The Importance of Self-Care for Remote Workers

Let us start with baby steps; what is self-care and what does it mean for remote workers?

Self-care

      Defining the term ‘self-care’ can be ambiguous but it means taking care of oneself. It is a process where you establish forms of activities to ensure your well-being of yourself in order to promote good health and actively manage a good lifestyle. As a remote worker, if you never found self-care important that is quite detrimental to you.

Why the Practice of Self-Care is so important for Remote Workers

Face it, working from home is isolating! It can be comfortable but not exactly exciting. You do not get to face any traffic or meet so many people in a day but you surely have to face the never-ending demands of work and home life. Also, you are prone to burnout. So how do you unwind?

Tips for self-care as a remote worker

• Sleep well-Not having enough sleep, is the direct opposite of self-care. You should sleep for at least seven hours every day. Go to bed at a certain time and wake up early; this leads to a quality life. Keep a consistent schedule and you will have your body thank you.
• Create a home-work atmosphere- The typical situation when working at an on-site company, is for you to get dressed and go to work! Why not do the same at home? When you configure yourself to this result-oriented routine, you send a message to your brain; in other words, if you were going to commute like you have a regular on-site job, do the same. Get a coffee, have breakfast, and be at the desk at 9, etc.
• Have a designated workspace- I know your ‘office’ is your laptop but there is this sense of organization when you have a space in a room or house that is separated just for work. A desk, office chair, books arranged at the side, and other gadgets. Also, if you want to boost your morale or confidence, keep your space tidy.
•  Incorporate breaks into your schedule- Have a realistic to-do list. Do not just put tasks there without allocating breaks there as well. This way you are telling yourself you deserve to energize and give yourself the care you deserve in a thoughtful way. Be intentional s possible.
• Eat a good lunch- You cannot say you work from home and you eat once a day. Eat a healthy breakfast, not something heavy because you will end up feeling sluggish. Take a break and eat lunch, it could be a snack or this time around a bit of a heavy meal. You should know that eating good foods makes you work better.
• Exercise- the fact that you stay home to work means you would not be doing a lot of physical activities. Work out at least 30 minutes every day, and stretch out your bones because it has its benefits.

Every self-care method you might want to adopt fall under the following categories; Physical, mental, social, spiritual, recreational, emotional, and environmental.

Physical: Take care of your body, movement, and Your nutrition. You are what you eat.

Mental: Create a healthy mindset, meditate, journal, and take breaks from the screen.

Social: call friends, and relatives, go out, and network with positive like minds.

Spiritual: Connect with the one that gives you a sense of meaning.

Recreational: Make time for your hobbies, play some games, or go out to see a movie.

Emotional: One way or the other, you cannot avoid stress, so you can just set aside yourself from anything and listen to music or relax.

Environmental- Go for walks, arrange your home, and feel the breeze.

Bottom Line

We all want to earn a living but it should not be the reason why lose our minds. You can work and also have a good life. You just have to strike a balance and be consistent at it. All these tips above may not be easy for you to try but you just have to make yourself the number one priority and you notice the dividends of taking good care of yourself as a remote worker.