Working from home may seem like a relaxing way to work – you don’t have to deal with your colleagues stressing out, last-minute meetings and deadlines being advanced, you work in the perfect, comfortable bubble of your own home. There’s nothing quite like home, until you have to work there for several days or weeks on the trot – then the days where you had to go to the office seem like a distant dream, and you miss them.
When working at home, even when you have your colleagues on the phone, and your boss is constantly sending you Whatsapps, you can still feel a little isolated and alone. It’s easy to feel down – we all need a few pick-me-ups, all you have to do is find what cheers you up.
Throughout life, it’s important to keep optimistic – nothing is forever, and you might as well have fun working from home whilst you have the opportunity! There are positive sides to everything, we promise!
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Create a playlist
Create a playlist to cheer you up whilst you are working – no room for heartbreak ballads and love songs here. A little bit of Walking on Sunshine, Twist and Shout, the classic feel-good tracks, will have you relaxed and in the zone. You may even be tempted to have a little dance in front of your computer. That positive feeling will also help boost your productivity, and you’ll be a lot of fun to work with!
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Meditate
During your “lunch break”, or after you have finished working, take time to meditate. Lay down, and listen to soothing Instagram lives or meditation music to get into another zone. It will help you disconnect from reality generally, not just work, and will help you look forward to the future, optimistic and lower your anxiety and fears. It will totally change your outlook on life!
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Pamper Yourself
We all need a bit of TLC – so outside of your working hours, experiment and be playful! Concoct new, stylish outfits to reinvent your wardrobe – it’s better and cheaper than buying a load of new clothes. You can also pamper your hair – have fun with rollers for voluminous, bouncy curls, to feel a little extra even when you’re in your sweatpants. Or try a new hairstyle such as box braids to refresh your look. These little experimental sessions will make you feel like a new you!
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Keep Active
Another way to keep optimistic whilst working from home is by keeping active. Nothing will lower your morale than staying locked inside doing nothing – and you don’t even need to leave the house! Just keep moving! Whether it’s yoga, full-on YouTube workouts or a squat challenge, you can keep active. Why sport? It reduces stress and depression as it stimulates endorphins, which are natural mood lifters.
Cook a Tasty Dinner
It’s too easy to order takeaways or get food delivered when we’re working from home. Getting on Uber Eats and ordering a McDonalds to eat in front of the computer may sound tempting, but eating a home-cooked meal will always lift spirits. Make yourself a list of recipes to attempt, for lunch and for dinner, and perfect your cooking skills. You will really enjoy eating a meal that you have taken time to make, and cooking is very therapeutic – the creativity is very rewarding and on top of all that, it saves money!
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Get Reading
Get ready to be inspired… Remember all those books that have been waiting on the shelf to be read? Well now’s the time to get started! And if you have read all the books in your home, order a few to keep you busy! Reading allows you to disconnect from the world and enter a bubble, it also gets you thinking and stimulates the mind. Whether you want to swot up on self-development, or read the latest thriller, you will enjoy unwinding with a good book, in a comfy armchair.
Catch up with Loved Ones
After work, spend time catching up with your loved ones. Facetime, send them a Whatsapp message, just show them the love, and you will feel more connected to them. Keeping that bond with your friends and family will help you keep positive and separate your private and professional lives. Showing someone you are thinking of them will help make you both feel good – so get messaging!
Be Inspired
As well as reading, one of our favorite things to do to inspire ourselves and make us excited for the future is going onto Pinterest. Life may sometimes be bleak, but we can always set goals and think of the future – curating travel photos for your next trip away, of fashion photos to give yourself some street style inspiration or yoga workouts to try to keep fit, will all help you feel optimistic and excited for the future. Start creating your own boards and start creating your new life in a click!
Rest
It seems simple and fairly obvious, but amongst all these activities and work, take some time out for yourself to just rest. A decent night’s sleep will positively impact your mental health, whilst if you’re sleep-deprived, you will feel down and negative about everything – plus, it won’t help your productivity! Whether you’re just taking time to rest and watch your favorite Netflix series or actually get an early night, it will all help make you feel positive, refreshed and creative.
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Say No
Creating boundaries between your work life and professional lives is ever so important. Learn how to switch off, log off those work emails and put your phone on do not disturb before going to bed. We all hate that feeling when we are restless as the end of the day because we can’t “forget” about work for an evening, so prevent it by truly disconnecting from your professional life. Only answer emergencies and take time out for yourself – you’re only human, and you need to make the most of your down time!
Author: Beth Strong
Today’s guest author is Beth Strong. She is the UK Editor for All Things Hair and has worked in beauty journalism for over four years. When she’s not writing about hair, she can be found wandering around London looking for the best new brunch spots.