Working From Home - How To Develop A Self-Care Routine
Working From Home - How To Develop A Self-Care Routine
Karla Tafra
©2020 by LifeSavvy Media. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or
by any electronic or mechanical means without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a
reviewer, who may quote brief passages in a review.
Contents
Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 1
Set a Timer .................................................................................................................................................... 1
Get Outside ................................................................................................................................................... 2
Don't Skip Meals ........................................................................................................................................... 2
Take Some Days Off ...................................................................................................................................... 3
Don't Apologize for Working from Home ..................................................................................................... 3
Introduction
As more people swap out the traditional office template to work from home, it's also more
important than ever to set up a proper self-care routine. It can help you remain balanced, focused,
and healthy.
Although working from home has a ton of perks, you can quickly find yourself responding to
emails at 1 a.m., skipping lunch to finish a presentation, or getting up before dawn because half
your team is in a different time zone.
As much as working from home and freelancing can be flexible, they also make it easier to work
more hours total and neglect self-care. To avoid this, you'll have to develop a healthy work-from-
home routine.
Set a Timer
If you sleep in or attend an 8 a.m. SoulCycle class, that doesn't mean you have to stare at your
screen for 12 hours afterward. The best part about working from home is setting your own
schedule, so you can grind when you're the most productive and focused.
It's easy to get overworked if you don't have strict guidelines. It's also counterproductive in the
long run, as you'll end up feeling tired even if you're lying on your sofa.
To prevent that from happening and enjoy all the benefits of not being stuck in a cubicle, set up a
timer so your working hours are the same as they would be if you were really in one. They don't
have to be consecutive, either---space them out according to your workflow and energy level.
But limit work to eight or nine hours and stick to it.
Are you an early bird? If so, get up in the morning and smash two or three hours of work. Then,
take a breakfast break, go for a walk, grab a smoothie, or take a yoga class. Anything that breaks
your work routine and clears your head is fantastic. When you get home, set your alarm for
another two- or three-hour block of work, and then take another break. Repeat this one more
time, and you have a perfectly balanced day.
If you're more of a night owl, switch it up and give yourself a slow, easy morning. Schedule
meetings in the afternoon, and discover the comfiest work-from-bed position. That way, you can
just roll over and fall asleep when you're done.
MPH Photos/Shutterstock
When you take a break from work, don't just turn on Netflix. Get outside if you can and take a
walk in the fresh air. This gives you a chance to stretch your legs and get your body moving.
Working from home offers a lot less space and opportunity to move around than an office
environment. You usually must get up and trek around the office building (or up and down some
stairs) to accomplish little errands throughout the day. Then, you might walk down the street to
grab some lunch.
Don't fall into the work-from-home trap of sitting at the desk in your home office all day, every
day. Put on a podcast or take a walk around your neighborhood. You can even schedule a
"walking meeting" when you don't have to be physically present at your computer.
The beauty of working from home is you don't have to be stuck in the same four walls staring at
a screen all day, so don't do it!
Get outside and let yourself relax, recharge, and prepare to jump right in when you get back.
You'll likely notice a lot of changes for the better when you're no longer grabbing fast-food
lunches or settling for whatever's left in the office vending machine.
When you're not stuck in an office all week, the lines can get a bit blurry. Again, just keep track
of the hours you work and make sure it's not all day, every day.
With that in mind, schedule your month however you see fit. Not every week has to be the same-
--you can always adjust and reorganize. For example, you might work more before you take a
week off for vacation or less when your family's in town.
You can also spread out certain tasks that aren't urgent and focus on those that are. It's all about
organization and making sure you don't get burnt out.
However, people who don't work from home sometimes misinterpret what it's like. They might
assume it's easy or that you're in permanent "vacation mode." The truth is, you're probably
logging some long hours and/or answering emails long after everyone else is off the clock.
It might be hard to change the mindset of others, but you don't have to apologize because you
work in a different way. Let your work speak for itself. Often, these remarks stem from envy or
someone's dissatisfaction with their own work situation---and none of that is your fault!
Remote work environments are trending. But your work-life balance can easily be disrupted
when you work hard and play hard in the same space. If you set some boundaries, though, you
can take care of yourself and make your work-from-home lifestyle even better!