This is a guest post by Jess Cooper.
Working online usually implies working from home. As a somewhat new form of doing work, it has its benefits and drawbacks. For instance, the first benefit that comes to mind is saving precious time while commuting. It might seem that working from home has only benefits.
But, when we think about it more thoroughly, we can conclude that it is not exactly so. Working from home can affect both our mental and physical health in a negative way, that is if we’re not mindful enough. After the transition to working from home has been speeded up by the coronavirus outbreak, we can now clearly see the effects it has on us. So, we did our best to compile a list of tips for holding onto your sanity and productivity.
The best way to maintain your mental health is to create a routine. Then, what you should do is work in a dedicated workspace. It’s important to set boundaries between work and home time.
An essential aspect of our mental health is networking or keeping our business connections live with virtual meetings. We also shouldn’t forget to take regular breaks, get some fresh air and engage in physical activities. Only by being proactive will we be able to maintain our health at optimal levels.
1. Create a routine
One of the biggest potential issues is a lack of structure and routine. This can create chaos in our heads and consequently in the quality of our performed jobs. In order to avoid that, it’s essential to have a clearly structured day and to create a new routine. Even though you work from home, you should still have a regular start and finish time, breaks, lunchtime and everything else.
However, doing work from home provides much more flexibility than going to the office. That doesn’t mean that we’re less productive. On the contrary, if you do everything right, you should be even more productive when working from home.
By having a routine, you will have a clearer boundary between work and home time and generally, it will be easier for you to switch off. A small thing you can do, and that is beneficial in the whole process of creating a routine is dressing up in work clothes and changing when finished.
2. Have a dedicated workspace
Another key factor that affects our mental health is our workspace. The golden rule is that you should have a dedicated workplace to work in. If possible, you should try to avoid the bedroom, as it is the room that promotes relaxation and sleeping. If you have an extra room for your office, great, you can reorganise it in no time.
However, even if you don’t have a separate room, you can make your home office a part of another room with less traffic. It should be somewhat quiet and free of distractions to maximise your productivity.
If you're not sure how to start or make your home office optimal, you could try some professional ergonomic consulting services. Such services can help you design your home office in such a way as to raise your productivity to the maximum.
3. Set boundaries
This is the most difficult aspect for many people when it comes to working from home. Physically, you live and work in one place. In order to separate these two, you need to do that in your head and with the help of some practical tips.
As already mentioned, creating a routine helps a lot in setting boundaries. Stick to your routine - it might be difficult in the beginning, but as you get used to it, it will become much easier. After you finish with the working hours, you should use that time for yourself and your family, to charge your batteries.
4. Stay connected
Humans are social beings and we need our social connections. When you go to work, you are bound to speak to some of your colleagues or managers. However, working from home makes a big difference in how we network. It is still possible to maintain all your social and business connections, but in a slightly different way.
The biggest difference is reflected in the fact that you need to make a conscious effort to talk to your colleagues. You can do that through regular virtual meetings, phone and video calls. If we don’t keep up with these, we can quickly lose our connections and start to feel lonely. And these feelings have detrimental effects on our mental health.
5. Take regular breaks
Taking regular breaks is important regardless of the fact whether we’re working at the office or at home. Even though it might seem like a waste of time, regular breaks can help us be more productive by letting our brain rest for a while. You can get a clearer perspective and maybe even come up with a solution to some issues.
Again, it’s different when in the office and when at home. In the office, it’s somehow natural to stand up and walk to a different floor, office or to go over to a colleague.
At home, we don’t have the need to do this but we should still take breaks. After doing your work for some time, you should take a break and stretch or do something completely different. For instance, you can fold laundry or empty the dishwasher. These simple things can help your brain take a break as well.
6. Get some fresh air and engage in physical activities
During some break, you can even use the chance to get some fresh air. You can perhaps go to your backyard if you have it. If not, you can take a walk to the nearby park or riverbank. If it’s sunny, you’ll also get your daily dose of vitamin D.
Sedentary jobs are very dangerous for our mental and physical health, so it’s essential to stay active and engage in some physical activities after work.
The whole concept of working from home can be great and beneficial for us and our job if approached carefully. Good organisation and clear boundaries are key to being maximally productive as well as healthy.
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About the author
Jess Cooper is a part-time journalist and blogger based in Sydney, Australia. She is an energetic and highly motivated person with plenty of interests. The most prominent areas of interest include makeup and cosmetics, fashion, style, event organisation and decoration, healthy food, fitness, learning languages, pursuing a career as well as home improvement.
Jess loves learning about new things and having the chance to combine those insights with her ideas and spread them to the world. She enjoys having a mindful and well-organised, healthy life, filled with all kinds of different activities and interwoven with close friendships.
