Ways to Stay Positive When Working Remotely

Remote working, especially home working, comes with its ups and downs.

On the plus side you save a lot of time and money thanks to there being no commute, you can spend more time with your family, and as soon as you clock off you're exactly where you want to be.

However, working from home can be difficult for some people, especially those who love the hustle and bustle of a commercial environment.

To help you make the most of your home working arrangement, below are a few ways to stay positive whilst working remotely. This list isn't exhaustive but it should help you to make your working day more manageable and enjoyable.

Dealing with anxiety and low mood

Let's dive right in and acknowledge the elephant in the room.

Many people don't just feel a bit off when working from home, they actually experience genuine anxiety and depression as a direct result of the physical isolation.

This is usually due to the sudden shift in working arrangement and surroundings, although on other occasions it can persist for longer than expected.

If you find yourself feeling down, irritable, stressed out or generally under the weather due to working from home, the first thing you should do is tell your line manager.

If you're the company owner, you should instead speak to a fellow member of the management team or even a friend or family member.

Either way, discussing the issue can be of great benefit in itself, plus it starts the conversation and breeds a culture of open communication.

If the problem persists, the additional tips below may help to alleviate it, or it may be a good idea to contact an organisation such as Mind to see how they can help.

Don't be afraid to say no

Whilst being helpful, working hard and challenging yourself are all excellent qualities, it's very important to recognise and respect your limits.

These limits could be related to time, capability or even general preference depending on what's being asked of you.

Either way, if you believe that saying no to a request is in your best interests, that's exactly what you should do.

But it's rarely that easy, which results in business owners and employees alike taking on too much responsibility and quickly burning out.

Many people find saying no even harder to do when working remotely.

This is due to body language being limited or removed entirely, which means that the person making the request can't pick up any signs you're giving off.

Even if you're speaking to someone via video call, they probably won't be able to read your emotion as clearly as if you were physically sat in front of them.

The key to saying no is understanding that you're doing it for a good reason.

Apologising is fine and may also make the process much smoother, but it's crucial that you don't feel guilty for saying no to things when you realise that you wouldn't be able to do the job or task justice.

Remember: saying no isn't always negative and can in fact have a very positive outcome when used at the right time.

Go outside and get some exercise

This tip is as powerful as it is concise, as a little exercise can go a very long way when it comes to mental wellbeing (not to mention physical health).

A lunchtime walk or even something a bit more strenuous is an excellent way to let off steam, reinvigorate the mind and lift the mood.

Virtual coffee breaks

When you stop for a breather, you're well within your rights to shut yourself off from the outside world. If this works for you, go for it and don't let anyone stop you.

Alternatively, consider having a virtual coffee break, as it's an opportunity to catch up with a friend, loved one or co-worker whilst working from home.

It could be over the phone or in the form of a video call, or maybe you'll chat to a neighbour over the fence or meet a mate for a quick walk around the block.

Do whatever works for you and enjoy every second of it.

Change your clothes after work

This may sound like an odd piece of advice but changing your clothes after working from home all day can help you to unwind more easily.

The mind really is a highly complex machine and it can be hard to convince it of certain things, such as the working day being well and truly over.

Changing into something more comfortable will make the transition from home working to an evening chill session much easier (and yes, onesies are totally allowed after you've clocked off).

Switch to hosted desktops

We provide hosted desktops to businesses of all shapes and sizes, helping them to work from home effectively as often as required. To find out more, get in touch on 01482 751133 or email hello@gocloud.co.uk.