Businesses are closing around the world as entire countries and states go on lockdown to flatten the curve and slow the spread of the Coronavirus. Many are facing sudden unemployment, while a lucky few have been granted the ability to work from home as their companies do everything in their power to stay afloat during these tragic times.
Now, more people than ever are working remotely – many without a clue of how to do so. Below are a few tips to help you transition into a comfortable, productive remote working environment.
1. Develop a Schedule and Stick to It
This is one of the hardest aspects of remote work to get under control. There is a great deal of discipline required to maintain a consistent schedule in terms of waking up on time, dedicated working hours, break times, and ending the day. When determining your work schedule, you have the freedom to choose based on your natural flow of energy.
Are you a night owl? Try to concentrate your work toward the evening time. Morning person? Schedule more assignments for the morning. If you are neither and prefer to work throughout the day, you are free to scatter your work throughout the day with a healthy amount of breaks to avoid overloading yourself.
2. Separate Your Work and Living Space
The difficulty in working remotely, especially when your chosen work environment is home, is that the new working style makes it substantially more difficult to separate work from your personal life. Those who tend to “bring work home with them” will face a great challenge here. Try working from a home office or living room to keep your resting spaces, such as a bedroom or den, available for relaxation.
3. Get Frequent Exercise
You don’t have to exercise every day of the week, but as long as you designate 2-3 days weekly to getting outside in the fresh air to get your blood pumping and muscles moving, you will see great improvements in your health. Not only does it weigh heavily on the mind to sit inside all day, but it is also quite detrimental for your physical health.
Riding a bike or going for regular walks will also help to reduce your stress levels by getting you out of your pent-up working environment, and will also strengthen your immune system if you are, or have been exposed to the Coronavirus.
4. Set Aside Time for Social Interaction
Many people are finding that they do not cope well with isolation. Being separated from loved ones can be incredibly difficult, especially under the current circumstances. Due to the potential effects of this on your mental health, you may face challenges in staying on task and reduced productivity. To continue social distancing yet still get some quality time, set aside a few hours a week for phone calls or video chats with friends and family.
5. Take Frequent Breaks
People that work from home are an average of 86% more productive than those who work in offices. This is all well and good until you consider the fact that this is largely due to the fact that telecommuters tend to overwork themselves more often and are less likely to take sick days.
One of your responsibilities in maintaining a healthy remote working environment is recognizing that you are not a machine. You must allow yourself to rest by scheduling breaks and reasonable end times to your daily work schedule.
As you are thrust into the world of teleworking due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, you must regularly refer to the tips listed above to ensure that your workspace remains productive. Integrating these elements into your teleworking schedule is your best bet at keeping yourself physically and mentally healthy as we wait out this pandemic.
