Self Care for the WFH lifestyle
Many people still find themselves spending much of their time at home, unable to return to the routines and luxuries they grew accustomed to pre-coronavirus. Things like monthly massage appointments get put on the backburner, as layoffs, furloughs, and uncertainty abound. But with so much on people’s metaphorical plates now, stress management in any form is vital. Let’s talk a bit more about why self-care and stress management is so important, and how you can achieve some while working from home.
Why is self care so important?
When we live our lives in such a way that causes us stress, or we find ourselves in an extended period of uncertainty, it can leave us feeling depleted. You might find yourself more irritable, eating or sleeping more/less than normal, and feeling stiff and in pain. Stress can manifest in the body in many ways; mentally, physically, or emotionally. Studies show that stressors in our lives can weaken cellular immunity, and leave us susceptible to illness. Stress management helps us cope with the demands of our everyday lives and also supports our immune systems.
Self-care, for all it’s buzzworthy notoriety, is an important way to support our own stress-management in small, tangible actions that can help prevent stress from accumulating over time. While self-care is a term often used to sell scented candles and bath bombs, it can also be applied to less gimmicky things, like making the bed or eating a balanced breakfast. These self-care actions can also be one of the first things to drop by the wayside when we find ourselves taking care of others. Getting the kids clothed, fed, and monitoring schooling from home takes a LOT of time and patience (I admire anyone with kids at home during this pandemic-- y’all are superheroes.) and can leave you feeling beat. Ever get so caught up in the day that you realize you haven’t eaten? Yeah, me too. Now that we’ve talked about why stress sucks and what self-care is, let’s talk about some strategies to maintain your stress levels while you are living the Work From Home (WFH) lifestyle.
1. Set yourself up for success.
Working from home isn’t an entirely new concept. Freelancers and small business owners have been doing it for decades. But as so many of us found out back in March, it can be a challenge to suddenly switch from an office setting to home. Set yourself up for success by creating a designated space in your home that is your office. The end of the dining room table, a bit of unused kitchen counter, a desk in that weird spare bedroom, all are prime WFH real estate. Let your family know that if you are sitting in this location, they should treat it like you are at the office, away from home.
If your job consists of long computer sessions, for the love of all that is holy, make it ergonomic. Sitting with your laptop on a couch may sound comfy, but will wreak havoc on your neck and shoulders over time, leading to tension headaches and posture problems. Prop your computer up to your eye level on a table or stack of books to ease the strain on your neck and shoulders.
2. Set Strong Boundaries for Work, Home, and Yourself
The downside to working from home is that you are always at work. This can be a slippery slope for those of us who tend to be “workaholics.” Conversely, work may never get done if you are always being interrupted by family matters. Setting strict boundaries means that work-time is for work, and home-time is for home. This is often easier said than done, especially when you have little kids. While you may not be able to say, “Every day from 9 to 5, mommy is at work,” you can create a routine and schedule that gives you a couple uninterrupted hours at a time. I know people who set a timer for themselves; once the timer goes off, it is time to shift gears from work to home life. Consider taking a walk around the block to replace your daily commute. Not only is this a good way to get a little movement into your day, but it also helps your brain transition from work-mode back to family life, and vice versa.
Honoring whatever boundaries you set regarding work means not overstepping the boundary yourself. If, for example, you say you will not work after 5 pm every weeknight, don’t work past it. With the exception of emergencies, most work issues can wait until the following day. Allowing your brain and nervous system time to process and not think about work reduces stress levels significantly.
3. Do Something Entirely Selfish
You’ve done a shift at work and the kids have all been fed and gone to bed. Make this time your own sacred space to do something for the benefit of no one else but yourself. Whatever floats your boat. Take a bath, do yoga, light that scented candle, watch an episode of The Bachelorette, make cookies and eat them all before the kids wake up. Not a night owl? Set aside time in the morning. Or the afternoon. Whenever is best for YOU. The obvious thing about self-care is that it is for. Your. Self. This may seem counterintuitive to what we’ve been told our entire lives, but these little selfish things can help us unwind, relieve tension, and de-stress in profound ways. By doing this, we can give more of our time and energy the following day.
As more businesses reopen, consider booking yourself a facial, massage, or pedicure. A massage will help release tension built up from long-term isolation, including any stubborn knots from hunching over a computer at home (serious, y’all, make your office ergonomic). It also is the perfect, hour-long escape from those kids you love so dearly :)
