With many of us now working from home, it’s become more important than ever to consider our daily wellbeing routines. For the vast majority, remote work offers the opportunity for a better work-life balance than working in-office, with the potential to reduce feelings of stress and anxiety as a result. However, in order to reap the benefits of remote working, it is important that we take the necessary steps to look after our mental health each day.
In this guide, we’ll take a closer look into a few of the top ways that you can look after your mental health as a remote worker.
Stick to a schedule
Remote workers often struggle with a lack of structure in their day – the downside of the freedom and flexibility of working from home. Without an established daily working structure, we can find ourselves struggling to switch off from work when the day is done, or even getting stuck into work much earlier in the morning than is recommended. After all, it can be hard to resist the temptation of checking on our emails or getting a head start on our tasks when work is always right there at home in our immediate environment.
Unfortunately, this kind of overworking and inability to switch off can lead to burnout and can negatively impact our mental health. However, we can combat it by developing a structured schedule that we stick to each day – with plenty of time to get our tasks done, as well as lots of downtime scheduled in, too.
To do this, it may be helpful to consider your energy levels throughout the day, and allocate different tasks accordingly. Similarly, avoid scheduling any meetings back to back throughout the day, to allow for fifteen minutes or so of breathing space between each one. For an added wellbeing boost, consider talking to your employer about taking a mental health day that will allow you some time to rest and recover.
Get moving
When working from home alone, it can be easy to spend your break sitting at your desk, with your eyes glued to another screen. But, in order to take care of your mental health, it’s important to take care of your body, too. Most employers encourage regular breaks throughout the day for getting up and having a walk around, so that you’re not stuck in just one position for a prolonged period of time. It’s a great idea to take a walk outside at this time if you can, for a good dose of fresh air and some much-needed exercise that will help you to reset. This way, you will feel more refreshed and ready to knuckle down when it comes time to get started on work again.
Stay connected
Humans are social beings, and connecting with others on a daily basis is a crucial part of maintaining our mental wellbeing. In fact, many professionals report that one of the toughest parts of working remotely is having to adapt to working alone, without the company of other colleagues.
For this reason, it’s important to set aside some time to socialise throughout the week. This could mean that you arrange to see friends on a weekday, or have dinner with family at the end of each day. Or, it could be as simple as scheduling some time to phone a friend on your lunch break, or reaching out to other colleagues periodically to chat about the working day.
You could perhaps consider your company’s chosen method of digital communication for staying in touch, and whether or not it offers enough opportunity to stay connected – if not, it may be an area for potential improvement to address with your employer.
To sum up
Whether you work remotely or in-office, it’s always important to put your mental health first and allow yourself some time to rest, in order to be most productive. After all, you can’t do a good job at work unless you feel good inside, too.