How to Cultivate Healthy Habits While Working from Home

With the Coronavirus taking the world by storm, working from home has become the new normal for many people. And while this effort to practice social distancing has been an effective way to control the number of COVID-19 cases, it has posed certain challenges for companies and employees. 

From a lack of equipment to poor internet connections, there’s no denying the implications that come from working from home. Plus, with school closings and state restrictions for traveling and public areas/events, most people are forced to share their working space with other family members. This makes it even more difficult to manage employee productivity and work-life balance. 

Regardless of your current at-home situation, working remotely has probably led you to experience some sort of unique difficulties. Whether you’re feeling isolated, overwhelmed, or unproductive in your career, don’t worry! There are various ways to overcome these roadblocks and promote wellness during this time.

Read on to find out how to cultivate healthy habits while working from home:

Get Ready for The Day

Even though you aren’t in your usual working environment, getting ready for the day can do wonders for your productivity. Looking the part can help you to feel the part, making it easier for you to want to engage with your work and the tasks at hand. Be sure to give yourself some extra time in the morning to get ready for the day ahead. 

But that doesn’t mean you don’t have to go all out. Rather than going for a heavy makeup look, use this time to care for your complexion with rejuvenating skin care products unique to your skin type. Instead of dressing to the nines, try swapping out your formal business attire for a cute shirt and a pair of jeans for a comfy, casual look. Finally, turn off the hot tools and switch to more supportive hair care treatments like a restorative hair oil or a leave-in hair mask.

Although these lifestyle adjustments may seem silly or insufficient, starting off with these subtle changes can do wonders for your mood and mindset. Remember, sometimes the most practical way to make a real change is by focusing on the small stuff first and the hard stuff later. 

Stay Connected with Co-Workers

Practicing “togetherness” has never been so crucial for our well-being; it’s also essential for businesses and employees that telecommute as this can influence employee satisfaction, productivity, and rapport across the company. 

Despite the fact that in-person interactions aren't exactly being “encouraged” at this point in time, there are alternative ways for co-workers to stay connected with each other while working from home. Slack, for instance, is just one of many user-friendly workplace chat platforms that can help companies practice “togetherness” with their employees. 

Using virtual hangouts will provide employees with a sense of normalcy and help to alleviate feelings of isolation. It doesn’t matter if it’s used for a company-wide call, HR check-in, happy hour, or team-bonding activity—implementing telecommunication will be beneficial for you and your co-workers in more ways than one.

Pick A Dedicated Work Space

One of the hardest things about working remotely is not having the right space to work. Now, with limited access to public areas such as a coffee shop or local library, the issue has become even more apparent for employees as they’re forced to stay home to complete their work. For this reason, it’s critical that you dedicate a space in your house to exclusively spend your time while working from home. 

Determining where you want to set up your at-home office can be a little tricky, especially if you’re already working in a confined area. However, picking a spot that’s also associated with leisure time such as the couch or your bed can negatively impact your productivity, so it’s best to choose a room or surface that doesn’t normally get used by others a lot. A spare guest room, a storage closet, or an enclosed porch could all be great options for you. 

The optimal work space should be away from high-traffic areas in order to avoid interruptions and other distractions. In addition, the work space should have natural lighting as research shows this can help boost creativity among employees. 

Don’t Forget to Take Breaks

As if finding work-life balance wasn’t already a challenge in and of itself, now your office has been relocated under the roof of your own home.

With your traditional work schedule temporarily put aside, it can be tempting to overload yourself with work. But taking breaks is equally as important as getting your work done as it can affect your focus and productivity throughout the day. Needless to say, taking breaks is necessary for a healthy work from home lifestyle. 

Before diving too deeply into your workload for the day, make sure to get up and stretch your legs every now and then! Set alarms on your phone or computer throughout the day to remind you when it's time to treat yourself to a break. How you choose to spend this time is entirely up to you, but doing something that gets your body moving may be the most valuable to you. Basic stretching exercises, for example, can help with your posture and give you a chance to relax, even if only for a few minutes. 

Still need help? Check out our COVID-19 Crisis Resource Center here.