Remote work: for many of us, it’s not ideal. We want to feel like we are part of something, not just stuck at the kitchen table, tapping away on our laptops.
But unfortunately, that is the reality for many of us. We would love to be meeting and greeting people, but the current pandemic and working arrangements prevent us from doing that.
Fortunately, there are a bunch of powerful things that you can do right now to improve your workday. Here’s what to do:
Drink A Herbal Tea
It sounds so simple, but drinking herbal tea can have a profound effect on how you feel. They can lower blood pressure, improve mood and even reduce physical pain in some instances. They also make you feel all warm and cozy inside – a wonderful feeling.
Go For Regular Walks Outside
Don’t confine yourself to your room all day. Instead, go out during your breaks. At lunch time, those emails can wait a few minutes before you respond.
Walking in the fresh air brings many benefits. It helps to regulate your body clock so that you sleep better at night. And it exposes you to sunlight which can improve your mood and alertness levels.
Improve Your Environment
Now that you’re spending more time at home, one of your goals should be to improve your environment. You want to ensure that your working conditions are as good as they can be, given the circumstances.
If your air conditioning isn’t working and it is too hot to concentrate, get AC repair. You want the temperature in your office to be somewhere between 19 C and 22 C. Outside of that range, you’ll feel too hot or too cold.
Also, consider placing plants around your desk. These will help to soothe you emotionally and clean the air at the same time. Just having an orchid on your desk can reduce the stress you feel when your boss sends you demanding emails.
Help A Colleague
If somebody is struggling with a task, offer to help them. Find a way to make their day. Often, lending a helping hand to coworkers encourages them to find ways to help you right back. It can be a great way to get people on your side.
Clean Your Desk
When you work from home, it is all too easy for your desk to become cluttered. The biggest culprit is eating in front of the screen over lunch time. Instead of going to the kitchen for a regular sit-down meal, you munch on your food while half-typing at the same time.
Dirty plates and dishes around your workspace, however, are distracting. They take your unconscious mind off the task at hand – which isn’t what you want.
Have a good cleanup around your desk. Make sure that the only thing on it is your computer and cup of tea.
Start Smiling
Lastly, just the act of smiling can change how you feel. So if work starts to get on top of you, just smile more. It can make a tremendous difference.