Working from home is equivalent to the desired level of flexibility and autonomy, but usually requires careful balance. Many people love the opportunities associated with working from home, but sometimes they can feel buried in stress.
Controlling the workflow and the sources of stress in your life may seem like an impossible challenge, but it is achievable.
The simple guidelines and tips in this article will help you reduce the stress in your life.
1. Identify stress
Start by identifying stressors and distractions at home. This is the first step to reducing stress and inefficiency.
Because the complexities of our lives vary, these perceptions look different to everyone. In general, identifying exactly what stresses you the most and writes them down is generally set. It displays the source of stress in the public sphere, so instead of ignoring the source, notice and remind yourself.
2. Find the rhythm on your schedule
Ok; this is not always possible. There are still variables in life beyond our control. When a child gets sick or the car doesn’t start, you can’t predict those mornings. Sometimes it even feels like the fluidity of working from home is spreading you if you’re too thin.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t achieve balance. Have a loose set of scheduling guidelines and stick to them as much as possible. Think of it as a template for success. Don’t forget to focus on the end goal, not on the exact steps to get there. It then combines the unique rhythmic features of life with deadlines that function accordingly.
3. Set personal deadlines and track them
Create your own deadline, especially when experiencing procrastination issues. Procrastinating regularly can cause great stress in scheduling.
Try to give yourself some “effective leeway.” Deadlines are important as they can end the stress associated with procrastination. But if the deadline itself is causing stress on you, the entire concept is flawed. Give enough time to complete the task and include a slightly wiggled room.
For example, if you estimate that the task will take five hours to complete, try giving it five and a half hours. Doing so will eliminate some of the pressure and ultimately reduce stress throughout the day.
4. Beware of big tasks without excessive multitasking
If you feel that you are the most energetic, try working on the stiffest or biggest part of your workload. This is a reliable strategy for me. Because, even though I’m not actually a morning person, I try to overdo it early in the morning. Around noon, my mind is in high gear and I can accomplish more in the afternoon, rather than forcing an early morning dash.
Tackle tasks without multitasking too much. Too much multitasking can cause unnecessary levels of stress on the surface. Divide your day into chunks and tackle the easiest “autopilot” task when you’re tired or approaching burnout.
5. Cut off distraction techniques
It is impossible to dispose of all modern technology. At this point it’s literally ingrained in our lives. But that doesn’t mean that technology has to be a distraction. Decide what’s most important. It is not a barrier, it is a technology that is essential to success.
One way to do this is to carefully monitor the use of technology. Do you find yourself checking your phone frequently or taking part in long texting conversations where you can wait honestly until after work? Please check your phone and email at specified times when possible. The text is still there, whether you respond now or an hour from now.
Productivity apps are also an effective way to boost your flow from home. One simple example is an app that will keep you away from your own worst distractions.
Forest is an app that helps reduce distractions at work. The concept is simple and addresses the basic human phenomenon of being distracted by popular and entertaining websites when there’s something to do.
App users can “blacklist” all sites that are generally distracting. This accounts for the several hours spent on YouTube rabbit holes, social media overdose, and other addictive sites.
If you want to concentrate on your work, plant trees in the forest. Over 30 minutes, the tree will grow while you’re working, unless you access either the site that blocks the app or closes it. Planting new trees every 30 minutes will help you create more efficiently throughout the day, and rewarding large forests that represent productivity.
Don’t oppose you, just use your skills for you! Technology can help reduce stress. You shouldn’t create it!
6. Keep your workspace clean and comfortable
This is personally awful. Ironically, while writing this article, I decided to look at the current state of my desk and the surrounding area of ​​my self-mediated “freelancer office space.” When it was standing, my workspace resembled a pile of trash than a workspace.
Obsolete, unnecessary notebooks were scattered throughout, my computer wiring was a tangled nightmare, with trash from junk food all over the place. I was effectively surrounded by heavy tissue stress.
This rough stress was fundamental and easy to combat after I recognized and dealt with the problem. Instead of cleaning desks and offices like I normally do when I lose control, I decided to start from scratch and reposition the area.
Avoid excessive clutter and store the trash can near your desk. If it’s a prominent habit that’s difficult to break, consider maintaining a trash can near your computer or establishing a “don’t eat while you’re working” rule.
Make sure your home office or remote work location is comfortable enough for long hours. Invest in the perfect office chair for your body and keep your wrists comfortable with keyboard wrist pads. And if you’re tired of sitting all the time, stand while you’re working.
Finally, if you have space for that, add plants to your workspace. This will help you with mental health and provide you with continuous clean air to breathe. I make terrariums and other plants easy to care for.
7. It’s easy to breathe
One of the most basic functions, breathing, can dramatically help reduce stress significantly. When stress is taken over, it’s easy to forget to reach our full potential, but it takes a little time to catch up and clean our heads.
When stressful thoughts gather in our brains, sometimes we simply can’t get as much oxygen as we need. 4-7-8 Breathing techniques can help you reduce stress quickly. I use this all the time!
Follow these steps:
- Inhale gently through your nose for a 4 count
- Hold your breath while counting to 7
- Count to 8 and exhale deep air from your mouth
- Repeat the process several times
8. No matter how busy you are, take care of yourself
It proves difficult to care for your child, run errands, handle additional responsibilities and work from home. In these times, it is important to make self-care a priority. Make your happiness your priority.
This quote Provides a complete definition of self-care:
“Self-care is neither selfish nor self-satisfied. We cannot grow others from dry wells. We must first cherish our needs. Then we can give them from surplus, abundance.” – Jennifer Loudon
This definition of self-care resonates with me. Self-care requires careful planning, but ultimately it can be beneficial in all respects. Putting yourself first allows you to take care of others as you deal with your internal needs.
9. Do not consume too much caffeine
I admit it: I’m a bit of a coffee addictive. After working in multiple coffee shops in the past, it’s a long-term battle. I simply love the flavor and culture surrounding coffee. So, anyone can really do it if they can kick their habits and limit their caffeine intake!
I controlled my harsh coffee drinking, not by quitting my cold turkey, but by letting myself go and stopping my own. At one point I was drinking half a dozen, sometimes 10 cups of coffee a day. No one should consume that much. I was mostly unstable and uneasy.
Start setting limits and don’t drink caffeinated drinks first thing in the morning: reach for water instead. Match all caffeinated drinks with a glass of water and gradually shift that ratio to ensure you drink more water than caffeinated drinks throughout the day.
Finally, change your coffee completely or limit it to one cup per day. Instead, reach for tea or Yerba Maté. They are a much healthier source of caffeine than coffee.
10. I’ll prepare for tomorrow today
Find the balance of your thoughts first! You don’t necessarily have to overanalyse your life. However, making today and tomorrow easier is a sensible approach that can help you eliminate the stress of being busy in some cases.
One of the strategies I look at regularly is that I’m not a morning person). If I know, I have to wake up early. I choose clothes the night before. Make sure there are clean towels on the shelf near the shower. You will prepare breakfast and lunch for the next day in advance so you don’t need to think about it the next day.
These simple steps make all the difference in turning your Grog morning into an effective start to your day!
11. Create space for your hobbies. Depressurize with happiness
Finally, perhaps the best advice everyone has given me is to keep practicing what you are passionate about.
Don’t forget to reward yourself with what you like. I love playing music and wandering around with my pet cat. They are literally my two favorite things, so I concentrate a lot of free time around them. Because of this, I’m always looking forward to completing the project, so I can strum my guitar for a while and play fetches with my cat. He loves to fetch like any other dog and I love to live a harmonious life working hard on self-directed rewards.
Reduce work-life stress
Stress is inevitable, but most people want to live with the smallest amount of it. My guidelines may be a great starting point, but I am sure there are many other techniques to reduce stress while working from home that you may think are readers. Add your own stress relief techniques to the comments below.
Robert Palmer is a blooming, independent and motivated webwriter. He is a Boise State student, an avid musician and a cat lover whose black cats frequently pass their paths. Follow Robert on Twitter @Robparmer.