Working from home
Working from home has been one of the many side effects of COVID. Being ‘stuck’ inside our homes, unable to say hello to our favourite barista, be greeted by our workmates, choose what shoes go with our pants, and deciding whether we’ll take our gym clothes with us in the unrealistic hopes that we’ll actually make it to the gym. Working from home has its pros – the sweaty moustache from running to get the bus is not missed nor is realising we have been wearing our shirt inside out in the hurry to get out the door.
Working from home has certainly made a lot of us realise how important those small social interactions, the friendly banter, and the routine is for our mental health. Loneliness, lack of motivation, lack of self-worth, feeling sluggish and tired are all ramifications that you any have experienced during the course of working from home. So here are some of our favourite working from home tips to ensure our mental and emotional health is optimal.
Wake up at around the same time every morning. We don’t necessarily have to join the infamous ‘5am club’ to be successful but having a consistent wake up time will help our bodies maintain a circadian rhythm. This promotes mental alertness and sharpness – who doesn’t want to meet that looming deadline?
Set some time aside in the morning to clean. Research has showed decreased productivity and increased stress are all associated with working in a messy environment.
Get out of your pyjamas!!! And not just the top half of your body that can be seen on a conference call
Invest in a workspace. Intermittently working on your bed or coach is okay but full time remote working is less than ideal. Not only ergonomically but our minds associated bed with sleep so having a separate space can make for no awkward snoring during that 3 hour meeting
Have daily check ins with your team: take a few minutes to check in with your team – about work or otherwise to help morale.
Take a midday walk
Be compassionate to yourself and take time out to rest. Exercising, eating, sleeping, socialising and working all in the same space can lead to poor balance. We recommend setting out time in your calendar to chill out and watch Netflix’s latest cringe-worthy but secretly good Rom-Com.