Disclaimer: I love working from home! The benefits of flexibility, no commuting costs, and more family time definitely outweigh the drawbacks for me. However, like anything, there are still drawbacks to remote work such as isolation, distractions, and the tendency to fall out of a healthy routine. I’ve been working remotely for the last four years (yes, before COVID made it cool) and I’ve established several strategies in that time to make remote work very sustainable for me. If you’re struggling with working remotely, these tips could help you too!
1. Give yourself time to wake up
I have definitely fallen into the bad habit of waking up 5 minutes before my first meeting in the past. My bed is just so warm and comfy and hey, I work from home so I can just work from bed all day if I want to. No — don’t do it, trust me. Open the curtains, get dressed, make coffee or tea, and eat a real breakfast before meetings. This will set you up for success in your work and also with your mental health.
2. Get dressed every day
I know it is tempting to stay in your pajamas all day when working remotely, especially if (like me) you are not a morning person. I’ve found that getting dressed first thing in the morning is essential to good mental health while working remotely. Our brains change modes when we take the time to get ready in the morning and it prepares us to start the day out on the right foot.
3. Go outside
You might think that you’d end up getting outside more often when working remotely since you have the freedom to work from anywhere, but I’ve found that’s not always the case. Some days I haven’t left my house at all. Sometimes two days in a row. This is terrible for your mental health, and so easy to do when you work remotely since you have everything you need at home. Especially in the age of grocery deliveries and streaming entertainment, it’s super important to make time for fresh air.
4. Socialize with friends in real life
I am an introvert, so I can spend many weeks only talking to my coworkers on Zoom and my family without batting an eye. However, I’ve found that over time I start to slowly feel… yucky and stagnant. Making sure to spend time outside of my house with people I don’t see every day helps immensely with that. I can also get a fresh perspective on things happening at home or work. Meeting a friend or two for coffee, a drink, or even a walk can have a huge impact on your happiness and ultimately on your productivity.
5. Set boundaries
When there is no physical separation from your home life and your work life it can be easy to let the two blend together. That’s why it’s so important to draw boundaries around your working time. I work from about 8am-5pm every day. I try not to check Slack or email outside of that time. I also make sure my family knows that I am working during that time. I close the door, and I put on headphones. Work hours are for work, and the rest of the time is not for work.
6. Take a real lunch break
I have started to be mindful of taking an actual break for lunch. Previously I would go to my kitchen, grab food, and eat it at my desk while I worked. When you’re alone in your home office all day, I think it’s really important to take a little time during the day to get a change of scenery and talk to people face-to-face. Try to take the time to say hi to your family if they’re home, eat with them, change the laundry over, or maybe get in a short walk. You could also meet a friend for lunch or run an errand.
7. Let in natural light
It’s easy to sit in your cozy nest with the blinds drawn all day while you work, but I’ve found that I feel way more awake, energized, and productive when I make sure I have exposure to natural light. You have the luxury of your own private office that hopefully has windows (if not I recommend using a UV lamp instead). You should open them up wide and let in the world!
8. Get a change of scenery
When all else fails and I’m just feeling cooped up and stale I will go work from somewhere else. This is usually easier for chunks of the day when I don’t have meetings since I can’t control the background noise outside of my house. You could go work from a coffee shop, co-working space, or even the library just to refresh your senses and be around other humans.
There you have it! Those are my best tips for working remotely while maintaining good mental health. If you make sure to wake up gradually, get dressed, go outside, socialize with real people, set boundaries, take breaks, let in natural light, and get a change of scenery sometimes you should be feeling happier and healthier at home and at work in no time.