How to Stay Healthy While Working from Home (Self-Awareness)
Staying healthy (both physically and emotionally) while working from home is not only recommended but something that is integral in order to maintain productivity and happiness. The new working reality in the US, and many other countries, confronts us with a virtual office, a list of perks, and possibly, a new set of problems. It has never been more apparent than in today’s Coronavirus pandemic. While a home-based job may seem to provide a harmless, comfortable atmosphere, it does not go without challenges. Research reveals that the amount of mental or physical stress present in a home-based job is equal, or at times even higher than in an office-based job.
Working from home is a luxury if you maximize its advantages.
What Should I be Mindful About when Working from Home?
The tell-tale sign of unhealthy work is fatigue. Fatigue is a tricky issue to identify the root of because it can be a product of multiple conditions. Simply put, fatigue is a feeling of tiredness or exhaustion over a period of time. But what is most alarming about it is that it is oftentimes chronic. It isn’t easily relieved; not even sleep can relieve the feeling of fatigue. Experts describe it as an extreme and overwhelming feeling of tiredness. When affected by it, people eventually lose their body’s natural rhythm and can suffer emotionally, physically and mentally.
If you feel that you are eating right, exercising, and doing all the simple things right yet still experience fatigue it may be time to look at where all of your mental energy is going. You may not be aware of it at first, but the problem could have been apparent all along. The issue may simply stem from being fed up with your work from home. In that case, simply ask yourself these questions:
- Does this job benefit me in the long run?
- Is it compensating?
- Is this job a worthy investment?
- Is the working environment healthy or toxic?
- Am I still happy with this job?
- Do I manage my time well?
- Do I separate my working space from my living space?
- Am I still productive at work?
How to Stay Healthy While Working from Home
Fatigue, among other factors, is indicative that your work from home is unhealthy. It also shows that you are barely holding up. Unhealthy work does not only make you produce low-quality outputs, it also certainly puts your well-being at risk. Apart from a bunch of underlying physical conditions, emotional stress could also be responsible. Regardless, it is important that you prevent these symptoms even before they appear. Do your company a favor by prioritizing your mental and physical needs. Here are the tips on how to stay healthy while working from home.
Maintain a Relaxing Work Space.
Working from home is a privilege. Use it. If you haven’t noticed, you have full control over your environment. Take advantage of that opportunity by setting-up and maintaining a relaxing work space. Put scented candles if necessary. Hang up paintings. Rearrange seats. Set-up your desk in front of the window overlooking a landscape. Turn your work space into the space of your dreams because if you are going to be there all day, you may as well invest in it and make it perfect.
Design your work-from-home space with relaxing accents like indoor plants, interior colors, lighting, etc.
Manage Your Time.
Separate your work time from personal time. Never let both areas overlap. This should keep you from feeling burnt out. Use a time-tracker. Be conscious of how much time you have spent both on work and on play. Take breaks. Play with pets if you have one. Relax on weekends. And lastly, don’t hesitate to reward yourself with an ice cream or a movie each time you accomplish something big at work.
Separate and Manage Spaces.
Experts consider working from home as a harbinger of another set of problems. Most home-based workers complain of being constantly agitated, sleepy, or unmotivated at work. Addressing the concerns, experts speculate that spatial management has much to fix with this problem as time management has. Spaces in the home are known to be fluid so that the bedroom intersects with your office. In limited spaces, you may end up having to settle with your bedroom as your office. Well, let it not worry you. All it needs is a quick trick to the brain. Divide smaller sections in your bedroom using a curtain, a lamp-shade, or by simply fixing your bed. By doing this, you won’t constantly have to be tempted over going to sleep.
Sweat Out.
You shouldn’t be too busy with work that you won’t have any time left to sweat out. Seize every opportunity to work out. If the nature of the work can be done together with multiple other tasks, do it. For instance, you can set a future meeting at a time scheduled for exercise. You can actually do both. Just be aware of your own limitations in multitasking. Keep in mind to schedule workouts on a regular basis. That is imperative to preventing stress at work. If the density of your current work takes so much of your time (or, your workout time at least), then you may have to consider things.
Conclusion:
By taking into consideration just a few of these points, you are sure to initiate a newfound healthy working space in your home. These tips should also maximize the advantages of working from home and not the other way around. There is a high potential for productivity in a home-based job. But like any other job, it can also cause you stress and even fatigue if you don’t take heed of the toxic elements.
Boost Your Work from Home Performance and Turnaround
Be productive at your home-based job by staying healthy. Visit us at MindShift Psychological Services today for meaningful sessions. Seek out Therapists and Psychologists at MindShift Psychological Services and build a solid support system via Family Therapy, Individual Therapy, Couples Counseling, and a step-by-step approach to solving your troubles to help you manage your life better and increase your productivity at work.
