How to work from home and stay healthy – both mentally and physically

With working from home, social-distancing and isolation continuing  across the globe, it’s never been more important for us to look after our mental health.  It has been 10 months since office workers were first asked to work from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so how do we continue to look after our physical and emotional well-being after such sustained periods of the unknown? 

Read on for our simple tips on how to work from home and remain healthy - both physically and mentally.

• Make the distinction between home and work – This sounds simple but it’s harder than you might think. Keep a dedicated area of your home just for your work space, whether it’s part of the kitchen table or a spare room.  This area is your office now. 
• Stick to your normal working hours – It’s tempting to carry on working past clocking off time when you’re at home. You’ll quickly burn out if you do this and, in the end, it becomes counterproductive.  Your manager won’t be expecting you to work more when you’re at home.
• Keep a positive mindset – Take advantage of this time at home. You can listen to the music you like, make the frothy coffee that you wouldn't get to in the office, light the Yankee Candle you got for Christmas and you get to keep the heating at the perfect temperature.  Most of us are getting to spend time with our families that we otherwise wouldn’t, it’s important we take advantage of that.
• Eat well, exercise and sleep – Do you need to socially distance yourself from the snack cupboard? When working from home it’s all too easy to reach for another biscuit; however, eating the right kind of foods can improve our mood. Find free exercise videos on YouTube to do in the morning before you set up for the day or during your lunch hour. Whether it’s a Joe Wick's HIIT session or a relaxing yoga session, exercise releases mood boosting endorphins.  Make sure you're getting a good rest at night, and ditch the phone and tablet at least an hour before bed. 
  
  
• Keep social – Catch-up with work mates, family or friends by scheduling daily video chats or phone calls over a cuppa. It’s much more personal than simply texting or emailing back and forward.  Some people may feel more isolated than others especially if they live alone and a video call might just be the highlight of their day. 
• Remote team events – How do you keep your team motivated when we’re all working remotely? Last week we took part in a virtual ‘Happy Hour’ which included a pub quiz and drinks. Using Zoom and Microsoft Teams our whole business was able to take part and have some much-needed fun. Having an hour of downtime during the working day at least once a week will help boost everyone's morale.
  
  
• Reach out of you are struggling – We really are all in this together. If you feel you are struggling to cope during this time you should reach out to your line manager or those close to you.  There are lots of helpful online resources with tips on how to deal with mental health.  You can find out more on these websites mind.org.uk, nhs.uk and samaratins.org.

Stay home and stay safe everyone.