With 2018 right around the corner and with a flurry of people setting new year’s resolutions, fresh goals and plans for the future we decided it’s probably a good time to talk about good health and wellbeing - in particular forremoteworkers.
Many of you talk about wanting more of a work life balance.Having more time to do your yoga, go for a swim at the beach, go for that morning run. But excuses stop you.
Well, we’re here to tell you that remote worker or not, there are no more excuses.
Your health and wellbeing are the utmost important thing.
In fact did you know that for many people who start working remotely,having more time to give to their personal development and health is one of the main reasons they take the plunge.
It's true having those extra hours in the morning and evening make a huge difference. Being able to get up and go for a morning swim or practice daily meditation is much easier without having to worry about your daily commute.
However there’s something really important to note here: Remote workers can actually end up working more hours and being glued to their computers ever more than when at the office, if they’re not careful.
It's so important to remember the reasons why you decided to work remotely and to make time for your health and happiness whilst doing so.
To help you along this journey we’ve put together our key tips that any remote worker can implement to help you be and feel healthier, both physically and mentally.
Finding your best routine and sticking to it
As remote workers it can be easy to stay in bed longer than you should because, well, who would know if you only got up 30 minutes before work? But it is also just as easy to stay on your computer for way too long because you haven’t set a specific schedule for yourself and therefore not been as productive as you could’ve been.
We all have different work patterns and the way you work best can be very different to the next person. You might do your best work at night, whilst the next person kicks ass waking up at 6am and killing it for 4 hours.
It's important to experiment with some specific routines and see what works best for you. Then once you’ve found your best pattern stick to it!
Setting play time
Remote workers find it especially hard but useful to have clear boundaries between play time and work time. It’s also been proven that for most people having breaks in between work can boost productivity and ignite inspiration.
Focusing too much on one thing is unhealthy and leads to an imbalance. Let’s take yoga as an example of this:
If our inhale is often longer than our exhale, we are more energetic and if the exhale is longer our energy often becomes low. Both are useful and needed, however isn’t our goal to have the inhale and exhale equal? One can’t work well without the other.
Remember the things you love doing but didn’t have time for before working remotely? Well, now is your chance to fit them into your routine and life!
Whether it’s closing the computer and grabbing your kites when the wind picks up, taking time to be creative or catching up with a friend for a coffee, having some clear breaks and play time is really important.
Exercise, often
You knew we’d get to this point sooner or later.
A healthy body and mind reflects on your work in a positive way and makes you more productive. You see, regular exercise increases your energy and mental focus, as well as serotonin levels throughout your body. Just a little exercise a day can make a huge difference to your wellbeing.
More exercise can also promote better posture whilst sat working for long hours in front of the computer.
Listening to your body and what it needs is just as important. This way you can determine the type of exercise that will benefit the most from one day to the next.
One day it might be yoga in the morning, another it might be a run before lunch. Or perhaps a volleyball match on the beach - play time and exercise intertwined!
What you eat is a reflection of how your day will plan out
As annoying as those people with mouth watering food instagram accounts are, there is a reason they exist. Healthy food and nutrition is important for all of us.
For remote workers it can be especially difficult when you have access to a fridge and kitchen cupboards all day long! Even more so when you’re travelling a lot and just picking up whatever you can.
Eating healthy will keep you motivated whilst working, but also energised for work and those play times! It’s important to fuel up with healthy snacks and food that will keep your mood elevated and your body trim.
Stock your fridge, cupboards and backpacks with healthy snacks - fruit, nuts, yogurt etc. Plan your meals in advance if you can so that you don’t spend too much time preparing and then not making it because it’s got too late! Plan stops into your travel schedule where you know there’s somewhere yummy and healthy you can eat. And if not, prep some food before you leave and take it with you.
Most importantly though, stay hydrated! Drink plenty of water, it will keep your fatigue at bay and make you more productive.