8 Tips For Work-Life Balance For Remote Workers

If you're like me, you spend hours every day typing, clicking and typing again. It's enough to make your body tighten up in random places and make your mind a bit crazy!

I go to bed with Google Docs dancing in my head.

There's a way to curb the day to day grind. If you're a remote worker, check out these tips to help your work-life balance!

If you have a window nearby, it's a good idea to take some breaks. Stretch your arms and hands as well as do a few lunges to get the blood flowing. When you do this every day you will definitely notice the difference.

Time your breaks from 5-10 minutes and longer if needed. You can even stretch at your desk using a theraband, also having a tennis ball under your desk can help work out and relax the soles of your feet even while you work!

Taking breaks is essential for good mental health as well. Standing near a brightly lit window and taking a look at the scene outside is good to give your mind a break from the computer screen.

You may have a lot of work to do, but taking a 1/2 hour to hour-long lunch break is important. Just like you'd do if you worked at an office, you should take your lunch away from the computer. This gives your body and mind a good hour to reset.

Avoid taking your phone as well, sit in front of a window, talk to a roommate/family member or read a book or magazine. We carry a lot of stress in our eyes from focussing on screens all day, this will also allow your eyes to adjust.

Whenever you can, opt to have your video on in meetings. It's a small thing that makes a big difference.

When you put your video on, your mind is more present during meetings, your boss will remember you more and it will open up the atmosphere for perhaps more meetings to take place.

For those who need more social spaces when working, being present during meetings is a good place to maximize this need.

Just because you're at work doesn't mean you can't listen to music. Some people actually focus better with sounds in the background. Turn on some beats or your favorite podcast, it will even help get the creative juices flowing.

You can even try focus music, chanting or Tibetan singing bowls for maximum focus!

It's easy when you're working from home to "take work home with you". You might feel tempted to fire up a doc in the middle of breakfast, or get a head start on your editing late at night. Doing this is okay every once in a while if you really need to finish something, but it's best to leave your work at your desk.

Set up your workstation at your desk. Try not to move your laptop. Note the time and stop work solidly at 5pm. If there are things you didn't finish, set aside a time block later on in the evening so you can finish it later without having it aggravatingly on the brain.

Unlike punching out of an in-person job and getting to go to a bar with colleagues, when you work remote, you clock out and you're just at home.

In order to differentiate being at work and being at home, try planning something for yourself right after work. It can be a get-together with friends, a zoom call with family or going to the store. Something you'll look forward to. Leave your computer at 5pm and do something that doesn't involve typing all day. This will set your schedule and you will feel more in a routine.

Pets are a must for people who work remote and who are maybe more on the introverted side. A dog or cat can be your best buddy when you're typing and clicking all day.

Pets also give your brain a break, focussing on something else that needs your attention!

If you have any coffee shops open around you, consider working in a public place. Working in a public place can be better for your mental health, so if you're feeling that working at home is too isolating, simply having people milling and talking around you can make you feel more comfortable.

It only takes the cost of one coffee and you have a desk for most of the day.

There you have 8 tips for better work-life balance for remote workers. The most important thing to remember when working from home is to keep a schedule and routine as much as you can.

Working on the computer poses all sorts of effects on mental and physical health, but they can be easily prevented with the proper habits.