With working from home, it can feel like we’re on the clock 24/7. Between zoom meetings, emails, texts, and whatever else your boss has you doing, we can all really suffer from fatigue. In a world where it seems we’re stuck indoors left to our own (digital) devices, looming blue-light screens may feel like our only escape.
When we’re stuck indoors and we’re doing everything online, it doesn’t feel like playing on your phone or watching television is much of an escape at all. In fact, it seems like it’s just more work added to the pile. When you switch from a screen to a screen it can feel like your break never actually happened. So what are the answers? If we can’t escape from at-home work the same way we can escape in-person work, how do we get away?
We’ve put together a few tips and tricks to help you get the most out of taking breaks while working from home.
1. Put Down the Screen
This first tip is obvious, but often overlooked. If you phone, laptop, tablet, etc. is your portal to work-life, you’re never going to get a break if you’re on it. Firstly, if you get a work email or text you’re going to feel an immediate need to squash it, thus your break will be over as soon as it begins. Other than that, if you’re staring at your screens all day for work and staring at your screens to take breaks, your eyes are going to get worn out which will leave you just as tired as before your break. Carve out times in the day, or take breaks at regular intervals and be sure to put down the phone and look at something else awhile.
2. Get Some Fresh Air
Getting out of the house and into the outdoors is a great way to quickly feel rejuvenated. Cabin fever is real, and if you’re stuck bored inside all day you’re going to go stir crazy. Take a break from all of those office applications and get outdoors. Take a small walk or just go outside and take some deep breaths for awhile.
3. Play with Your Pets
Give your furry little friends some attention, they deserve it! If you’re stuck inside bored they’re stuck inside bored with you. You could mix-up the second tip and this one by going outside and taking your dogs on a walk. Or if you don’t feel like getting out, just get on the ground and wrestle with your dogs (they’ll love it). Don’t have dogs? Give your cats some love!
4. Pay Attention to Your Living-Mates
Your house-mates might be bored too! Break up the day the old fashioned way, with some good old conversation. Don’t text them, go interrupt whatever they’re doing and listen to what they have to say.
5. Cook a Meal
Want a spicy way to get away? Try cooking! Make a recipe you’ve never made before. It could be your new favorite dish, and it’s a great way to not look at a screen and take your mind off of your annoying coworkers.
6. Get some Exercise
Do some pushups, crunches, or jumping jacks! This is a break that won’t even give you the option to worry about what’s going on at work. Make sure that at least once a day you’re getting some exercise in and breaking a sweat to keep healthy. Getting exercise isn’t only good for your physical health, it can also be a constructive way to work on your mental well-being.
Just Put the Phone on Silent for a Minute
Like we said above, if you’re working from home it can be very easy to feel as if you’re never off the clock. It’s just one of the unfortunate consequences of working from home. If you’re feeling like that, what can be better than anything is to just put down the phone for awhile. Leave it in a different room or put it on silent. While the connected world is great, and working from home can be preferable to working in an office, you need your YOU time. Just knowing that you’re not connected to work for a few minutes at a time can really do wonders.
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