It’s officially Spring 2021 – times are changing (quite literally for many regions of the world), bringing us more sunshine and promise of more vaccines around the globe. We are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
While seasons and our global pandemic status do indeed progress and we continue to move towards “normality”, most of us are still working, learning, and existing entirely from home – and may continue to even when the world opens back up.
READ ALSO: 5 tips to help prevent back pain while working remotely
Whatever your next chapter looks like in Spring 2021 or eventually, in the post-pandemic world, it is critical to establish positive work/life balance and remember to prioritize your wellbeing first and foremost. Here are some general wellness tips for you to practice throughout your work week to make the most out of this new season:
1. Change up your view
• One day out of the week, make it your mission to work from a new space. This is better for the brain and mood.
• Research cafes and restaurants that have outdoor seating or appropriate safety precautions that you are comfortable with.
• Be prepared to follow whatever requirements they have, whether that is to wear a mask while not seated at a table, or that you must order food with your beverage.
• Remember: Use a personal hotspot over public WiFi for work, ALWAYS! Public WiFi is risky and could compromise your work and/or management of personal information. Try Skyroam Global hotspots – for the easiest, on-the-go WiFi solution that requires no contracts or visits to the carrier store.
2. Take more walks (if the weather permits)
• If you’re lucky enough to be in an area whose weather permits walks, be sure to block out 15-20 minutes out of your lunch break or general work schedule to get some fresh air.
• Taking the time to get away from your computer screen and into the outdoors does not only have copious health benefits – lower blood pressure, improved brain function, improved concentration, decrease in depression – but it also helps clear your mind and remind you of the bigger things beyond your stressors behind the screen.
• If you do not have the capacity to take walks, try positioning yourself by an open window and take in some of the fresh, spring air. You could meditate for 10 minutes or listen to some of your favorite music while you’re there.
3. Make Achievable To-Do Lists
• Nothing is more stressful than overloading your productivity expectations for the day and not living up to them.
• Studies show that if you do not achieve everything on your said to-do list for the day, it will negatively impact your mental health.
• Try this: Write out your To-Do list for the day, and then add those items to your calendar based on how much time you expect each item to take. If there is not enough time for all the items on your list, then choose the ones that are a priority. Save the others for the next day.
• Remember: You can do 50 things, but you cannot do 50 things at once.
4. Treat your space to a plant
• Regardless if you are a student, manager, employee, dog, or cat (how are you reading this by the way?), plenty of studies show that having an indoor plant or bouquet of flowers in your workspace can positively influence your health, wellbeing and productivity.
• Tis the season to buy plants and flowers!
• There are plenty of online resources to purchase plants and have them shipped directly to your doorstep. Better yet, find your local plant/flower shop and take a walk to choose in person! What’s better than getting fresh air, supporting local businesses AND finding a new plant/flower child for your desk? Self-care at its finest.
• Remember: If you are not looking for a long term commitment, then choose flowers. Plants are awesome, but if you are not looking for a parent-to-child relationship right now, then a bouquet of flowers will be just as positive without the responsibility (well a little responsibility).
5. Prioritize Movement
• We all know that exercise is key to physical health, but truly, how often in quarantine have we been making excuses? Exercise is just as important now as it was in April 2020, considering we are still cooped up in the same place for 8+ hours per day.
• Reminder: Make sure to get 30 minutes of exercise each day. Again, take more walks, use online resources like virtual yoga and HIIT, or go for hikes if you can. Whatever it is, make sure your work/school day does not give you an excuse not to take care of yourself.
6. Spring Clean your Technology
Whatever you use to get your work done – laptop, tablet, smart phone, etc. – set aside some time to organize your files and clean it out. Your workspace should be kept as clean as possible, and that includes your technology.
• We all have different organizational requirements based on our work, so instead of giving you specifics, try focusing these general areas:
1. Desktop
2. Email Inboxes
3. Apps/Software
4. Internet Browser
- Privacy Settings
- Clear your browsing data
- Clean out your downloads folder
- Check your Security settings
- Miscellaneous (Photos/Music)
Outside of work and school stressors, we are still human and as a collective, we have endured A LOT since this time last year. There are much brighter days to come for all of us, so continue to take care of yourself and remember to prioritize that work/life balance even when it is all happening from the same place.
Story by Amirah Ramos, Skyroam.com, the first personal-WiFi companion for an untethered life.
