Since coronavirus began spreading across the globe, the importance of looking after our physical and mental health features higher on people’s radars than ever before. All employees who can work from home are now doing so – and that means large amounts of isolation.
Taking care of your body and mind while working from home is important for long-term mental and physical health. There are many aspects of self-care that include healthy eating, regular exercise, stress reduction and taking time for yourself.
We’re going to focus on the ways you can stay happy and healthy while working from home.
Go for a lunchtime stroll
Under the current government guidelines, you’re allowed to go outside for one form of exercise each day. Running or cycling might be your thing but, if not, taking a lunchtime stroll is a great idea to get some fresh air.
Daily exercise not only has physical benefits, it also boosts your mental wellbeing and helps reduce stress and anxiety. By taking a break in your working day to go for a walk, you also give your mind a break from your workload, allowing you to be more relaxed and productive when you do return to your desk.
Just be sure to follow social distancing rules at all times and, where possible, exercise in less densely populated spaces to reduce the likelihood of bumping into others.
Take a break
Working from home doesn’t mean that your work life must take over your personal life. Many people use their work breaks in the office to speak to friends and family, and remote working is no different! Take 10 minutes to have a coffee and spend time with your partner, children or pet. Call a friend, listen to a meditation app, grab a favourite snack (the We Love Surveys team are big Wispa fans!) or head into the garden to enjoy some fresh air. Whatever your preference, make time during the day for regular pick-me-ups and have a break from your screen.
Use coffee breaks to spend time with your family
“Even when isolated, try as much as possible to keep your personal daily routines or create new routines. If health authorities have recommended limiting your physical social contact to contain the outbreak, you can stay connected via email, social media, video conference and telephone.”
Listen to a new podcast while working
Podcasts bring many benefits to those who listen to them. If you don’t, you could be missing out. Whatever you want to listen to, the perfect podcast will be out there. While you’re working from home, you could take the opportunity to learn more about your industry or that of your clients’.
Podcasts don’t need to be used just for work, either. They cover every subject you can imagine, from true crime to comedy to sports and fitness.
By listening to podcasts, you keep your mind active, your mood high and you feel more involved in society. You also learn new things and, if you listen while you work, you could improve your multi-tasking skills too.
Chat with coworkers
If you usually work from an office or shared space, chatting with co-workers is probably something you do regularly without really thinking about it. While remote working, it’s important to keep up those habits. Technology offers an abundance of ways to keep in touch from different places and you can utilise instant messaging, video chats or a good old-fashioned phone call.
As we covered in our previous blog, we’d recommend setting aside some work time to have chats dedicated to non-work topics such as pets, personal lives and how you’re coping with recent lifestyle changes.
By remaining in close contact with your work colleagues, it helps reduce loneliness and increases your morale.
Try to separate work from home life with a routine
Data from NordVPN shows that, since remote working was advised by the UK government in mid-March, the majority of employees have been working an extra two hours per day. When you’re working from home, a routine gives you the advantage of knowing what time is for work and what time is for everything else.
Find a separate space to work from home to help maintain a healthy work-life balance
Mental health charity Mind suggests creating a designated area to work in – then when it’s time to finish work, you can walk away like you would at the office. If you don’t have a desk at home, why not try setting up space in a spare bedroom to work from?
Routines are great for positive mental health and help reduce stress during times of change. Everything that happens in your normal day-to-day life will be different for a while, so make sure you adapt your routines to suit those changes. Have a time to start and finish work – and stick to them.
Don’t forget, working from home isn’t forever – unless you choose to work that way of course. It’s important to take time out of your daily routine to look after yourself both physically and mentally, especially during a time when social interaction is more infrequent than usual.