Working from home can be beneficial in many ways, but it can also present several physical, emotional, social, and mental health risks. Health tips for those working from home include but are not limited to regular exercise, creating and following a routine, and setting up a home office. Those working from home should address remote work’s psychological and social challenges, including loneliness, stress, and blurred lines between work and home life.
This article explores some ways for those who work at home to maintain a healthy balance between life at work and life outside of work to avoid burnout and maintain optimal wellness.
1. Set Boundaries
Setting personal boundaries to maintain a healthy balance between work and non-work life is essential and will see your work better. It is necessary to be aware of how your habits affect your mental well-being and not allow yourself to slip into an unbalanced routine.
Setting boundaries allows remote workers’ self-care and enables you to set limits with your employer and clients. Say “no” to extra hours, new projects, and additional responsibilities because having too many projects or tasks listed on your plate at once can cause burnout.
Choosing to turn down last-minute projects, set clear criteria for what you will take or not. This helps you keep to adhere to work times and not work into your resting hours. It may cause some friction, but it is worth it. Put your work tasks aside once you get to the end of the workday, then focus on deliberately engaging in an activity that helps you detach from work. Your chosen activity will help you get things done more relaxed and effectively to lift your mood and lower stress levels.
2. Schedule Regular Exercise
You must schedule regular exercise while working at home. Whether you exercise inside or outside your home, you should plan some fitness time into your schedule to help manage your health. Without exercise, the body will become weak and lose muscle mass, leading to burnout.
Exercise has physical and psychological benefits that help reduce stress, improve mood and keep fit. Some forms of exercise you can consider doing from home include: walking, stretching, yoga and meditation. These forms of exercise can help you evade depression and the risk of illnesses such as stroke and improve your immune system.
3. Keep Hydrated
The body can be very resilient, but when it is under a lot of stress or working in extreme conditions, it must be fully hydrated to survive. While many believe they need to drink plenty of water to stay healthy and hydrated, this is not the case. Instead, it would be best if you aimed to drink half of your body weight in ounces of water each day.
For instance, if you weigh less than 125 pounds, then aim to drink one ounce of water for every pound of body weight per day. If you work from home, invest in a large water bottle and keep it at your desk or other designated space. The more often you drink, the better because throughout the day, your body loses fluid through sweat and breathing.
4. Make a Dedicated Workspace
While you are setting boundaries, it is also essential that you set up a quiet workspace free of unnecessary distractions and away from family members or friends. Being surrounded by things that remind you of other things can lead to stress and prevent you from achieving your full potential.
Get everything you need for your work in one place before you start the day. You can set the office desk or a table up with your computer or laptop, phone, and office chair. This will help you avoid frequent unnecessary movement in search of your required working tools and devices.
Related: How to overcome laziness
5. Give Yourself a Break
It is essential to give yourself a break while working from home, especially if you have been working on something for a long time. The gaps will help you rest and manage feelings of stress. Take as many necessary breaks as possible and schedule time out of the house.
Break time is also an opportunity to make calls and check email to keep your life balanced. Talking on the phone with your children, friends, or spouse can help you feel more connected and less like you are cooped up inside the house all day. You can also spend your break times outdoors. Regular time in green space is great for your mental health. You can set a time to walk or ride a bike for fresh air.
6. Set and Stick to a Daily Routine
The lines between work and personal time can get blurred and stressful to get right without steady schedules. Setting a routine to manage your time and ensure you are getting everything done healthily is vital. You can achieve a healthy balance of work and non-work activities by following your daily schedule in the same order each day.
Creating a personal schedule that includes daily routines allows you to be more productive because it ensures you do not forget anything and keeps your mind focused on the work at hand. Developing the habits of waking up at the same time each day, taking time for exercise, drinking water throughout the day, and spending quality time with family and friends help you have a routine you can look forward to and keep everything in perspective. It is also valuable to make plans ahead of time rather than just winging things once they need to happen.
Related: How to stop procrastinating
7. Make Personal Connections
Connecting with co-workers on a personal level can be more difficult when working remotely, but it is essential to make connections with others. Talking to your co-workers will help you feel more connected with them on a work level, and this will help you to become more productive. Socializing happens naturally when people work with others in a shared location. On the other hand, people tend to be by themselves most of the time, and it is easy to get lost in your thoughts when working from home.
To combat this, try to meet up with your co-workers in coffee shops and invite them over for lunch or dinner. Try turning your non-work time into work time by writing blog posts or creating new projects for yourself. You can also choose to watch informative videos about the work experience of other employees, courses, and research or engage in a zoom meeting with your co-employees.
Suppose you are living with family members or you have housemates. In that case, you can take advantage of the opportunities to spend time with them and engage in activities like playing games, watching a movie, or sharing a meal to avoid loneliness.
Conclusion
Working from home is a very advantageous option, but it is not an easy one to manage. It is essential to set boundaries and follow a schedule to prevent burnout. You should create a working space and personal connections with co-workers if possible. Doing this will help you manage your time, feel less isolated and get much more done. Try these tips to help you stay healthy and happy while working from home.
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