Mental health is so important when working from home and I’ve made a conscious effort to ensure my workspace is light and airy. I look out onto the garden and find doing a few laps around the garden helps stretch the legs, focus the mind and I’ve even hit my steps target for the day!
Get a good morning routine and stick to it. I rise early, walk the dog (which I find helps me think about the day ahead) and get some much needed exercise before cleaning my workstation and starting on my to do lists.
#1 Your Work Space
Find an area in your home preferably near a window, which can be a dedicated area for you to work. I’ve really found my conservatory office an inspiration, the calming view of the garden is truly inspiring any time of the year.
I recommend positioning yourself near a window and place a potted plant or two on your desk. Succulant plants are a great option if you don’t have much room and are very easy to look after!
According to a recent survey by Arboretum, 42 per cent of 2,000 participants said that being around plants improved their mental health.
Plant Ideas from Amazon
Indoor Plant Mix – 3 Plants – House/Office Live Potted Pot Plant Tree (Mix D – Sansevieria Laurentii, Chamaedorea Elegans & Dracaena Marginata)
or if you want something smaller and no care required how about these..
This Jobary Set of 5 Artificial Succulent Potteds (Includes 10 Plants), is Colourful and Decorative Faux Succulent Plants with Stones, Ideal for Home, Office and Outdoor Decor
#2 Keep Your Work Area Tidy
An organised and tidy office space will help you to avoid getting distracted while you’re working. Get rid of any visual distractions, and mess from your workspace this really will help you to stay focused on the tasks of the day. To keep your desk clear, I recommend using a two-tiered paper sorter, put the items that need attending to on top with a due date note and work through them.
Everything else which isn’t related to your work can be put in the lower tier. At the end of your working day you can return to an organised and free from distraction space the following day.
#3 Ergonomic Work Space & Access To Work
Did you know, if you have a health condition which affects your day to day life and in the workplace you can access equipment and software from Jobcentreplus via a scheme called Access To Work
The GOV.UK website says – ‘Access to Work is a publicly funded employment support programme that aims to help more disabled people start or stay in work. It can provide practical and financial support if you have a disability or long term physical or mental health condition.
An Access to Work grant can pay for practical support to help you:
start working
stay in work
move into self-employment or start a business
The grant is not for business start-up costs.
How much you get depends on your circumstances. The money does not have to be paid back and will not affect your other benefits’.
The type of equipment you can apply for really depends on your health condition and how it affects you, for instance you may be able to apply for an ergonomic desk chair, raised desk, footrest, trackball mouse, voice software for your pc or laptop. Anything which will help you into & stay in employment. If you don’t Qualify for Access To Work you can source any equipment needs online. Amazon is a good place to start.
#4 Keep Your Monitor At Eye Level
I suffered from a bad neck for months before I invested in a laptop stand and it has to be one of the best investments I ever made. No more pain in the neck or headaches. Spending hours editing video can really take it’s toll on the neck so start as you mean to go on. Get one of these if you work on a laptop you will thank me for it. Take time to set up your monitor on your desk. It will give you back working hours that could’ve been lost due to health issues.
Laptop Stand,Foldable Portable Ventilated Desktop Laptop Holder Universal Lightweight&Adjustable Ergonomic Tray Mount Compatible with iM(ac)/Laptop/Notebook Computer/Tablet (Black)
#5 Create A Morning Routine
Get up the same time every day, I have some ‘me time’ before the working day starts. I relax in my conservatory with a cuppa, briefly watch the news, walk the dog before getting showered and dressed for the working day.
A light morning exercise routine is said to boost motivation levels and also increase productivity. A dog walk or run in the park or even a 20 minute boogie around the lounge to the latest dance workout video on Youtube will get raise those motivation levels.
You have to motivate yourself when working from home. After being around colleagues and listening to office banter it can be hard to stay motivated. Create a morning routine and include a to do list or use your calender to schedule important tasks. For instance, if I feel overwhelmed with too many daily tasks I use my to do list to decide whether I want to schedule it, do it or bin it. It only takes 10 minutes and a great way to prioritise what can wait until tomorrow or next week!
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Kaz
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