Five Effective Habits to Improve Your Work-Life Balance and Wellbeing
Working from home in a hybrid workplace offers more flexibility and a better work-life balance, but it can also render it difficult for you to have clear-cut boundaries. This can lead to stress and poor health.
So, take small action steps every day for long-term wellbeing. Feeling happier and balanced will benefit every area of your life, including work, as you'll be feeling more motivated and productive.
1. Organize your schedule and communicate it with the team
Map out your week, and break down goals daily. Prioritize. Having some structure and control over your time will avoid you to overwork or feel overwhelmed (especially during a pandemic and when socially distancing), or vice-versa, procrastinate. Share your schedule with the team so they are mindful of it. Use tech integrations to assist you: block out working hours on your Google Calendar, and turn off Slack notifications at certain times of the day.
2. Do a mindfulness meditation to start your day or when you need a break
It's important to take breaks and unplug regularly. You're a human - not an android! A quick meditation has incredible benefits on your mental health and wellbeing, you need as little as five minutes. Numerous studies show that meditation makes you happier, healthier, and more productive. There are tons of apps and YouTube videos available to assist you – it's never been easier to start. Mindfulness techniques can be as simple as taking 5 minutes off to close your eyes, focus on your breathing, and getting present.
3. Get outside, stretch or move around
Block time out to go for a walk, enjoy a run or just take some time out to stretch. Alarms are your friend. Put reminders to leave your desk and get that vitamin D boost and some fresh air during the day. You could even combine it with doing errands to break up your day. You'll come back to your desk feeling refreshed and energized.
4. Create artificial boundaries and rituals to start and end your working day
Create artificial boundaries to separate personal and professional lives when at home. For lunch, take a proper 30-minute break (at least) and eat a nourishing meal. You could replace your screen with a picnic in the park (weather permitting), listen to a podcast, or read a book. Create your own rituals to start and end your working day – a short walk that can act like a 'commute'. Stick to after-work plans, so you'll have a valid reason to log off for the day, whether it's a fitness class, hobby, or a socially distanced event.
5. Organize occasional virtual Happy Hour with friends and colleagues
As a remote office worker, it's normal to sometimes feel isolated and disconnected from the in-office team (and on top of that, a global pandemic and lockdown don't help). Make the most of video-conferencing tools like Google Hangouts and host regular happy hour events. Make time to catch up with colleagues and friends. Your mental health and wellbeing will benefit from having regular events to look forward to.
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