Though it has been a few months living in the “new normal” of working from home, it still doesn’t make it easier to cope with because we are naturally social beings. However, just like any new job or experience in life, the sooner you adapt to what makes you the most productive and mentally well, the better.
Letting go of consistent control in life is a necessity to have a peace of mind. We are living in such a shaky time with so many things occurring at once, which can make many people feel overwhelmed, anxious, and depressed.
Here is a list of tips to help enhance your mental health when working from home:
1.Create a schedule (include breaks and a priority list)
Setting a schedule for yourself should be an essential part of your workweek. Whether you make a schedule daily or for your week ahead, it helps with keeping track of your productivity. Including a priority list can also make you feel less overwhelmed rather than having the feeling that everything is due now, and you are working right on schedule.
As you're making your schedule, leave some time for short breaks to incorporate wellness activities. Each day you can throw in something a little different, like meditation, taking a walk outside, doing a quick workout, making a smoothie, or taking a coffee break and listening to music.
2. Your own space
Creating your own workspace apart from your bed, being consistently around family, partner, kids, and pets, is very important when working at home. Setting up your workspace allows you to set boundaries from your daily home distractions so you can focus on your work and complete the task on your to-do list in a timely manner.
3. Limiting distractions (no social media, if possible)
I’m sure this is quite a task for everyone working from home now because it’s so easy to engage with your loved ones, or jump on a quick Facetime call and relax in the personal space that you created – your home. However, if you fall into these cycles of distraction, you won’t get much work done – which is why working on self-control in this season is a must to enhance your productivity.
So head to your workspace, excluding distractions, turn off your social media alerts, so you won’t hear your phone buzzing away in the background and stick to your planned agenda as much as possible. Leave the social media check-ins for lunch hours or after work hours.
4. Sticking to regular hours including a cut off time
As you are making your schedule, remember to stick to your regular work hours and include a cut off time. It doesn’t have to be a 9-5; it can be whatever time frame you feel works best for you. This is one of the best parts of working from home, is having so much more flexibility than usual. It is very easy to overwork yourself while working from home because your office is now in your home.
But overworking yourself doesn’t guarantee quality work; you could produce the complete opposite quality of work because you’re mentally drained. Look forward to your after-work schedule, cooking a meal, reading, jumping on a Facetime or Zoom call, or watching a tv show to wind down.
5. Take your sick days
Don’t forget you still have sick days, and you are allowed to use them. Your brain is an organ just like any other organ in your body and needs a break from time to time, so it’s ok to take a mental rest day. It’s ok to not always be ok. We are living in surreal times, and just because you have one tough day or timeframe, it’s not forever.
Take the time to sleep more, go for a bike ride, listen to your favorite songs, or watch an uplifting movie to ease your mind. Being at home so much can make your day feel a bit dull, but it’s YOUR choice to focus on your current circumstances negatively or making the best of each day.
Moral to the story: Time your time off!!!
WHAT ARE SOME OTHER TIPS YOU’VE FOUND HELPFUL WHILE WORKING FROM HOME?
