Working from home sounds like a dream. No commuting time, no dressing up and the ability to work from any location possible. Unfortunately, working from home is exactly this, a dream. Working from home has proved to be a greater challenge than imagined with poor work-life balance, long hours and a greater need to multitask. Employees have been drained mentally and physically and are continuously looking for ways to destress.
Four Tips To Destress
Making room for minibreaks and stepping away from work is critical when trying to destress. Taking frequent breaks (not at the cost of productivity!) helps decrease stress levels and prioritize. It has also been proved that taking breaks can restore energy, mental resources and decrease the development of fatigue or exhaustion.
For example, an experiment was performed on Danish students where they were given a short break before taking a test. Over two million tests were analysed and the results showed that students who took a break performed significantly better and scored higher scores than their peers who didn’t relax. Many entrepreneurs have identified the need to take breaks, this information has helped them develop apps such as Workrave and Eyeleo that remind users to take breaks.
2. Commit To Exercising
Working from home has undoubtedly put a strain on physical activity. According to a study conducted by the University of Southern California, “employees have decreased their overall physical activity, mental well-being and exercise, combined with increased overall food intake,” that could lead to health problems later. Putting time on the calendar to exercise, even if it is just a seven-minute workout, can release ‘happy hormones’ known as endorphins. These endorphins are a mood-booster and are natural stress reducers. Simply standing at your desk or walking around during phone calls can bring serenity in the middle of a hectic work week.
Reebok’s company culture has been appreciated for providing incredible relief to employees. Fittingly, the global fitness company offers free fitness classes at their on-site gym and Crossfit Box any time of the day.
3. Listen To Music
Music always has the power to change moods tremendously. Listening to mood-boosting music can help destress during remote work and quickly change the mood of your environment. Background music can always accompany your work schedules and help you enjoy your work more. It has further been proven that listening to music can reduce those stress hormones which harm the memory, weight and immune system. Listening to music has extra benefits for employees specifically: employees tend to work more efficiently and have more frequent creative and innovative ideas. Moreover, it also improves productivity, motivation and cognitive performance.
The exceptional benefit is that it reduces anxiety, which has especially increased during remote work due to poor communication and morale. It is important to make sure that focus is unaffected and that music isn’t a distraction.
4. Call your Work Best Friend
According to the 2020 State of Remote Work Report by Buffer and AngelList, 20% of employees report feeling lonely because of remote work. Working from home means that you miss out on vital interaction and bonding with colleagues, creating a greater need to socialize. To keep up the much-needed socialization activities, give your work best friend a call to catch up or start a zoom meeting with the coworkers you used to bond with in the office. You can also try using your coffee break as a time to catch up, let everyone know you will be online at a particular time, taking your coffee break, and invite the team to join you. Stay online, forget about work, and chat for a few minutes.
If you are a freelancer or a small business owner, you can call a colleague in your industry to see how they are coping during this time. Not only will you feel less stressed, but a social setting can help you brainstorm by offering alternative perspectives.
In conclusion, being there for oneself and prioritising mental and physical health is vital during remote work. Without distressing and keeping nerves in check, employees can ruin their long-term prospects at any job and can destroy their personal lives as well.
