7 tips for health & wellbeing while working from home

Working alone can be enjoyable for a limited period of time, but people by nature are social beings, and we all need to feel part of a team. It is the collaboration with others and the ability to see the impact of your efforts that really motivates people and keeps them engaged with their role and their business.

Here at Cybertill our colleagues have been working from home for years! Practically overnight, we were able to move from HQ to our own homes without a hitch, maintaining ‘business as usual’ to all of our customers. We like to think we’re pretty much experts at working from home by now, so, we have created these 7 tips that we hope will help maintain your health and wellbeing whilst working from home.

1. Establish a work zone 👩‍💻

Setting up a dedicated workspace at home is crucial to your productivity and focus, even if it’s just a space at the kitchen table or a small desk in a corner of your living room. Either way, have a workspace that you can go to for work and that you can leave or walk away from after the work day is done.

2. Stick to a schedule 📆

Following a schedule is key when you’re working from home, otherwise, it can be easy to procrastinate or over-schedule yourself away from your job duties. In addition to setting clearly defined work hours, waking up at a regular time each day, showering and getting dressed all add to the routine and schedule of a working day. That doesn’t mean you have to get dolled up to work from your home office, but do have a routine that you keep.

3. Practice self-care 🧘🏻

Carving out time each day for exercise, meditation or other self-care practices. That includes making time for rest and relaxation. Disconnection from work is an important component to feeling refreshed and motivated at the end of each day.

4. Eat well and stay hydrated 🥗

Being stuck inside so close to your fridge it may be tempting to graze throughout the day, but it is important to keep your day as close to your usual working schedule as possible. That means taking tea breaks and making sure that you give yourself a lunch break to eat a proper meal. And remember to drink as much water as possible at intervals throughout the day!

5. Keep taking your medication, where required ⏲️

Avoid disruption to your medication routine, maybe set reminders on your phone to keep your day structured and keep track.

6. Continue accessing support from your colleagues ☎️

Human contact and connection is really important. Keep in contact with people by video call, Facetime and Skype, those conversations and interactions can really help at this time. Maybe arrange a daily team conference call to ‘check in’ on each other in terms of your workload and your wellbeing – keeping you busy and engaged!

7. It is possible to still get the positive effects from nature while staying indoors at home; you could try the following 🍃

• Spend time with the windows open to let in fresh air.
• Have flowers or potted plants in your home.
• Arrange a comfortable space to sit, for example by a window where you can look out over a view of trees or the sky, or watch birds and other animals.
• Listen to natural sounds, like recordings or apps that play birdsong, ocean waves or rainfall.
• Get as much natural light as you can.
• Spend time in your garden if you have one, or open your front or back door and sit on the doorstep.

It’s important to practise self-care if you’re self-isolating. Take the time to look after yourself. If you’re stuck by yourself, even if you’re confined to one room of your house, you may still be able to do some meditation, yoga or even some basic physical activity while watching an exercise video. You may want to look after yourself by limiting the amount of time you spend reading the news or looking at social media.

We hope that this blog has helped, and you and your families remain safe.