Don’t know about you but we have been in major self care mode all winter. We love how popular self care has gotten—even if it’s just a fad for some, we’re glad that more people are taking charge of their health and using it as a way to de-stress and be more mindful in their daily lives. Self care can be particularly difficult for those that work from home, because there aren’t those strict boundaries of office hours and physically going from one place to another. Whether it’s accidentally working through lunch (again) or realizing you’ve gone an entire day (or week) without talking to other humans in real life, there are a lot of ways working from home can be not-so-good for your health or energy. So while these tips will benefit anyone in any field, we did have our fellow work from home friends in mind specifically!
10 Self Care Tips for Those Who Work From Home
1. Have an accountability buddy. It’s helpful to have a colleague you can check in with about professional goals (see #2) but doesn’t have to be work-related. It can be as simple as having a group text with your best friends where you all check in on how everyone’s feeling and whether they’re taking care of themselves. Often your closest friends will recognize problems and be able to offer solutions before you do.
2. Change how you communicate. Whether this is the same person as above with goals or someone else, it’s really important to check in (via phone or meetings) with the people you work with, even though you’re remote. A lot of people communicate 100% via email or online chat. I used to think that was a perk of the job, but I’m finally coming around to calls and meet-ups, even if they’re not technically necessary. When you work by yourself, it’s important to not only have that regular connection, but switching up how you communicate can be really productive and inspiring.
3. Get outside. Okay, I’ve been blogging long enough that I recognize that this is on just about every “top 10” list for health, but it’s personally what has made the biggest difference in my life. Start small and resolve to get more fresh air, even if it’s just 10 minutes a day.
4. Plan to spend your evenings unplugged. Don’t just say you’ll do it, but plan for it. Put your phone charger away from the bed, come up with an activity for you and your partner or roommates. I know it’s hard when you work online all day and want to use the internet to veg out for once, but the nights I don’t allow myself to get sucked after work are usually more relaxing!
5. Create a list of healthy restaurants and cafes you can head to when you need a change of pace. When you work from home and don’t have a ton of regular meetings, it’s important to have some favorite nearby places to visit when you’re feeling unmotivated, isolated, or just need to shake up your routine.
6. Don’t wait to get the right equipment. A new desk chair, keyboard + mouse, laptop stand, whatever you need. Shop around! Make sure you are mindful of how you work and what that means for your physical health. See how I do this here!
7. Meal plan. Plan your meals just like you would if you have to take lunch on the go. I’ve been so so horrible at this in years past, but the months that I’m really on top of it are not-so-coincidentally when I’m my most productive.
8. Choose a low-stress passion project to pursue. This is beneficial for a few reasons, especially for creatives who have a tendency to turn every project into a business (anyone here?!) You’ll be able to use and hone in on the skills you have in a no pressure, more experimental environment where it’s okay to take risks and make mistakes. It’ll then teach you different lessons that will help you in your more “official” work.
9. Ride the motivation wave. Have you heard of this before? It’s all about taking complete advantage of the times you feel most inspired and motivation to take action. The idea is that you’ll be most productive when you’re really motivated, so when you get that spark of inspiration or desire to knock a bunch of work out, don’t let it pass. Don’t just write it down for later. Stop what you’re doing and make it happen.
Why is that so important? Because then when you’re not motivated… You can relax. You can rest without feeling guilty that you’re not getting stuff done, knowing that you’re more efficient when inspired.
10. Have comforting beverage options, like coffee or tea. I think I’ve talked about the importance of a nice, warm beverage to three other friends in the past week. There’s just something about having coffee or tea by your side when you have to get in the zone. Just make sure you don’t abuse it. Keep it healthy and do what works for your body. I’m a big coffee drinker so simply switching to tea is comforting when I have to work later in the evenings, without keeping me up.
Do you have any self care tips to add for our work from home friends? Let us know!
Lauren Victoria says
I loved these tips! Getting outside definitely makes the world of difference even if it is just for a light walk in the fresh air. It definitely helps to clear the mind and refresh you. I loved the tip about making the most out of your inspiration when you have it, so when it goes again, you can sit back and not feel so bad x
Lauren | itslaurenvictoria.co.uk
Angela says
I’ve been putting a basic “go outside” on my to-do lists on days when I know I’ll make excuses. It’s so silly but really necessary! So glad this post was helpful for you! :)
Jhunelle J ♦ www.simplylocal.life says
Enjoyed this, thank you. I hadn’t worked outside in a while until today after reading this. Self care and staying motivated are definitely important when you’re not in a formal office.
Angela says
Thanks for reading! Getting outside is so important for me but it’s also the one I neglect the most.