Practising self-care seems tough enough when you’ve got a normal life and work schedule to keep to. But if you’re new to working from home, it can throw your regular routines out and leave you prone to burning out.

If you’re feeling run-down or just want to take better care of yourself, there are steps you can take to protect your physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. Here are our top self-care tips when you’re working from home.

Self-Care Tips When You Work From Home

Set your day up for success

How you start your day can make or break how the rest of the day goes. By putting in a little bit of effort with a morning routine, you can stay productive when working while also taking care of you.

Everyone is a little different when it comes to a morning routine. The goal is to tick off at least one habit that supports your physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. Some ideas include:

Going for a walk or run
Doing a quick at-home workout
Having a nutritious breakfast
Making a cup of tea or coffee and sip it slowly for 5 minutes
Doing a 10-minute meditation
Writing in a journal
Calling a family member or friend for a quick catch-up
Reading a few chapters of a book
Listening to a podcast

Schedule regular breaks

One way to make working from home feel easier and take care of yourself is to schedule breaks. Your mind and body need a rest from working every 90 minutes or so to stay focused and productive.

Pop in 15-minute breaks every 90 minutes or so, with a bit longer for your lunch break. This gives you the opportunity to get up and do what you want to do! You might make a cup of tea or coffee, go to the toilet and check in on social media.

Move your body whenever you can

Most people tend to be sedentary when working in an office. When you’re working from a home office, you are probably moving even less. You aren’t walking across the office to check in with your boss or pick up documents from the printer.

Unfortunately, this lack of movement can leave you at risk of pain and injury. It can also reduce the blood flow to the brain, causing brain fog and poor concentration. That’s why it’s essential to prioritise movement throughout the day – even if it’s only in small doses.

How can you squeeze movement in during the workday? You could:

Prop your laptop up and stand during a Zoom meeting
Do a few squats or calf raises while waiting for the kettle to boil
Walk a few laps around the house on your break
Do a 60 second stretch between work tasks
Go for a brisk walk on your lunch break

Every little bit of movement adds up to a healthier brain and happy muscles and joints. It’s also a good way to minimise boredom!

Plan your lunch and snacks in advance

Another peril of working from home? The kitchen is mere metres away from your desk! It can be tempting to procrasti-snack every hour, but this isn’t the healthiest choice for your body or your productivity.

The solution? Plan out your lunch and snacks for the workday. You can even pack your snacks into a lunchbox and keep it by your desk for when you feel peckish.

Aim to include at least one healthy wholefood snack and a lunch option that is high in protein. This will help keep you fuller for longer and keep your brain fuelled throughout the day.

Stay hydrated

One way to take care of your body and your mind is to stay hydrated throughout the day. Many of us don’t drink enough water on a daily basis, which can lead to symptoms such as brain fog, low energy and mood swings.

A good rule of thumb to follow is drinking at least one cup every 90 minutes. You can set an alarm on your calendar or phone to remind you to get up and grab a glass.

Hydration doesn’t mean that you need to drink nothing but plain water all day. We love including options such as water infused with fruit and herbs, herbal tea or even low-sugar beverage options such as kombucha. Choosing water-rich fruit and vegetables can also keep the body hydrated.

Make your workspace appealing

Your workspace can have a big influence on how you feel throughout the workday. By taking a little time to set it up and make it feel good, you can improve your mood as well as your focus as you work.

How can you make it feel nicer? It does depend on the size of the space and what makes you feel cosy. But a good rule of thumb is to include something appealing for each of the senses.

This is Rhianna’s idea of a visually appealing workspace!

Some ideas of how to make your workspace more appealing include:

Sight – Picture on your wall, a tidy desk, inspirational image on your desktop background, plants

Sound – work-friendly playlist to listen to

Scent – essential oils, room spray, diffusers

Taste – tasty and healthy snacks

Touch – Blanket, heat pack, a chair that is designed for office work

Get yourself a heat pack (or two!)

As the weather gets chilly here in Melbourne, working is often the last thing on your mind when you get up! That’s why we recommend having a couple of heat packs handy.

Heat packs are great for defrosting cold toes and fingers on a cold day. But they can also be useful if you find your joints get sore or muscles feel stiff on colder days.

Keep work time separate

When you’re going into the workplace, you know when to work and when to play. Once you head home for the day, work is over.

But when you work from home, the lines between work and personal time can blur. You can end up working well into your evening, which is a recipe for burnout. One way to prevent this is by having a way to keep your work time scheduled and separate from your personal time.

Pick one or two tasks or habits that signal the end of the workday. For example, you could:

Close the door to your workspace
Review your tasks for the following day and prepare anything that you need for them
Change into comfy clothes
Take a shower
Turn off your work mobile or laptop
Make a cup of calming herbal tea
Do a workout or head out for a walk

If you make time to unwind from work and focus on your own wellbeing, you will be more focused and productive the next day.

8 Self-Care Tips When You’re Working From Home