5 Tips for Staying Mentally Healthy as a Remote Worker
Nowadays, it really isn’t unusual for someone to refer to their home office, bedroom or kitchen counter as their workplace. Remote work offers a wide-range of benefits, but can also come with challenges, especially if you’re used to working in a traditional office environment. Remote work can feel overwhelming and isolating. If you’re struggling to find your healthy stride with working remote, this article has some concrete tips to help you get through this.
If you’re one of the thousands of people who is remote working for the first time, it’s worth being intentional about making sure you get started in the best way possible. Over the years, the amount of people working remotely has continued to rise. However, with recent events, this has accelerated significantly, leading companies and individuals to rethink the way they work. In fact, recent statistics suggest remote working is here to stay with one survey revealing 98% of its respondents would like to continue working remotely for the rest of their careers.
As a Digital Nomad with over 5 years working remotely, I’ve had my share of ups and downs, but I’ve also developed strategies that help me stay healthy and balanced, and I believe that you can too! Whether you’re new to remote working or already travelling the world as a digital nomad, I can’t stress enough how important it is to be aware of and to prioritize your mental health. We all experience stress in our jobs, but how we respond to stress not only shapes our overall health but also affects our perceptions of our work and levels of productivity!
Luckily, there are many folks out there like myself who have lots of remote work experience under our belts, so here are 5 of my best tips on staying mentally healthy as a remote worker.
1.Staying connected
Newbie to remote-working or not, it is very normal to experience feelings of isolation or loneliness. However, loneliness is most risky when it becomes chronic, which is why it is important to identify ways to feel connected and supported that work well for you as a remote worker.
Build community - make togetherness a priority, in any form.
If you’re part of a team, it may feel challenging at first to build and maintain ‘virtual’ relationships with your co-workers and managers. Luckily, there are plenty of communication applications like Slack, Google Meet, Zoom and more, that can enable you to arrange virtual meetings and create more interaction while each of you work remotely. Why not try setting up a virtual coffee or lunch break with coworkers? Use these moments to connect and take this time to build community with your team and others. If you’re a freelancer or just work solo in your role, this might be a chance to connect with your clients more, reach out to team members you wouldn’t normally talk to, or schedule in a quick call to catch up with a friend who is also remote working. You’ll find that these short interactions can re-energize you, and for many of us, provide that sense of belonging, which is crucial in targeting loneliness!
Seek support and allow space for vulnerability.
We all deal with loneliness. When work gets stressful, you may find yourself disconnecting more than usual and before you know it, you’ve gone days without interacting with anyone. It’s important that you recognize and become aware of any feelings of distress, loneliness, or fatigue, instead of pushing them aside. Don’t hesitate to tell a friend or family member how you’ve been feeling. When we share our vulnerabilities with others, especially those in similar situations, it connects us and builds community. If things continue to be challenging, I highly recommend seeking support in the form of teletherapy or community groups. You may even find that a group for remote workers already exists in your local area!
2. Create a routine that works for you
Although the flexibility of remote working can be nice (especially if you have the freedom to travel!), it can be really helpful to establish a routine and create structured work days. Without any structure, it can be easy for the lines between your personal and work life to blur, leading to stress, overwhelm, and eventually even burnout. If you haven’t already, designate a place to work that is as distraction-free as possible. Now I know just how tempting it is to work from the comfort of bed in your PJ’s, but trust me on this - getting dressed and having a committed workspace will get you in the right mindspace to seize the day!
Even if your hours are up to you, try to include regular breaks (e.g., coffee, lunch!) and a cut-off point to end your work day in your schedule. I know things pop up and this might not always work for you, but I highly recommend sticking to a routine as much as possible. Remember to take a proper lunch break (even better if outside) and when it’s time to end the workday, try to pack away work things and relocate to a area that’s not associated with work.
3. Move your body
Let’s face it - our bodies weren’t designed to be sitting for 8 to 10-hour work days. They want to move! Now, I realize you can’t always respond to emails or take conference calls on a beach stroll or treadmill. However, standing up and moving your body even just for 5-10 minute intervals throughout the work day can help you to refresh, focus and be ready for the next task to come. Examples of this include: Using the bathroom further away from your workstation to get a few extra steps in, taking the stairs or walking while taking calls, sitting on an exercise ball while working (extras for core strength!), and definitely full body stretching. When possible, consider a standing desk and splitting your time between sitting and standing.
4. Get outside
Similar to how we are designed to move, our bodies need us to go outside! Many people are Vitamin D deficient (you can ask your doctor for a blood test to check) and getting outside even for just 5-10 minutes during the day can work wonders for your mental health. Results of a large-scale study showed that taking walks in nature lowered anxiety and depression among participants, while also boosting their mood and well-being. Even just the sound of nature can trigger a relaxation response in the brain - pretty cool, right? So next time you take a lunch break or decide to take a call while walking, try to get outside. You won’t regret it!
5. Invest in your workspace
You’re going to be working in this space a lot, so it’s important that you invest in creating a workspace that will promote productivity, focus, and all around good energy! Don’t cut corners when it comes to making your workspace a positive and healthy place for you. What helps you to de-stress or brings a smile to your face? Maybe it's the scent of lavender oil pumping through a diffuser, a row of nice green succulents, or soothing jazz in the background? Try to explore what kind of space feels the most physically comfortable. Do what you can to position your desk and chair at the proper height for your body, and also elevate your monitor so you’re not bent forward all the time (and potentially hurting your neck). Is your workspace bright, clean, and tidy, or dark, cluttered, and overwhelming? Even small things like opening windows to bring in natural light and fresh air make a world of difference, so try not to overlook the simple things you can do to make your workspace a nice place to be.
If you’re brand new to remote working, it’s normal not to have everything figured out with your workspace initially. You learn over time what works best for you, and one of the great things about remote working is that you are able to switch up your workspace as often as you like. So test out different options - try changing chairs, or working in your cozy socks or slippers, and see how you feel.
The freedom and more open-ended structure of working from home can take some getting used to, but as research shows - most people find remote work to be tremendously beneficial to their overall wellbeing.
Were these tips helpful? What would you add? Please comment below with your own tips or remote-working experiences!
To Your Health & Wellness,
Dr. Therese