Wonderful ways to find calm when you work from home

In 2020, our home and working lives collided. We may have hoped it was a temporary solution, but oh, how wrong we were! Many of us are facing the prospect of working from home permanently, and whether you think this is a good thing or the worst possible move for your career, it's never been more important to seek out calm and find effective ways to relax after your working week.

One of the most difficult aspects of WFH is the ability to separate our work from our personal lives. In short, it makes relaxing after a hectic day, incredibly difficult. It’s not easy to unwind when you can see email notifications flashing and a pile of paperwork precariously balanced in the corner of the room.

So, with this in mind, let’s take a look at some wonderful ways you can find calm as someone who works from home.

Try mindful activities

Practising mindfulness means being present in the moment and acknowledging your feelings, thoughts and even your breathing. Many individuals find it easier to achieve this sense of calm by engaging in certain activities such as connecting with nature, guided meditation and even mindful colouring sessions – if you need ink to print some colouring pages, this company specialise in ink cartridges. You don't need to be an expert in mindful activities to benefit from indulging in them, just some time spent away from your working environment can be enough to help you unwind and then refocus on the task at hand.

Try listening to a podcast

Whether you’re completely stressed, or you’ve had a bad day at work and you’re struggling to shift your mood, turning on a podcast or some uplifting music can help change the atmosphere in your home. The right podcast can serve as the perfect distraction from your stress and discomfort, whether you’re listening to comedians sharing their personal stories, or enjoying something informative and educational like a health podcast, this kind of entertainment is much more effective than simply staring at a TV or your smart device.

Go outside

Restrictions are slowly being lifted, but bad weather means that we’re not always getting our time outdoors. Time spent in the fresh air each day is essential for your mental wellbeing. Not only will it lift your mood, but you’ll also find your blood pressure and stress levels decrease. Whether you enjoy a walk on your lunch break or a post-work jog before dinner, get outdoors and you’ll soon recognise the difference.

And finally:

Take some time to cook

We all know that meal prepping is great for working efficiency and it helps to streamline your working day. But, when we meal prep and grab something fast, we end up eating in front of our devices and fail to get a real break. Without a daily commute to battle, or waiting for a replacement bus service, you’ll have a little more time on your hands to indulge in a worthwhile dinner. Take some time to enjoy putting a meal together from scratch. It’s a great way to distract and distance yourself from your working day, and the sense of achievement from cooking a delicious meal is far greater than the equivalent of getting that spreadsheet completed on time.