Teleworking has been installed in our lives unintentionally. And without even having had time to consider whether or not this was a good option for us and our companies. In fact, many companies have not had room to devise a strategy in time.
Due to the coronavirus crisis, thousands and thousands of professionals have found themselves fully teleworking and trying out an experience that until now seemed far away. Not surprisingly, only 2 in 10 workers have been allowed to work from home until now under normal circumstances. Until now, teleworking was understood as a still very distant reality for professionals in the world. But the experience that we have had to live with in March 2020 with the COVID-19 health crisis promises to change (and a lot) our perspectives, both vital and work.
But to telework you have to be fully employed. It is not enough to have a computer, connect it anywhere in the house and start typing as if there were no tomorrow. Teleworking also requires habits and healthy habits, which finally make the experience of teleworking allow us to reconcile, make us truly productive and, in short, bring us good things in every way.
Today we want to tell you what are, in our opinion, the healthy habits that will help you make teleworking really advantageous. Don’t miss them!
Also read : Can I ask my company to telework?
Find a nice place to work
The first is the first. If you’re going to incorporate telecommuting into your life, you can’t do it just anywhere. The sofa, the dining room or kitchen table are not the most suitable spaces. Sometimes we don’t have other options, but we should look for them. The idea is to have a specific room , where you can have your table and all the things you need to do your work.
Separating the environments is essential to know when you are working and when others dedicate themselves to personal or family things. Otherwise, you run the risk of mixing everything up and getting lost in the overwhelm. In addition, you must make sure that the space you have chosen has everything a person needs to work calmly and concentrated : order, good lighting and elements that give this space a personal touch. A photo, some flowers, a small figure, your books, etc.
In addition, it is important that the workplace is ventilated. You can use a scented candle that inspires you and try to paint the room with pleasant colors and suitable for concentration : opt for the less strident ones. Blue, for example, is a natural stress reducer. Green is for concentration and tranquility.
Also read : Clothing in home office : The dress code
Incorporate habits and schedules into your life
Habits are extremely important to lead a balanced and orderly life, whether you telework or not. Most likely, if you have children, you already have habits and schedules incorporated into your life. Since they must always get up at the same time, go to and leave school, etc. But how should we older people do it? In principle exactly the same.
Create a work schedule that you know you can meet and that is ideal for fulfilling your work obligations. If you work for someone else, your work contract will be the reference. If you are self-employed, you will be the one who chooses the hours. But choose them. Start one hour, rest and finish at a fixed time.
Nor should you logically neglect your personal habits. If you’d rather take a shower at night than in the morning, stick with this habit. If you have breakfast at seven, do it like this! Also choose a routine for meals, breaks, meditation, yoga class, walks, reading, time to watch movies, time to tell stories to the little ones, and so on.
Having a schedule and sticking to some habits will help you – and your family – feel like you are doing everything you should and need to do. You will notice that you make better use of your time and you will feel good about yourself.
Breathe, Move and Feel
When we telework we run the risk of not leaving our table all day. Sometimes work leads us to a routine, especially when there are peaks of more activity. If you don’t get up from your chair all morning, you’ll notice that your back hurts and if you’re in front of the computer, you’ll probably notice that your eyesight suffers .
We have indicated to you that habits are necessary, right? Well, you must get up, breathe, go out on the balcony or terrace to breathe fresh air, look at the horizon so that your eyes can rest and have a cup of tea, juice or coffee. Do not forget the physical exercise : it does not matter if you are not very gifted at sports.
If you like to run, go to the gym or practice a specific activity, do it! Don’t be tempted to abandon it. If not, you can still go for a walk, either alone, with a friend, with your partner or with the children. It is about moving, relating and feeling that you are not isolated in your home office. Also connect with your co-workers, collaborators or clients: it will also help you strengthen ties.
Choose the Mediterranean diet
Being at home we are tempted to go to the kitchen and have a snack. If what you are snacking on is healthy: an apple, a banana, some nuts… no problem. But if you indulge in snacks, industrial pastries, soft drinks and any other unhealthy food, it is very likely that teleworking will make you fat and sick in time.
It is very important to opt for a healthy diet. And in our case, we are in luck: we have the Mediterranean diet within our reach. Base your menus, breakfasts and snacks on the healthiest foods, trying to incorporate fruit , vegetables, legumes, rice and whole-grain pasta and, of course, extra virgin olive oil, in more quantities.
Avoid ultra-processed foods, sweets and refined flours. We all know what dispensable foods are. And even if at some point you want to treat yourself, do not make these products become a necessity.
Prioritise, prioritise and prioritise
All the ideas that we have given you are perfect to be incorporated into the life of a person who teleworks. All are aimed at taking care of your physical and mental health . But there is something that, after many years working remotely, we can especially recommend: prioritise. As it happens in the office, from home you will not be able to do everything and at the speed that you would like.
When work peaks occur, you should not work double hours. That is why habits and schedules are so important. You need to concentrate during the time you have chosen to telework. But above all, prioritise. Use the agenda (or a notebook, or even a blank sheet of paper) to make a list of all the tasks and mark in red (or in the color you prefer) those that are priorities .
Start with what is most urgent and go mark what you finish. You will see that in this way you do not leave anything in the pipeline. Move forward with much more security on the pending work. Be methodical and rational. And everything will be fine.
Also read : Pros & Cons of teleworking
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