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Well, who would have thought at the start of 2022, we’re at it again. COVID cases are up. Working from home encouraged, if not mandated. Face-to-face meetings are quickly getting rescheduled to virtual meeting platforms. Some of us might be looking forward to avoiding the daily commute, and others may bed reading the slow home internet connection or trying to work around pestering kids.
Either way, we have compiled five tips you can follow to stay sane when working from home.
1. Set a routine and keep at it.
Researchers have found that keeping a routine can have far-reaching psychological benefits and can help alleviate both anxiety and stress. When you know what is coming and what is expected, your body produces less cortisol(that ‘fight or flight’ feeling) and this helps in so many facets of your health and wellbeing.
So, when you’re WFH, keep your alarm at the same time, have a shower, get dressed and complete all of your normal morning rituals. Make sure you also stick to your regular working hours. This will help with feeling you have purpose and direction even though your physical environment may have changed.
2. Limit that fridge time!
Treating your day as if you are in the office also applies to what you put in your body. When you work at the office, you probably pack your lunch and a snack or two. If you want anything extra to eat, this usually involves walking to a café or the shops as you don’t have it readily available at your desk.
Unless you are desperate you probably let that extra treat go! When you are at home, the kitchen is so easily accessible, so you must be careful not to turn the fridge into a procrastination space every time you need a break. Meal plan your week and don’t leave too many sneaky snacks in the kitchen. Sticking to your routine will also help immensely here!
3. Fresh air for self-care.
So many of us have probably all been guilty of those marathon WFH days where you’re in front of the laptop from 6am to 6pm without coming up for air.And we all know how mentally and physically draining this feels once you finally log off for the day! So, as often as you can during the week, try and fit in some time out in nature. Depending on the weather or where you live, get out and go for a walk, spend time on your balcony or in a sunny room with the windows open and just have a moment to ‘be’… away from your desk.
4. Exercise.
It may not seem like a lot, but during a normal week of work you can clock up a decent amount of incidental exercise you wouldn’t normally. Try not to remain sedentary whilst you stay at home. Sales of health and fitness equipment for the home skyrocketed during the peak of the 2020 COVID pandemic and it changed how so many of us approached our attitude towards exercise.
There are so many online platforms you can use, and retailers have really stepped up their game in this space. So, make the most of this new world of fitness if you happen to be stuck at home!
5. Do the things you enjoy.
During a day of work, you normally have moments that bring you joy without you even realising it. You may treat yourself to a coffee from your favourite café, speak to a friendly colleague or immerse yourself in a newspaper for 5 minutes.
These little moments can bring you a little pep in your step and break up another wise busy, stressful, or mundane day. When you WFH, these little moments don’t happen as much and can really start to bring you down.
So, try and bring yourself some little moments of joy by doing something each day that generates a sense of achievement. Buy the daily newspaper and sit down with a cuppa and switch off. Call a friend or colleague at the same time each day to catch up. Spend the extra time you would be commuting trying out a new recipe in the kitchen.
The reality of working from home can change dramatically with the right structure, routine or plan in place. Make yours work for you and you might just find it becomes a regular thing after normal office life resumes.
For business owners, helping staff set themselves up for success could see productivity skyrocket, so give your workers the best chance of succeeding and they’ll thank you for it in more ways than one.
