Generally, it is something that we very much like to do. Worldwide, 61% of workers have a ‘very positive’ view of remote working, with commonly reported benefits including:
- An improved work life balance
- Having fewer distractions
- Being able to complete tasks more quickly
- Improved health and wellbeing
However, it isn’t always everyone’s cup of tea. Working remotely does bring its challenges, and many workers report finding it harder to collaborate and build connections with others. It can take some adjusting to, especially for those who have spend the majority of their lives familiar with an on-site/ office arrangement. In this article, we share some top tips to help you stay physically and mentally well, and be successful in your careers, while working from home.
1. Wake up early
It doesn’t have to be the crack of dawn, but giving yourself a little bit of time to yourself before the working day begins, to wake up and perhaps do something you enjoy, can be highly beneficial. Those without other outside commitments may find it all to easy to wake up with just enough time to rush and get ready for that 9am meeting.
Even if it’s just an extra half an hour, that can give you enough time to have a relaxing breakfast, watch the morning news, perhaps take a short walk, or even better, go to the gym. If you have the motivation to do something challenging, first thing, it can make the remainder of your daily tasks feel comparatively easier.
2. Keep a regular routine
Leading on a little further from our first point, it can be very easy to allow our work and home lives to blur into one. Try to remain disciplined, and keep a fairly regular routine, with a good amount of sleep, in order to help achieve that all-important work-life balance.
While you may like to keep on top of emails, or be available to your colleagues beyond the 9-5, perhaps set yourself a firm ‘finish time’ in the evening, after which you refrain from engaging in anything work-related.
3. Keep your work and home life physically separate
If you can, find a place, free from distractions, where you can carry out your working day. If you’re lucky, this might be a dedicated office space, spare bedroom, or even a garden outbuilding! For those more tight for space, having somewhere where you can pack away your laptop, notepad, work phone, etc. at the end of the day could help you to maintain some boundaries.
4. Find some social interaction
When working from home, we miss out on the opportunity to catch up with colleagues over a morning coffee. We also lose the comfort of being able to ask each other simple questions across our desks as we move through the working day.
Social interaction is, of course, very important for our wellbeing. When working from home, we need to be more active in order to ensure we benefit from some communication and build a sense of community into our daily routines.
If you’ve got a busy day of meetings, then perhaps you’ll gain the contact that you need. However, when your diary is quieter, try to build some additional interaction in – how about a virtual ‘coffee break’ call, or a lunchtime meet up with some colleagues or friends?
5. Stay active
When working from home, there is no longer a need to walk around the office between meeting rooms, or to break for lunch/ make a drink. Due to this, there is a significant risk of becoming quite sedentary in our working routines. Make sure to include small activity breaks within your day. Take a short ‘walk to work’ around the neighbourhood prior to beginning your day. Perform regular stretches at your desk, and be sure to stand up and move around at least once per hour.
Investing in a smart watch can offer useful prompts to help you keep moving at appropriate time intervals.
6. Create a comfortable desk setup
Sitting at a desk for prolonged periods of time isn’t particularly good for us, and can pose significant health risks including poor posture, muscle weakness and imbalance. For that reason, it is very important to have a comfortable desk setup.
Ensure your desk is at the right height. Your legs should sit comfortably under the desk, with your feet flat on the floor. Invest in a good quality desk chair with adequate back support. To avoid straining your neck, make sure that your monitor screen(s) are at the correct height – the top line of the screen should be just below your eye level.
7. Encourage your employer to offer fitness benefits
Physical activity can be one of the most effective tools for supporting both physical and mental wellbeing amongst staff. It is also closely linked to raised productivity levels, more effective stress management and increased chances of career success.
More and more forward-thinking organisations are recognising the need to be more proactive in supporting the health of their employees, through workplace wellbeing initiatives. Here at Hussle, we work with a full range of employers across the UK, to provide their employees with flexible, discounted access to fitness-as-a-benefit. Thanks to our network of 1500+ amazing fitness venues across the UK, we help staff members access fitness, whether working from home, attending the office, or even when traveling with work.
Could you company be interested? Refer your employer today, and we’ll provide you with support and guidance to help encourage your HR team to make the investment.
