Self-Care Ideas While Working from Home
Working from home and starting to feel the effects? Same here. Don’t get me wrong, working without real pants on has been pretty fantastic, but there are times I need to feel like a real person doing a real job. Working from home for years helped me prepare for getting myself out of a funk when necessary. Here is a short list I keep on hand for those days I need a little pick me up for my small living room/office.
1. Open the blinds
Letting in a little bit of sunshine helps improve your mood and sleep. Sunlight creates serotonin, otherwise known as the happy hormone. The more sunlight we experience during the day, the more melatonin-also known as the sleep hormone- we produce at night.
2. Add some plants
Bring a little bit of nature into your workspace with a plant or two. Not only will it freshen up your workspace and add some color, but the feeling of satisfaction while caring for a living thing with cute little leaves definitely can’t hurt.
3. Get dressed for work
Working without pants has to be one of the most freeing experiences one can have, but after a while there’s a small chance of starting to feel like a potato with a shirt on. You don’t have to do it every day (unless it makes you feel better), but every once in a while, putting on some clothes and doing your hair as if you were leaving for a day at the office can be just enough to make you feel better.
4. Have healthy snacks and meals prepped
You might think working from home makes it easy to cook amazing healthy meals for every meal, but this isn’t necessarily true. Work is work, and a lot of times, the urge to grab something quick, even if it makes us feel icky, is strong. Pretend like you’ll be going to the office for the rest of the week and prep your meals with this mindset. It doesn’t have to be something grand. Just prepare some meals and snacks that you know will make you feel good and ready to work after your lunch and snack breaks.
5. Take breaks
On that note, make sure you ARE taking breaks. It can be so easy to get carried away with work, whether at home or in the office, but no matter where you are working, give yourself some time to relax or take a walk. Set a timer if you need to. Maybe you can only do 5 minutes here and there rather than taking an hour-long lunch. Working nonstop never helped anyone’s health- mental or physical.
6. Eliminate distractions
It will help with your overall productivity and can help you feel good about your work. It isn’t necessarily easy, especially if you are reading this while the world is still in the middle of a pandemic. Your kids may be home, or you might be working in a setting you aren’t accustomed to. Just try your best to get rid of any big distractions.
- Play some light music to cover any unavoidable sounds
- Don’t keep tabs of Youtube or Facebook open on your monitor
- Put all non-work related items out of sight
Even if you aren’t able to get rid of all the distractions in your workspace, getting rid of a few is better than getting rid of none.
7. Declutter your work space
I know, I know. A messy desk is the sign of genius, right? I believe it. But it can also cause distractions (see #6) and reduce productivity. Try to find a happy middle if an empty and clutter-free desk isn’t your thing.
8. Leave the house
If you’re reading this while we are still in the middle of a pandemic, this might not be as easy as it used to be, but it’s still doable. Go for a walk or find a secluded area at the park to have lunch. Or maybe you only have time to go for a quick scenic drive. It can be really easy to stay in your home for days at a time when everything you need for work and home is, well, in your home. Doing so could negatively impact our mental, emotional, and physical health.
