Current events have been a little crazy, huh? The international COVID-19 pandemic is restricting our movement whilst we take collective responsibility for the health and well-being of our communities. For many of us, this means we are now working from home. If this is new territory for you then you may not know of the hurdles lying in wait. As a seasoned home worker, I’d love to share with you the top 5 mistakes to avoid when working from home so that you can continue to be healthy, happy, and productive in what is already uncertain time.

Working from home brings many challenges

Being able to work from home is an opportunity that we should be grateful for. Unfortunately, many people are not able to do so. This is if their work is not transferrable or it’s a skill that requires a specific environment. With any luck, we will be able to work together to eliminate COVID-19 quickly and efficiently.

Adapting to the situation has been a must for a lot of us. I, personally, have closed my in-person studio to comply with the social distancing precautions. Thankfully, I am able to continue with my fitness courses held online, and it’s a great opportunity to create more content to connect with you – my audience.

Although I can continue my work, having my husband at home all day is difficult for me right now. We now have very little space from each other and we’ve had to put some boundaries in place so that I remain productive in my work.

Does this sound like you, too? Like many homes, you may also have kids who are suddenly being homeschooled.  This new and difficult situation is leading to many difficulties for many people. Working from home could be the least of them.

Are you facing these problems right now?

• Staying in your PJ’s all-day
• Your husband or wife is at home too
• Kids are home and need to be homeschooled
• Stress drinking
• Binge-watching Netflix
• Exercise has all but stopped
• Working longer hours and weekends 
• No personal space 
• No boundaries from others
• Feeling isolated and unstructured 

Some of these problems may not even be on your radar until you sit down and look at how your day is rolling out. But now that you notice them, you can take action to get back on track. Here are the top 5 mistakes to avoid when working from home so that you can maintain a healthy balance between work, life, and fitness.

5 Mistakes to Avoid When Working From Home

1. Not treating it like a ‘real job’

No matter how comfortable your yoga pants are, you wouldn’t wear them to work (unless you’re a yoga teacher, of course!) Slouching about in your PJs or yoga pants all day is definitely not a good look. Maintain a routine that feels like going to work to get you in a productive mindset.

Get up, get washed, and dress for work as you normally do.

Plan your daily activities. Whether you have your own daily planner or you opt for a whiteboard or similar so that the whole family can see the agenda is up to you. Allocating time for each task keeps you focused and productive. It’s too easy to keep putting things off and never getting around to them. Your work doesn’t need to suffer because you’re at home.

Your planner should not be filled with only work. Make sure you use it to block out time for exercise, breaks, tutoring the kids, lunch breaks, and white space to relax. It needs to be a true reflection of what you actually need in a day so you can follow it effectively.

2. Neglecting your health

If you’re not used to being home all day, it’s easy to feel like it’s a holiday or a weekend. You quickly feel like you just want to lay around, not doing much. This is not how to approach working from home and it’s definitely not helping you stay fit and healthy.

Make sure you allocate breaks – not just toilet breaks. It is time to get up, walk around, check on everyone in the house, or do whatever you need to refocus and refresh.

Plan your exercise. It’s hard when our outdoor time is limited right now.  Aside from the recommended daily walk/run/cycle, there are plenty of ways you can still exercise at home. You can visit my YouTube channel for a whole collection of videos and tutorials you can follow. There are even simple 3-minute workouts that you can do during your work breaks! Exercise keeps your body strong and healthy, but it also keeps your mind focused and clear. It’s essential when working from home and in times of stress.

Being out of your normal work routine doesn’t mean other routines don’t stick. Working from home is not an excuse to skip breakfast or lunch and snack on junk food all day instead. Get ahead of that temptation by planning and preparing nutritious, healthy meals. Clear the junk food out of the cupboards and mark your meal times on your daily planner so you don’t forget to stop for lunch and then find yourself grazing later.

Eating with friends or family is a great way to connect with other people. This is super important right now. Utilizing technology is a great way to be able to continue this. If you don’t have someone in particular that you’d like to chat with whilst preparing food, you can join one of the many virtual cooking classes that popped up just now.

3. Get clear on space and boundaries

Moving from one workspace to another, never really having an actual workspace, is a logistical nightmare. It also means that other people in the house don’t have clear boundaries on which spaces can be used and when. Getting stuff out and packing them away every time becomes a bit of a chore, so you just don’t bother in the end. Your productivity has just gone waaaaay down.

Choose a space – a spare room, the conservatory, even just a space in the corner of the kitchen – and dedicate it to your work. This allows you to clearly show when you are working and that you don’t want to be disturbed. You could hang a sign on the door or come up with your own sign that everyone knows means “Do Not Disturb”.
Use this same method if your kids at studying at home, too. They will benefit from their own space, which allows them to get into the mindset of completing their work.

Make sure that whatever boundaries you establish are clear and that you follow through with them. Blend your schedule with your kids’ schedule and leave plenty of time for play/free time, too.

4. Don’t become a hermit

Working from home can often feel lonely and isolated. Last year, a study of 2,500 remote workers by online brand development agency Buffer found that loneliness was the second-most reported challenge, one experienced by 19% of respondents. Loneliness can make people feel less motivated and less productive.

To stay healthy and positive, you should make a concerted effort to connect with others. Normally, you could use co-working spaces, or even a local store trip would suffice. Right now, you can still take some measures to meet those needs.

~ Connect with others over social media
~Meet for a virtual coffee break with friends or coworkers.
~Be part of an interest group (you can check the board during the day to interact).
~Keep an extracurricular routine (like walking the dog) at the same time…you’ll meet people the same people on the same route at the same time each day. A friendly chat across the street is enough to really lift your spirits and help your mental health.

5. Taking the opportunity for granted

Being mindful of your fortunate position goes a long way in maintaining a healthy and happy frame of mind. Your mental health is just as important as your physical health. Not everyone is able to work from home during the pandemic, so don’t take it for granted.

The extra time that has been made available to you is a blessing, and you can make good use of it. Try learning a new skill or taking a course. You could allocate your usual commute time to it so that it doesn’t take up any of your work/playtime.

Or how about mastering technology? You’re never too old to get up-to-date on tech and communications. One of my clients is in her 80s and has happily connected with me via Zoom video conferencing so that we can continue our regular fitness sessions. You are never too old to learn new skills, and it could be the very thing that keeps your health in shape at this time!

Stay Positive!

Taking a few minutes each to reflect on the positive things in your day keeps your mind clear and promotes overall well-being. It also motivates you to engage in other activities that promote health and happiness – like your exercise routine. Happiness is contagious, so start small and keep yourself grateful when working at home. If you’re not sure how to start, you could use these three suggestions as a starting point.

1. What’s one thing you did today you’re proud of?
2. Name one thing you’re grateful for.
3. Are you excited about anything for tomorrow?

Working from home can be a positive experience, even in difficult situations. If we consider it as regular work time we’re sure to be just as productive. It’s a great opportunity to assess your normal routines and iron out habits that weren’t working towards your health and well-being goals.