There has been a huge transition from working in an office to working at home in the last couple of years and it has been challenging to say the least. When you take into account the pandemic, gyms being closed, new work procedures, school is closed, no social events, and plenty of time with your family/housemates, it is easy to see how one could get overwhelmed.
That is why it’s important to focus on self-care, which is an essential part of adjusting to working at home. In this article, we will go through some of our best tips on how to be happy and productive when working at home, without increasing stress.
1. Keep a Consistent Sleep Schedule
If you don’t have anything pressing going on in the morning, make sure to get up on time anyway, turn off the Netflix binge at night and get to sleep at a decent time! Sleep schedules take a major hit when people begin to work from home, as it can take some time to adjust. Sticking to the same sleep schedule will help to keep your sleep quality high and reduce feelings of grogginess throughout the day.
If you find yourself feeling tired in the middle of the day, it might be tempting to have a nap, but it is much better for you to go for a brisk walk outside instead. If you must sleep, then the advised time limit is a 20-minute power nap, and set an alarm!
2. Put Some Pants On!
We’ve all been there: the temptation to transition from your bed to your desk chair in the same clothes is high. Since the archetypal work-from-home situation is someone in their pajamas all day, it doesn’t seem all that bad, right? And yet, the very simple act of getting ready (this includes pants, taking a shower, fixing your hair, and even putting shoes on!) is an important part of self-care and will help you focus more on work.
You do not need to get dressed up as if you are going into the office, you can keep it casual and comfortable. Getting ready is a signal to your brain that you are in work mode and you are not sick or on holiday.
3. Create a “Home to Work” Schedule
This is a follow-on point from the previous, creating a “commute” to work in the morning is preparing your brain for the transition into work mode. The upside to this is the morning time commute can be whatever you want it to be.
You can sit outside with a coffee in the morning, do some yoga or get through another chapter of the book you are reading. This should be thought of as your transition into work, the same way that your previous commute was before you settle into your office chair.
4. Make a Designated Workspace
While you are technically “working from your laptop”, the reality is that the furniture at home is not suitable for working in for long hours at a time. We are not suggesting that you go out and spend thousands on an extension to your house for a new office, but there are some things that you can do to carve out your own office space. Doing some research on the best office chair for back pain might be a good place to start because even working at the dining room table will take its toll on your back. Finding good quality, an ergonomic chair will work wonders for your energy, attention, and even your confidence!
Keeping your space clean and organized will also work wonders and by caring for yourself, that care will translate to your work too!
5. Make Sure To Have Breaks
This is one of the hardest ones to integrate into your work schedule because unfortunately, bosses don’t think much about their employees taking breaks! That to-do list might be growing and the deadline looming, but putting yourself first will work out better for you in the end.
This might entail working a different schedule than the one you had in the office or just scheduling breaks at certain times. It can be hard to find the perfect fit, so play around with the times and see what works best for you.
6. Eat a Proper Lunch
Snacking. You might think it’s great at first to always have your cupboard and fridge with you, but often, this leads to people grazing all day and forgetting about having proper meals. Healthy carrot sticks and hummus are not dinner!
Staying properly hydrated is also extremely important, so keep that water bottle full and at your desk. If you find this challenging, you can make your lunch before you start the day like you would if you were working in the office. Properly feeding and hydrating is an essential part of self-care when working at home.
7. Have a Set Clock-Out Time
Overworking yourself doesn’t exist when you’re working at home, right? Wrong. Just as it is important to establish your morning commute as the transition to work, it is equally as important to have a set time that you clock out at. Think of it as your commute home.
Essentially, this all boils down to routine, and if you stray from it—telling yourself that it’s just “an email or two”—it can take a toll on your sleep, energy levels, and overall health. You do not want to burn out over time because you are not taking your needs into account. To be as productive as possible in your job, you need to know when to call it a day.
What do you think of these tips for taking better care of your health while working at home? Do you have any tips that you think belong on this list? We would love to hear them in the comments!
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