by Bash Sarmiento
COVID-19 shook the world and compelled an abrupt change in our way of lives. In the relentless pursuit of containing the virus, everyone was forced to make hand hygiene, social distancing, mental health, and other health protocols of utmost importance.
The quandary this pandemic brought has left people from all walks of life groping in the dark. The quarantine also made us a room for realizing, filtering, overcoming, and enduring: realizing the importance of life, filtering friendships and relationships, overcoming struggles and obstacles, and enduring pain and losses. Despite these, the economy still has to roll on, and people still need to earn a living.
For the safety of most employees and to obey government guidelines, a lot of organisations turned their heads and opened up to the possibilities of a ‘work from home’ setup.
Now after more than a year of coping with the virus, limited interactions, the threat of cabin fever, and forced isolation are some of the challenges we face while being “safe” at home each day.
Here are a few habits that you should adopt in order to remain physically and mentally fit for the remote lifestyle:
Create a “to-do” list.
Listing down all of the things you need to accomplish can provide for monitored progress. This list should clearly identify any urgent or important tasks that need to be done. At the end of the day, you can recap what went well and what did not. Your “to-do” list can also help you strategize and innovate ways on how each task can be done with ease and accuracy. A complete to-do list also allows for an increased productivity rate since you get to monitor how much more you can do with the time you have.
Adopt an optimistic outlook.
According to Cabrera (2013), positivity is related to higher levels of job performance. Positive people perform better because they are more motivated and more effective. Start your day on a positive note by reading a quote or two that can set your mood for the rest of the day. Throughout the day, focus only on the good things. While drawbacks and stepbacks can occur, a positive attitude can help you be more solutions-oriented and understand how failures sometimes happen naturally.
Control what you can control.
Living remotely can get monotonous and mentally challenging at times. This is why it is important to control what you feed your mind before the negativities get the best of you. Stay away from sources of bad energy and those that can make you lose your peace of mind. On social media, unfollow, block and unfriend are your new watchwords. It would do good for your mental health. Remember the law of attraction, you attract whatever you focus on. In this mindset, you have to control what you feed your mind. Consider only the positives.
Talk to friends.
Human beings are social creatures and therefore need interactions that can somehow comfort us when the times get tough and we feel lonely. Schedule a Zoom meeting with your friends so you can share your thoughts and feelings. You can learn from other people’s experiences and in return show empathy. You can also get a life coach so you can be assisted in coming up with strategies for overcoming life’s obstacles. Life coaches target your skills and gifts, put them to good use to achieve long-lasting change.
Go green.
Maintain a healthy lifestyle by eating the right food. Put some more veggies and fruits in your diet and cut the carbohydrates, high sodium, and unhealthy fat as much as you can. It is okay to give in to chips, just know your healthy options. Avoid skipping meals as it will only make your body crave more food once you have the time to eat.
Do a favor for yourself.
Remote work can make you feel tired and under-appreciated, do a little something for yourself to feel motivated all over again. Go ahead, buy the new pair of shoes you have been eyeing for a long time or the bag that got your attention from a few days ago. Take advantage of discounted online shopping offers to strip away a few bucks. It is okay to splurge a little, especially when you know you deserve it.
With these healthy habits, you feel better mentally, have fewer health problems and you take control of your life — living in the here and now healthily and happily.
