5 Ways to Practice Self-Care When Working From Home
The coronavirus, specifically Covid-19, has changed life as we know it for the foreseeable future. Suddenly, everyone who is used to a daily office routine is working from home — which can be a challenge and an adjustment. There are lots of articles focused on how to work from home, but sometimes the biggest challenge is how to not work from home. Being thrust into a new world of video conferences and phone calls can be a big shift and feel uncomfortable, especially when the world is dealing with so many other things.
As an entrepreneur and work-from-home aficionado (9 years and counting), I wanted to share my tips for taking care of yourself while working from home. Self-care is always important, but it’s especially vital during these stressful times. The best thing you can do while navigating these next few months is to set boundaries and take care of your mind, body, and spirit.
1. Create a safe, inspiring space. If you can, set up in a spot with plenty of natural light, which is a proven mood-booster (not to mention it will save you from having to turn on additional lights, which will have a positive impact on your electric bill). Bring in your favorite plant or grab a bouquet of flowers when you do your grocery run. Your space sets the tone for your day.
2. Stick to an 8-hour workday. Just because you are at home and your commute is shorter doesn’t mean you have to start work earlier or keep working into the wee hours of the night. You can — and should! — adhere to a start and stop time, and allow yourself to completely unplug before (see my morning routine suggestions here) and after (put your phone away) the work is done.
3. Create a new “commute” routine. In the past, you may have driven or taken public transportation to get to work each day, and over time, this “commute” sent a signal to your brain that you were preparing to get to work. So now you get to create a new signal. Take some time and establish a new commute routine. This could be heading out to get breakfast or a cup of coffee, going on a morning walk, or as we’ve seen in a television commercial, taking a drive around the block. It could also be sitting on your front porch and listening to the podcast or playlist that you used to listen to during your commute. Now, your commute gets to be whatever you want it to be, so make this decision with intention and find something you love to do each day!
4. Take frequent breaks to walk, meditate, and stretch. If you’re a Fitbit or Apple Watch owner, you’ll probably find that you take fewer steps while working from home than you do when working from an office space. That doesn’t have to be the case! While we’re focused on social distancing, there’s no better time to get out in nature (away from other people) and enjoy some fresh air, so go for 15 minute walks after checking a few tasks off your list. Take advantage of the classes, live streams and more being offered online, such as these yoga classes from my mentor Caley Alyssa. Need to relax your mind? Try this free Reiki Healing class, courtesy of MindBodyGreen.
5. Drink more water. Not only does research support hydration leads to increased productivity, but it will also force you to take frequent bathroom breaks. Experts say that for every 20 minutes spent using a screen, you should try to look away at something that is 20 feet away from you for a total of 20 seconds. It’s easier to do this in an office when you’re surrounded by distractions and colleagues, but at home, we often forget. Let’s look on the bright side: you’ll for sure be well-hydrated and bonus, getting up to pee will help your vision!
Stay tuned next week for more self-care tips for working from home. And remember: mental health is just as important as physical health. Take care of yourself. Check on your friends. Check-in with your colleagues. Emotions are high (or low), so if we all reach out to someone, no one will be left feeling alone.
Let me know how these tips work for you by tagging me on Instagram (@tiffanynapper) or sharing in the comments below. Wishing you plenty of whitespace and wellness today and every day.
Tiffany
