closely at the physical environment.

Your physical environment consists of a number of factors. Often we only think about the space we are in, but it is also about atmosphere, colours, temperature, light, air quality, sound, ventilation, etc. All these elements influence our state of mind and thus our behaviour. Sometimes you can determine your surroundings yourself, but often not. And what if this is the case? Think about your working environment or the supermarket.

East west at home best

We often design our home environment in such a way that we feel comfortable in it. But in environments that we cannot adapt, we adapt ourselves to the environment. Rarely does an environment have the ideal conditions for everyone. Fortunately, our adaptability has developed considerably. This is how we have learned to deal with changes in our environment. The fact that we are now so flexible in accepting our surroundings and are able to adapt does not mean that an adaptation is always good for us.

There are many ways in which an environment influences our behaviour. It is best to arrange the environment in such a way that the tasks that need to be carried out in it also come into their own. A living room should be nice and warm with a nice couch and a restaurant should have good music and dimmed lighting. A good example of the wrong furnishing of your surroundings these days is often the bedroom. The temperature is often too high, the television makes us sleep less well and the telephone next to your bed disturbs your sleep. It has also been proven that good lighting in the office leads to higher productivity and better concentration. Yet we still often see the standard fluorescent lighting that does not take the person into account.

Look around you, how are you influenced or controlled by your physical environment? How is your workplace, bedroom or living room furnished? Does the supermarket or restaurant layout influence your choice? Think about it consciously.

Another nice tool: Check your living environment

How do you live? See with one click how your living environment scores. After all, your living environment is important for your health. What is the air quality like? Are there many roads in the neighbourhood that cause noise nuisance? Is there a lot of greenery in your environment where you can relax? Type in your address and with one click you will get an insight into the quality of your living environment. Scroll down for more background information:

See with one click how your living environment scores