26 March 2020
As the Coronavirus pandemic worsens around the globe, many people will find themselves isolated, working from home and could face some mental and physical health challenges. Here are some suggestions and ideas about how to stay mentally and physically healthy while working remotely.
1. Maintain Regular Hours
As much as possible, set a schedule and stick to it. Having a set working hours makes it much easier to switch off when the end of the day has arrived. Not only does it help to give you a work-life balance, but it also acts as a marker for the start of your evening. Naturally, there will be times when you may need to start a bit earlier or finish a bit later but when you do, be sure to wrap up earlier than usual or sleep in a bit the next morning to maintain that balance.
2. Keep a Dedicated Office Space
In an ideal world, having a dedicated office allows you to maintain the line between work and home more simply. However, not everyone will have to space to do so. In these situations, a good work around is to have a dedicated desk/table to work at. Try and keep your bedroom as a sacred space where work is banned, it will help maintain the work/home divide.
3. Get dressed in the morning
For some people the idea of staying in their pyjamas all day is perfection. However, maintaining your morning routine of getting washed and dressed will not only improve your state of mind but it will also mentally prepare you to start your working day. Even if it is getting dressed into something very casual, it will get you in the right headspace to start the day and allow you to take videos calls very quickly.
4. Stay active
In these uncertain times, never underestimate how much doing some exercise will help your mental and physical wellbeing. You don’t have to go out and run a marathon at lunch if running isn’t for you. However, going for a walk or doing at HIIT session will not only elevate your heart rate but it will also break up your day. There are lots of resources on YouTube and Instagram if you need some inspiration.
5. Stay socially connected
Working from home doesn’t mean that you can still be sociable with your work colleagues and your friends. Try and use video calls whenever you can - there's no substitute for seeing another person's face. If videoconferencing is a step too far, you can do WhatsApp video for basic video calls with close colleagues. If in the office you used to have a drinks hour at the end of the week, that can still happen over a video call.
