It's been almost a year since business and office switched to the remote working pattern owing to the pandemic. With the WFH culture becoming a way of life, it's more crucial than ever to practice mindfulness.?
As we continue to WFH, the daily commute, office chatter and the entire work environment has taken on space at home, for all of us, work means a quick stroll down the hallway to a small desk nestled in the corner of a cluttered room at home. And this can get extremely mundane.?
Mindfulness is paying attention to the present moment as it happens ¨C what¡¯s occurring around you and what you experience inside.
This sudden change of all regular work routine has brought on a wave of increased levels of stress and anxiety and it makes it difficult to stay focused and productive, especially when distractions tend to be more abundant.?
Here are nine mindful tips you can explore to remain focused and productive during this difficult time.?
Routines give a sense of rhythm to our day and things tend to go awry when you're at home 24X7. It's essential to set a daily routine and follow the same it can help boost your circadian rhythms which in turn provides the chance of better sleep. Always start your day with morning hygiene, a?healthy breakfast and an?outfit that helps you feel put together.
While at home it becomes very easy to stray away from routine eating habits and you'd probably catch yourself munching all the time! We've all done this and there's no shame in it. All it takes is a little effort to chart out a clear timetable and fix your mealtimes with in-between snacks. Good eating habits always adds up to your productivity.?Mindfulness also helps us in achieving our goals such as weight-loss or starting a new project.?
Also Read:?Work From Home Burnout Is Making You More Stressed And Exhausted, As Per Study
We often associate the benefits of movement with the physical body but we need it for good mental health too. It's very easy to get caught up with work for 9 hours straight and while at access to your cosy bed is way too tempting. Make an effort to create a workspace that allows you to stand for a longer period of time. If you don't like standing and working always make it a point to get up every 15-20 mins to take a quick stroll around the house.?
Also Read:?Google Allows Work From Home Till Sept 2021, And Only 3 Days A Week In Office After
Take 10 minutes a day to declutter. Start by spending some time tidying up your desk at the end of each day, you can begin going through the rest of your workspace or home. Go through your paper files scan them and make them digital. Another reason for clutter is online shopping and it's the only way to buy things amid a pandemic, always take time to get rid of the unwanted mess. Clutter can negatively affect your mental well-being and cause feelings of stress and therefore it's essential to stay tidy.
Also Read:?People Who Work From Home After Pandemic Should Pay More Tax, Says Report?
When working from home, it¡¯s easy to lose track of time as your personal life begins to intertwine with your work life.?In the office, you might have a chat with a co-worker, take a walk to the water cooler or some such, but the WFH environment comes with the added stress of work chores.
Does ¡°just five minutes of Instagram¡± morph into three hours? If your breaks often drag on, do something quick and easy that¡¯s not work-related but keeps you in a productive mindset.Productive tasks that don¡¯t require much brainpower but still provide that much-needed break from staring into the screen for hours.?
Once you are done with work, shut off your laptop, phone or anything to do with work and switch to a quick 10-minute meditation. Make it a daily habit and see the change it brings to your life.?
It's always important to cultivate habits that keep you going while you are out of work too, be it singing, dancing, playing an instrument, painting, vlogging... the list goes on.?
This may be the weirdest dichotomies of our time, social life may seem to have no meaning amid a pandemic, but it's extremely crucial to stay connected with the world at a time like this for the sake of your own mental peace. You may not be able to interact with your co-workers or friends the way you use to, but take that effort to stay in touch by messaging them frequently, asking them about how they are coping the Work from home lifestyle and so on. It goes a long way in keeping you sane in this mad, mad world!?
One of the most important things you can do is to simply remain positive. Negative thoughts often lead to increased levels of stress and anxiety as we are constantly worrying about one thing or another. None of us are in control of the situation and the best solution is cut off from the clamour of negative thought with probably a good old stand up comedy or some good music to lift up your spirits. Always make an effort to veer away from thoughts that will drain you out of steam.?