5 self-care tips for remote workers
guest blog contributed by Leslie Murr
Due to the global pandemic, The Great Resignation, and a general reshuffling of individual priorities, an increasing number of people are working from home these days. Zippia.com predicts that 36.2 million American employees will work remotely by 2025.
While there can be many advantages to working from home, there are also new skill sets that we must develop to take care of ourselves as a remote employee. The freedom to do laundry or catch up on the latest show in the middle of the day can be exciting, but what is it doing to our productivity at work? Remote workers must consider physical and mental needs in order to maintain a sense of accomplishment and overall well-being.
Implementing just a few self-care practices in our daily routines can allow us to enjoy personal and work life at home! Here are five tips to get you started.
1) Keep a structured schedule.
Of course one of the big selling points of working from home is schedule flexibility. However, you will quickly find that keeping to somewhat of a schedule makes it easier to manage both work and home. Try this. Wake up in the morning at the same time each day. Try to maintain a schedule similar to that of which you practiced in the office. Keeping a morning routine that has you dressed, energized and ready to work when your remote work days starts will set you up for success your entire day.
2) Get outside early.
Many remote workers will tell you that it is very easy for the whole day to go by without them leaving their home office. How terrible, right?!
Combat this by starting each day off with a few minutes outside. Vitamin D is one of the best things that you can do for yourself, and with no more commute to get you out into the beautiful sun rays, you must be intentional about your exposure. According to www.lifehack.org, just a few minutes in the sun can lower blood pressure, improve brain function, and enhance the immune system. So, do your body a favor and have your coffee al’fresco to start your day off right.
3) Take breaks.
It is even easier to get lost in your work when you are working from home with fewer distractions. Hours and hours can go by without you realizing it. You must prioritize taking breaks both for your mental and physical health. Set a timer so that you give your self a 10-minute break each hour. You can do things like setting doctor’s appointments, emptying the dishwasher, going on a walk, taking a quick bike ride, or practicing 10-minute yoga/stretching. Once you return to work, your brain is recharged and ready to focus again for another 50 minutes. If you plan just 10 minutes each hour during your day, you will be amazed at all the things that can get accomplished in your home and work life.
4) Limit snacking.
The quickest way to take what would have been a great and productive day and make it feel like a complete failure is to realize that you have snaked all day and eaten 1,000+ unnecessary calories. Two ways to avoid this temptation are: choose a location for your office away from your kitchen. An upstairs office or a room with a door that closes helps keep those yummy temptations out of site. If you must work in your kitchen or dining area, make sure that all of the cabinets and pantry areas are tidied up and closed so that you don’t see in them.
Another trick is to refrain from allowing yourself to eat where you work. If you set this hard a fast rule for yourself, you are less likely to snack during the day. You can plan a delicious snack for one of your 10-minute breaks!
5) Find friends.
The transition to work from home can take some adjustment socially. You may have been used to seeing friends or coworkers everyday and chatting about your lives and current topics. Replacing that social interaction can take a little planning.
Many companies have social practices built into their workdays for remote workers. If your company does not; no worries, there are plenty of ways to build amazing social outlets.
Join a business group. Many towns have small business networking groups that meet once or twice a month that discuss different business topics ranging from productivity to time management. Collaborating with like-minded people not only satisfies a social need - you might get support to help you in your business, too!
Try a co-working station. Co-working opportunities are everywhere these days as the need for quiet space rises. These areas mimic the environment of an office, but each person is there to do their individual work. Even though you are still working, a change of environment and some folks to chat with can be a nice change of pace every now and then.
Grab an accountability partner. This can be a great way to have some daily interaction with a friend or colleague and hold yourself accountable for your work all at the same time. One version of an accountability partnership could be finding someone to check in with in the morning and evening. Take 5-7 minutes to discuss what you want to accomplish that day and then hook back up at the end of the day to update on what you have accomplished. If daily feels too overwhelming, try a weekly accountability chat. No matter the frequency, it feels amazing to know that someone else is cheering you on toward your goals.
These are just a few ways to implement regular self-care into your remote working schedule. Working form home can be a blessing to us and our families for so many reasons, but only if we are healthy and take care of ourselves!
Leslie Murr is a local real estate expert and broker/owner of The Collective Real Estate Group servicing the Triangle area. Her fresh approach to real estate uniquely qualifies her to help clients buy, sell and invest.