Working from home. It sounded like bliss a few months ago, didn’t it? But as we end what feels like Week 5748 of lockdown, it can be difficult to find new ways to stay happy and productive when working remotely. Social distancing measures are here to stay for the foreseeable, and rightly so, but how can you adapt to the new normal of working from home?
Work from home ideas to stay happy and productive:
Establish a routine
It sounds obvious, but if you haven’t already, get your daily routine in order. Set an alarm, make your bed, have your morning coffee – just as you would have done before stepping out to work before the pandemic kept us all indoors. Chelsea Rivera, Honest Paws’ Head of Content, spoke to Forbes about her remote routine and even suggested getting dressed as if you were heading into the office: “Even put makeup on or fix your hair if you like. Anything that gives you the sense that you are not home in your PJs.”
Move your body
Remote working can quite easily go hand-in-hand with sloth-like behaviour: don’t get us wrong, we’ve been tempted to lie in bed with our laptops too! It’s so important to replace that commute you once had, as well as your day-to-day movement around the office. Swap out your half an hour commute time with exercise: whether you’re CrossFit mad, a yogi or just take a socially distanced walk around your neighbourhood, it’s so important to get the blood pumping and fill your lungs with fresh air. Not a morning person? Squeeze in a 20-minute Joe Wicks Body Coach workout in at lunchtime! We all know exercise is inextricably linked to reduced stress and endorphin-fuelled mood boosts, but a 2019 Independent study also found that, as a result of exercise (even just 20 minutes), “we are more likely to avoid job burnout, sleep more easily and be more engaged at work.”
Stay hydrated
Our brains are about 70% water so it’s not too surprising that staying hydrated has such an enormous effect on our performance when working from home – or in daily life too! In fact, according to studies, 2% dehydration can influence one’s mood, lead to fatigue, and considerably reduce our alertness and productivity. To improve your hydration, factor a glass of water into your morning routine so you’re starting your day as you mean to go on and make sure you have a glass, or larger water bottle, next to you in your workspace to ensure you have regular access to that sweet H2O. Don’t like the taste of tap water? Make the switch to filtered! We’ve done our research to help you understand how filtered water is not just safer than water from the tap, but so much more nutritious, healthy and delicious too: read more here.
Get ‘appy
If you’re needing a bit of escapism to replace the chit-chat with colleagues in the breakout room, we’d really recommend downloading some apps to transport your mind away from your makeshift desk. Our favourites include Headspace, Calm, and Happify; mindfulness apps to help you relieve a little stress you may have built up and clear any negative thoughts away to help you productively power on with a sense of calm. If you’re not into mindfulness, how about replacing the silence in your home with a podcast? We feel a lot less alone with virtual podcast pals such as Louis Theroux tracking down some high-profile people he’s been longing to talk to in lockdown in his Grounded podcast; Jessie Ware and her mum Lennie chowing down with a whole host of celebs over some scran in Table Manners; and Radio 4’s Friday Night Comedy: News Quiz which explains the current news with a much more light-hearted and satirical gaze than the bleak mainstream media scope. Treat your ears!
Sleep soundly
We all know sleep is essential for our wellbeing and productivity. However, Psychreg recently reported that 70% of 2000 surveyed people have seen their sleep pattern disrupted whilst working from home in lockdown. Whilst some of us are lucky enough to have a separate office to work from, the majority are having to make do with remote working from bedrooms, making sleep a difficult feat. So how can you make sure you get a full, quality night’s sleep? Although it’s tempting to stay up to watch an extra Netflix episode, try and stick to your normal sleeping and waking hours. Make sure to put your phone away too before you hit the hay, that pesky blue-light scrolling is terrible for inducing sleep and will most likely have you staring at the ceiling until the early hours. If you’re interested in sleeping tips, tricks, and explanations of just how important sleep is, we really recommend Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker. Walker digs into why sleep is one of the most important aspects of our life, health, and longevity – a truly fab and enlightening read.
Want to find out more about how BIBO can help you to lead a healthier, happier lifestyle? Get in touch with our expert team! We’re more than happy to answer any questions or queries you may have.
