Debra Eckerling (author of Your Goal Guide) brings us five tips for staying happy and healthy when working remotely.
Work-from-home and hybrid-work are not going anywhere … at least for the foreseeable future.
Whether you are the boss, a team leader, or an employee – or even a solopreneur – there are simple things you can do to improve wellness, while working remotely.
5 Tips for Staying Happy and Healthy
1. Set Boundaries. When you work from home, it’s easy to work all day, lose track of time, and forget to do important things, like eat lunch … or dinner. Working 14- to 16- hour days is a recipe for physical and mental exhaustion.
Pace yourself. Set a time to stop working every day, as well as a cutoff for looking at and replying to emails. While you’re at it, schedule breaks for lunch, self-care, and social interactions throughout the week … and take time off on the weekends, too. The work will still be there, and you will feel much more refreshed.
2. Find a Hobby or Passion Project. Is there a hobby that has always interested you? A passion project that relates to – or is independent from – your work? Whether you want to start a podcast, take up cooking, or write “the great American novel,” there’s no better time than now.
This is one of the best ways to use “found time,” which is a swap of commute-time with project-time. Even if you can only commit an hour a week toward this endeavor, it adds up. Plus, that enthusiasm and feeling of accomplishment will positively impact other areas of your life.
3. Stay Social. There are plenty of opportunities for social interactions in the virtual world. Conferences, mixers, and coffee follow-up meetings have all gone online. While Zoom overload is definitely a thing, look for ways to stay sane and social simultaneously.
For instance, start a group chat, so your team can touch base, ask questions, and offer motivation throughout the day. Think of it as the text version of watercooler time. For follow-ups with your team or long-term clients, when appropriate, turn a Zoom call into a phone call. There’ll be less pressure to be “on,” so you have the benefits of being social without the performance stress.
4. Prepare for Your Future. The way companies function may have changed. However, that doesn’t mean you need to remain stagnant in your career. Think about your career goals: Do you want to grow within the company? Get on the management track? Make a lateral move?
Show initiative and start making plans! Educate yourself on the possibilities. Take some courses to uplevel your skills. Then, when you are ready, have a conversation with your manager to see what you need to do to set yourself on that growth path.
5. Have Fun. Having fun is one of the best things you can do to lift your spirits, especially when there is stress swirling around you. Find ways to incorporate fun into your day … through your work, projects, and quality time with family.
Unless you choose to, you will not be working from home/hybrid forever. Make the most of your time. And enjoy it!
Final Thoughts
Just because it’s “easy” to work all the time when working from home, doesn’t mean you should.
Instead, prioritize wellness and #selfcare. When you do so, you are a much better asset to your company, your family, and yourself.
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What’s your best work-from-home wellness tip? Please share in the comments.
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Are you an employer seeking a #corporatewellness or employee-retention solution? Let’s talk.
Unhappy employees are expensive. Engaged and happy employees do their best work and in doing so make the company money.
I help executives, directors, and managers keep their employees engaged and productive by supporting their personal and professional goals.
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your goal guide
A Roadmap for Setting, Planning and Achieving Your Goals
Start with a plan. One of the biggest reasons goals fail is that we often don’t put enough thought into what we really want before diving in. Your Goal Guide by Debra Eckerling starts with that first, crucial step: figuring out your goals and putting a plan in place. As a professional writer, communications specialist, and project catalyst with more than 20 years of experience, Eckerling is prepared to help you achieve success.