If you’ve been forced to practice self-distancing due to the current healthcare crisis, then you could probably do with a few self-care tips when working from home.
With over 5 million people in the US working from home in 2018, well before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, it’s certainly a popular lifestyle that many people are willing to adopt.
Working from home, or telecommuting, is a type of working environment that allows you to use the internet and a defined space at home to earn money.
As appealing as it is, there are actually many challenges that come with working from home.
It takes a lot of adjustment and a good deal of willpower to get any work done in your pajamas with kids at your feet, begging you to play with them.
So how to do protect your energy and your time if you’re a work-from-home mom or dad?
Read on and check out these ideas.
Self-Care Tips When Working from Home
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Have a designated space for work
As you would have your own desk in an office building owned by your employer, you should also have a designated space for work at home.
It could be a spare bedroom, your garage or even a tiny corner away from all the goings-on at home. The idea is, it should be quiet enough for you to take phone calls and shut the world out if you have to focus on critical work.
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Have a schedule you can stick to
You don’t start at 9am at your normal job but turn up at 11am, do you?
One of the self-care ideas you can implement when working from home is by protecting your time. Get into the habit of thinking you’re at your normal place of work so you get in a productive mindset.
This will also help your loved ones know that you have set times for work to minimize interruptions.
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Set clear boundaries with loved ones
As with the points above, be clear and direct with your loved ones that just because you’re home does not mean you are available to play with your kids, do groceries or do house work, to the detriment of your work.
Let them know that when you go to your home office at the specified times, it means you are working. It’s very important for other members of your family and your friends to understand that just because you’re home does not mean you’re doing nothing.
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Keep moving
Contrary to working in an external office away from home, where you get a chance to walk to the train station, to get lunch or do some shopping, you’re confined at home when you, well, work from home. Unless you’re lucky enough to live near shops, which are probably mostly closed due to shutdowns and lockdowns all over the place.
Working from home forces you into a sedentary lifestyle so make sure you take breaks to stand up, stretch and walk around.
Also schedule in time for exercise even if you just go for a walk around a few blocks for 30 minutes.
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Eat well
It’s so easy to raid the pantry and reach for snacks when you work from home.
If you’re after self-care ideas when working from home, then make sure you don’t get past a healthy diet to give you plenty of energy during the day.
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Stay hydrated
It’s very tempting to skip your eight glasses of water a day when you work at home especially when your lifestyle is not that physical.
This is where your willpower has to come in because staying hydrated not just cleanses your body and makes your skin supple, it also improves your energy levels and your brain function.
And heaven knows how much you rely on these things to keep your sanity intact when working from home.
- Make time for things that you enjoy
Of course, not everything is about work, work, work. You have to make sure that you also make time for things that help you unwind, such as reading, watching Netflix or even having a bath uninterrupted.
These self-care ideas when working from home are exactly what you need so you don’t get too overwhelmed and you have ways to relax when you adopt this lifestyle.
- Connect with family
Working from home means spending more time at home. But humans are social creatures so make sure you spend quality time with your family and do activities you will all enjoy.
Pitch a camping tent indoors or play football in the backyard? Why not?
It’s also important to keep our connections open with our friends and relatives, albeit via messaging or face time, to let them know that despite the social distancing measures, our thoughts are with them.
Final Thoughts: Self-Care Ideas When Working from Home
As you can see, working from home is often idealized but it can actually be a difficult lifestyle to get used to.
However, once you get used to it, it can be one of the most rewarding things you can do because it’s flexible and there are still ways to supervise the kids if you need to.
Just make sure you do any of these self-care ideas when working from home so you don’t get too stressed.
After all, whether you work from home or not, we all need time to look after ourselves and relax, right?
Corinne Rootsey from my jEARNey
My mission is to help people manage their personal finances better, improve their wellness and learn useful tips about blogging.
I live in Australia with my dear husband and our chocolate Labrador, Molly. In my spare time, I like to read, watch tennis, go to the beach and bake.
Myjearney.com