working from home in winter: a guide to self-care
This blog was written in collaboration with Chloe Hill - a recently graduated 1st Class Hons English student at Royal Holloway, the lifestyle editor of Orbital Magazine & freelance online fashion writer for Debut Magazine.
Working from home in winter: a guide to self-care
Working from home can be tough, especially in the colder months where shorter days and darker nights make it hard to match the same levels of productivity that you may have reached in the summer. For these reasons, it’s essential that you prioritise a healthy work/life balance.
Practising self-care can be easier said than done, especially when there’s nobody to enforce it but yourself in the same four walls. Alongside getting your eight hours of sleep and eating a balanced diet, here are my top five recommendations for taking care of your mental health:
Routine is everything
Everyone appreciates a good routine – waking, getting ready and following a general timed plan. Routines are especially important for those who work from home, as they split the day into manageable chunks and give it meaning. For example, although you may not always leave the house, make an effort to get dressed and ready for the day as if you were. It will naturally flick a switch in your brain, encouraging feelings of productivity to follow.
Start each morning in a positive light – whether this is through a motivational podcast, relaxing playlist or a moment of calm with a good book and a morning coffee, each will add substance to waking up and urge you to resist pressing snooze on the alarm for the third time in a row.
Work with the body clock – with the colder mornings and darkness hitting at around 4pm, compromise your schedule with what your body wants. If you automatically switch off when the sun goes down, factor an extra hour in the morning instead. Your mind will thank you for finding a healthy equilibrium between your body clock and productivity levels.
Keep your body moving
Stationary days at your desk can get mundane and seem tiresome. Opening up the health app on your phone and seeing a frighteningly low step count is something we all fear, so ensure this doesn’t happen by prioritising fitness and physical wellbeing and watch how it reflects positively on your mental state.
Whether you feel most energetic in the morning or the evening, find a time that suits your schedule and let off some steam for a much-needed energy boost.
Whilst the gym and exercise classes are great, they can also be time consuming. For days where time is against you, grab a mat and follow a few YouTube tutorials that can guide you through some yoga or meditation, encouraging mindfulness and tranquillity for the day ahead. What’s more, sometimes a long walk soaking up the fresh air is all you may require for a healthy boost and kick of aspiration.
Stay connected
Keeping focus all day can be tough, so allow yourself some time to put your feet up and connect with those you love or who inspire you. Whether it’s a Skype call or a coffee date, socialising is key to maintaining a healthy work/life balance.
Getting out of the house can be rewarding. Sometimes a subtle reminder that you’re only human and can’t commit to your work 24 hours a day is needed, and what better way to do that than by catching up with friends and family?
Your conversations may even trigger a new creative thought process or instil a new way of thinking. From approaching these situations from a slightly different angle, you’ll start to see how a productive form of rest can be staying connected and remove any incline of guilt that tries to drag you back to your desk.
Factor in some ‘me’ time
Following on from my previous point about the importance of a solid routine, make sure that your evenings and weekends are completely free, so you can commit to some well-deserved relaxation. Run a bubble bath, light some candles and lose yourself in a good book.
On weekends, make a conscious effort to get outside. Whether this is in the form of retail therapy, a long walk or simply running some errands, it will feel great just to take some time out and mentally block out the constant anxiety-ridden thoughts about missed tasks of the week.
Instead, channel these thoughts in a more positive manner. Set aside an hour on Sunday evening to engage with your journal/diary and plan ahead for your goals for the upcoming week. It will help you walk into Monday morning with a fresh mindset, recharged for the week.
Surround yourself with things you love
As you work from home, make sure you supply your office with things that make you happy. Little trinkets, meaningful memoirs and natural light will help to brighten the space and transform it into a productive area.
Fill the room with your favourite scent – whether this is through a candle, diffuser or room spray, keep the area fresh, clean and smelling great. Also designate a space to motivate you, where you can hang artwork, prints and quotes that help to keep you focused and on track. Don’t forget to resist the dreaded office backache with lots of cushions and blankets, keeping you upright and comfortable throughout the day.
If you would like any further advice with this topic, please feel free to contact me personally! I am always happy to chat either on social media or through email at hi@elizabethstiles.co.uk.