The best ways to achieve wellbeing ideas for working from home
Introduction
The COVID pandemic has affected the way many of us work. While some have had to take on temporary, furloughed positions, others have been able to telecommute with video conferencing taking the place of formal meetings.
For some of us, we continue as we normally did at the office with higher productivity, a better-balanced family/ work life, but less socialisation.
There are many benefits to working from home. However, there are also many challenges that come with the territory. This post will explore the best ways to achieve wellbeing while working from home.
What is well-being?
The New Economics Foundation says that both ‘feeling good’ and ‘functioning well’ are the two components of well-being.
A healthy work culture should not just focus on the physical health of employees. It should also promote emotional well-being by enabling their mental health, happiness and general sense of economic security.
Wellbeing is a new way forward. It's not just about creating a safe workplace, it's also about making sure that those who work in your company are well-supported and healthy, so they're happy and want to work hard.
More and more businesses are recognising the benefits of having a healthy workforce and choosing this holistic approach
The Chartered Institute of Professional Development (CIPD) outlines many advantages to employee wellbeing. Among these are:
- higher performance and productivity
- increased resilience
- reduced sickness absence
- better employee engagement
Disadvantages of working from home
There are also some disadvantages to remote working, these are:
Working from home can mean working more hours
You'd think working from home would provide a bigger sense of freedom, but research has shown that some people are actually working longer hours. Living and working in the same environment makes it easy to pick up your work again after dinner, or finish a lot later than you would if you had to commute.
But if managed correctly, working from home can also mean having a bit more flexibility in your schedule as well.
Increase in loneliness
Eye-wateringly painful studies have shown the devastating effect of loneliness on mental and physical health.
For example, since working remotely, 67% of workers have found it more difficult to maintain relationships and friendships with their colleagues.
Lack of motivation
Working from home and maintaining a healthy well-being
You can work from home and make money while you're at it.
This section will provide you with the best ways to find a remote job that suits your needs. If you are looking for a flexible, independent and rewarding career, then this section is for you.
You can find remote jobs in many different fields. You can find jobs as an online tutor, freelance writer, graphic designer, social media manager or even content writer.
Some people have a misconception that working from home means not being able to meet deadlines or that it is not professional enough. This is simply not true as there are many companies who offer remote jobs and they do it because they know that the environment of the workplace does not affect productivity or creativity.
How Do I Keep Myself Healthy When Working From Home?
There is no doubt that working from home is one of the most popular ways to work nowadays. It gives us more flexibility and control over our schedule. But there are some risks associated with it as well, such as isolation, lack of motivation, and so on. That's why it's important to have a healthy balance between work and life.
Tips For Getting Things Done When Working At Home
Working from home can be a great opportunity to have more flexibility in your schedule and work-life balance. But it can also be a challenge to stay productive.
Here are some tips for staying productive when working at home:
- Set up your workspace so that you can focus on the task at hand
- Keep distractions (social media, television, phone calls) out of sight and out of mind
Here are some tips on how to stay healthy when working from home:
Try to get out of the house for a walk or run once in a while
Employees should be encouraged to get outside as much as possible. From a quick walk during a lunch break to outdoor meetings or taking part in a walking meeting. If you can infuse this with some sort of exercise, it will do both you and your body good!
Take breaks every now and then and get up from your desk or chair
Encourage employees to take a break for lunch. It gives them some time to themselves and allows them to clear their head of their work so they can return with fresh eyes.
Be mindful about what you eat - don't eat unhealthy foods at your desk
Eating healthier food enables you to feel lighter and keep an active mind. Eating heavy meals can take a lot of energy and leave you feeling tired and unable to focus, as your body is spending more energy breaking down the heavy meal.
Talk to other people - call friends or family
As your employees won’t be surrounded by their usual team, it is beneficial to their mental health to encourage time away from working to call friends or family. Loneliness is one of the most detrimental effects on our well-being, so some socialisation should be encouraged.
Create a structured daily routine
Creating a daily routine and striking to it is one of the best ways to remain productive and motivated to work when at home. Start the day at the same time each day. Take your breaks and lunch at the same time and finish at the same time.
Being consistent with a familiar working pattern will help you distinguish a more healthy work/ home balance.
Mindfulness Practices That Will Help You Achieve Wellbeing & Balance While Working From Home
Work-life balance is a major concern for many people today. There are various ways to help you achieve this balance. One of these ways is through the practice of mindfulness.
Mindfulness is an ancient Buddhist practice that has been around for thousands of years. It’s a practice that teaches us to be aware and at the moment, and to not let our thoughts run away with us.
Mindfulness practices can help you achieve wellbeing and balance while working from home. Today, there is much work from home jobs where you can do your work without having to commute or miss out on time with family or friends. However, it’s important to take care of yourself while working from home as well!
To practice mindfulness at home try these tips:
-eat light and healthily
-Take a few minutes each day to practice deep breathing (it can be as short as 5 minutes).
- knock off all electronics and make yourself comfortable in a peaceful setting with no distractions
- find a comfortable position, sitting or lying down
- follow a guided meditation or do your own self-let meditation
- Try body mapping. This is when you slow and focus your breathing, then take your conscious mind to focus on relaxing each different area of your body.
After your meditation, you should feel more in control, at the moment and lighter from any external stressors.
Making your employees feel valued at home
When managing a team of remote workers there are fewer opportunities to reward and create a team feeling with your employees. Thats why it’s important to initiate some well-being initiatives. Some of these activities can include:
- Sending a gourmet dinner and wine to employees at home
- Having team days out whether team building or just a nice meal
- Sending employees on wellbeing days, e.g, yoga, meditation, or spa retreats (if your company can afford it).
Creating a wellbeing workplace culture for remote workers
It’s important as an employer to try and create a culture around the wellbeing of your remote workers. To do this efficiently try out these strategies:
- Train your managers and line managers to have a supportive, clear directional, and manageable workload for their teams.
- Enable an open culture where staff can feel comfortable approaching and talk about their challenges with their managers. Frequent check-ins, surveys, and meets are a great way to encourage this.
- Include and incorporate mental health discussions in work. Send out helpful information and make it clear where teams can approach this subject with appropriate staff members.
Wellbeing ideas for working from home
We hope you enjoyed this post on encouraging Wellbeing ideas for working from home. If you’d like to read more posts like it check out our post on 5 ways to stop a valued employee from quitting.