How to be performing as a remote worker ?

Since the beginning of the pandemic, we have had the opportunity to work with a lot of companies on Mindfulness at Work and Resilience Skills. The main goal was always the same: find the right rhythm working from home, remain emotionally balanced and set up clear boundaries between the professional and the private life.

Working totally or mostly from home can sometimes be a real challenge because we do not have any routine in place. Contact with colleagues maybe missing, there might be a lack of space. On top of that some of us may have kids they had to take care of. Despite these factors there is a need to remain professional without feeling completely exhausted by the end of the day.

Here are some of the best tips anyone can implement right now:

Define a daily routine:

One of the first things to do is to define specific routines to start and end the working day to signal a clear cut with our private life. It may be getting dressed the way we used to when we went to the office or to define specific home office “opening hours” (that you’ll respect, of course). You have to create your own triggers indicating that the working day has started or stopped. At home you could be tempted to keep working until late in the evening which isn’t a good idea. Our brain cannot stay and focused 12 hours a day!

During the day do not skip pauses:

It is always very difficult to take breaks when we have too much on our plate. We might think that we cannot afford it, and that the time we have “lost” will prevent us from achieving want we need to.

It is the exact opposite. Taking 10 to 15 minutes regularly during the day will give us the needed fuel to work faster and stay concentrated. Use your lunch break to get some fresh air and your endorphins flowing. You can also take time to drink your coffee away from your desk, looking out of the window simply enjoying your beverage.

Anker yourself with your breath when stress or anxiety start to rise:

One of the easiest and simpler technique to cool down anxiety and stress and be full of energy again is to take deep breaths many times during the day. Taking a couple of deep breaths with our lower belly, feeling the cool air coming in, imagining peace coming in with each in breath really helps restoring our energy levels, activating our parasympathetic system and sending our brain the message that everything is under control.

You can do it while working, no additional time required, but huge effects guaranteed.

In the evening practice refuelling activities:

In the evening, when the duties have been achieved, engage in activities that will help you restore your level of energy and focus your attention on another topic than work. When we leave the office, we change environments which helps our brain to switch. As this does not happen at home, we need other activities to create boundaries. These activities may be listening to music we love that will put us in a good mood, read a book to step away from all screens or take the time to take a walk as if you were leaving the office. We need a couple of hours to cool down (at least 2) and relax before bedtime so that we can have a good night’s sleep which is essential for our performance, mood and immunity the next day.

Now let’s hear it from you: what are your best practices for working from home?