It has been more than a year of zoom meetings and online work assignments and frankly is there anyone that’s still loving it? Unfortunately, we don’t know for how long this would have to continue and work productively, and an individual’s general happiness has taken quite a hit because of it. Therefore it is of utmost importance that everyone takes steps to achieve stress relief and take care of your total well-being. We’ve compiled a few things you can do to help make your work from home more effective and interesting.
1. Minimize your screen time
This might seem quite impossible, given that you’re working online and your work requires you being glued to the screen. But it does take quite a toll on us. The excessive screen time can cause tiredness, headaches, eye redness and much more. So while it is not practical to reduce screen time during office hours, after office make sure you take time off your phone. Read a book, listen to music, make a meal, paint/draw and engage in any other activities and forms of entertainment that doesn’t require you to use a screen. This could really boost your effectiveness the next day when you log in to work.
2. Take a walk
Since the pandemic, our movements have been very limited. This has meant that what we see of the outside world has reduced considerably. Going to work, the grocery store or even hanging out with our friends have all shifted to online methods. Which has meant that sometimes we don’t leave our house for days. If it is safe to do so and you are allowed to according to your government regulations, taking a walk might do you a lot of good. Being out of your home environment, breathing in fresh air and coming in to contact with nature and its restorative and healing properties can really help rejuvenate you.
3. Exercise
Thanks to quarantine, our physical activity has altered greatly as well. If we were used to going jogging in the mornings or going to the gym with our friends we have had to adapt. Home work-outs aren’t anybody’s favourite. But, it is no secret how it can really help our physical and mental health. Even if you are not used to exercising, scheduling a work out regularly releases endorphins and increases your dopamine level. Plus, it definitely helps you be less lazy and forces you to move more when your default may be to lie in your bed all day.
4. Dress up!
This might seem unusual, as dressing up to stay in your room and not be seen by anyone might defeat the purpose. If you are anything like us, working from home has meant that you have not even looked at your usual office clothes and have spent the day in shorts or even worse your pajamas/ night clothes. Although this does seem quite comfortable, it might not be helpful in work productivity. Dressing up, even if it’s applying a bit of make-up, wearing some pants or doing your hair, could help you prepare for work and mentally help you get into ‘work-mode’.
5. Have an intentional work space
This might be easier said than done, as most of us enjoy slumping on the couch with the TV on or lying down on bed while working. But we must ask the question whether this is really helping us be more productive? The home, for a lot of us, is where you allow yourself to relax and unwind. When the office realm blends with your relaxation sphere, this might affect both your downtime and productivity at work. An easy solution for this is to create an intentional work space. It might be a small section in your room or another room completely, whatever it is, having a space that is set aside only for work that is not your dinner table or the space in which you relax can help you be more effective at work while also enjoying your downtime better.
Interested to know what else you can do? Stay tuned for Part 2.
