5 Must-Know Tips To Take Care Of Yourself While Working From Home!
Whether you work from home as an entrepreneur or employee, you are well aware of the challenges working from home brings you. Everyone from the outside things it’s a gift, but once you really truly experience it, you learn it’s not without its many downfalls. From distractions to depression, there are many issues that both the comforts of home and being isolated can bring you.
In fact, when I started working from home I was surprised by the toll it had on both my mental and physical health. The lack of routine, productivity and social interaction changed both my mood and the way I handled my day. So even though, in theory, I had more time to work on myself, it didn’t actually work out that way. Instead, I found productivity difficult, my mood and isolationism depressing, and lack of overall inspiration that I once had.
Thankfully, over the last couple of years, I’ve learned improved my work-at-home lifestyle. This has helped both my productivity and my health. Below I go through a few of the tips that let me become better inspired, productive, and happier when working from home.
LEARN BALANCE
Having a balanced life means there is more than just work than just family than just friends and just yourself. Healthy people do a great job of being able to manage all of these aspects, internal and external, without adding excessive stress.
When they work, they work well, when they interact with people they give them their full attention and when they play, they play hard. There is something to be said for the "work hard, play harder".
When you work from home, this becomes more important than ever. It’s easy to be “busy” and stay stuck inside your house all day, while not at all being productive.
Despite the endless desire to keep on grinding away at work, there are simple things you can do to make more of the time that you do have.
For example, set up time blocks for yourself. Focus on certain areas of your life 100%. In these time blocks not only include work but also time for friends, family, food, and socializing. Trust me you will need it.
Set up boundaries just like you would have at a regular office job. For example, turn on do not disturb mode for 7 to 8 hours of the day to make sure you get your work done. Afterward, focus on your relationships, health, and
Take advantage of the mornings. There is a lot of research suggesting that those who are early risers tend to get more done. To learn more about the power of mornings, be sure to check out our 5 Life Hacks to Becoming a Morning Person here.
STOP STRESSING ABOUT YOUR HEALTH
People stress about everything. They stress about their diet, their weight, their career, their relationships and so much more. When you are at home, alone all day - it’s easy to let this type of stress consume you. This eliminates all productivity and puts you in an unhealthy environment.
When you feel these moments building up, I recommend you try to do a few things:
Exercise
Meditate
Go for a Walk
Meet a Friend at a Coffee Shop
Work at a Coffee Shop for Part of the Day
When dealing with work-at-home stress, one of the best things you can truly do is simply to get out of the home. For me, this means taking a break in the afternoon to hit the gym. Some days, it means taking my entire workspace (aka my laptop and notebooks) to the nearest coffee shop. Often times a fresh environment means a fresh perspective, and a more productive afternoon too.
GET ENOUGH SLEEP
Sleep is so important to a person’s mental health. Not only does it impact your brain power, but it also impacts your hormones and your mood. In fact, proper sleep is linked to having a better diet, being more productive, making better decisions, and even losing more weight.
In fact, according to the Division of Sleep at Harvard Medical School, sleep is necessary for restoration and brain plasticity. This means your body needs to be restored every night for you to perform at your fullest during the day. This includes hormonal regulation, muscle growth, tissue restoration, cell repair, and more!
Brain plasticity also relates to the brain’s ability to comprehend and retain information. Have you been scattered brained lately? It’s likely linked to a lack of sleep (or at least quality sleep). One of the best things you can do to improve your work-at-home-productivity is to simply sleep.
I highly recommend prioritizing your sleep schedule. Try your best to go to bed at the same time, and waking up at the same time, every day.
SET ASIDE TIME FOR PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
It’s important to take a break and focus on YOU.
Personal development is the time you set aside for yourself to work on your own goals. Take time to read that book, hit the gym, or visit with friends. This time is crucial for your mental health and is often put aside while working from home. In fact, taking a break for this type of stimulation will help you be more productive WHEN working from home.
Of course, personal development means different things to different people. However, a few examples of setting aside time for yourself can include:
Exploring New Hobbies
Self-Educating
Journal/Writing
Work on Crafting/Projects
Meditating
Reading
Exercising
Pick one or two personal goals and try to make time for it every day. Whether it’s before work, after the kids are in bed, or during your lunch break, find time for the things that make you feel better about yourself.
TAKE TIME TO PLAN
Although you might think you don’t have time to do the tasks mentioned above, proper time management can prove you do.
It all comes down to writing down a plan. Schedule out your day and keep yourself accountable. As previously mentioned, time blocking is KEY. It’s easy to be “busy” at home without being productive.
Instead of watching TV, work on a new hobby. Stay off social media during the day. Don’t bring your phone in bed with you. These are just a few examples where you can create time to improve your life and your health.
Having this type of structure helps with your productivity, mental health, relationships, and an overall healthier “work-at-home” life.
YOUR HEALTH IS UP TO YOU
Whether you work at home, at an office, or on the road, being healthy is a choice. It’s a choice you need to make every day. That’s why I recommend you structure your day, get more sleep, spend time on yourself and your relationships, get up early, and try your best to balance your life. It isn’t about how much time you have, it’s about how you spend the time you DO have to live your best life.
Most importantly, always remember that it’s OK to focus on you.
