Get Your WFH Wellbeing On

If you are self-isolating or simply WFH, what can you do to optimise your personal mental wellbeing and make sure you remain calmer, happier and more productive? It’s all about keeping a routine. We spoke to Consultant Psychiatrist Dr Sarah Vohra AKA @themindmedic who recommends...

P.R.E.P.A.R.E

Pen, paper, plan your day! Think about where you are going to work. Which area of your home best mimics the working environment and is relatively free from distraction?

Routine – maintain one, as much as possible. Don’t blur the boundaries between day and night. Set your morning alarm. As soon as you get up, shower, grab a bite to eat, a coffee, get yourself dressed and be ready to start the day as you would going into the office.

Exercise. Working from home may mean you are more likely to be sedentary; eradicating that gym workout before/after work, an active commute, a walk to get lunch/grab a coffee.Exercise is a fantastic tool for optimizing our mental wellbeing. It can lift our mood, boost confidence and improve self esteem, improve our concentration and even our sleep. Build in regular movement breaks, getting some extra steps or take the opportunity to fire up a 20/30 minute YouTube home workout.

Prioritise tasks for the day ahead. Particularly if you are not used to working from home,the likelihood of procrastination may be high so don’t be overly ambitious with the tasks you set yourself. What do you absolutely have to get done today?

Avoid being pulled into constant news alerts that are likely to exacerbate any anxiety or uncertainty you are feeling and distract you from what you ought to be doing. Turn off social media and news notifications. It is important to remain informed but allocate pockets of the day in which to do this. If you find yourself tempted to check the news, remind yourself of your allotted time and return to the task at hand.

Remain connected with colleagues. Suddenly being cut off from face to face human connections or morale boosting office banter can feel incredibly unsettling. Pencil in time to reconnect with colleagues; phone check-ins, teleconference meetings or you may even choose to have a virtual lunch over Facetime/Skype.

Eat well and stay hydrated. Make sure you are taking regular breaks, eating a balanced diet and monitoring your caffeine consumption particularly as you edge into the afternoon/evening.

Dr Sarah Vohra is a Consultant Psychiatrist and Author of ‘The Mind Medic: Your 5 Senses Guide to leading a calmer, happier life’ 

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