Tips for Remote Employees to Stay Healthy and Sane

Today’s workforce is experiencing growth and change when it comes to workforce obligations and expectations. The structure of the 9-5 workday has shifted to allow employees a better work-life balance. Now with the spread of Covid-19, millions are working from home. Organizations must trust employees to make the most out of their remote work schedule. These tips for remote employees ensure that employees are physically and mentally healthy. 

Create a Dedicated Office Space 

The first step to creating a healthy and beneficial remote work atmosphere is establishing a dedicated office space. A large part of what keeps employees focused at the office is a dedicated workstation. Work stations are usually equipped with all of the necessary supplies to get them through the day. At home, employees are inclined to work from their living room or bedroom because it’s convenient. Employees are more productive when working from an ergonomic desk chair designed to provide back support with a desktop or monitor that is in their sightline, rather than a couch or bed intended for relaxation. 

However, a home office space doesn’t need to be in a dedicated room. This is likely unrealistic for most people, as many don’t have an extra room to spare. A home office can take shape in the corner of the living room, kitchen, or in any other functional space that the home allows. Employees should have a dedicated space for work. Having that keeps them productive and creates a separation between their work-life and home-life. 

Maintain a Routine

This is one of our most essential tips for remote employees. It’s easy to roll out of bed and begin the day right then and there when working from home. After all, why should they get dressed and ready when they don’t have to go into the office?  It’s common to hold that belief, but employees should try to avoid it at all costs. Take the time to get up early and get dressed as if you are going into the office. This will motivate employees to maintain a start time and an end time for the day. Additionally, a lot of employees adopt the ideology that because they have their work with them at all times, they should be working at all times. This idea creates overworked and burnt-out employees.

Be sure to set boundaries with schedules.  A daily routine can be set up in no time at all! Simply determine a start time and wake up about an hour beforehand. This will allow enough time to shower, get dressed, have coffee and breakfast, and watch the morning news. Once they’ve woken up and are in the right frame of mind, they can begin their day without any distractions and go from there.

Security Tips for Remote Employees

Keeping employees secure is vital for individuals and companies alike. Many find this much harder when working from home. With the intensely quick shift across the country, millions find themselves working remotely. Ensuring that you and your employees are secure when working from home will save you lots of money and frustration in the future. There are numerous tools available for remote employees and companies.

• Set up a virtual private network for your employees to connect to
• Ensure that all employees are running security software
• Set up two-factor authentication
• Be sure your employees aren’t working from outdated operating systems

Take Advantage of Breaks  

Whether employees work from the office, a coffee shop, or at home, it’s easy for them to get lost in their work and lose track of time. Although this is common, it also leads to some unhealthy behaviors like employee burnout, over-engagement with digital devices, and inactive lifestyles.  When employees are overly committed to their assignments and don’t take frequent enough breaks, they can become overworked, leading to exhaustion, cynicism, and ineffective or careless work ethic. They can also start experiencing side effects of computer vision syndrome, which occurs as a result of excessive interaction with digital devices, and inactive lifestyles that can cause chronic health issues. 

By taking short 10-15 minute breaks during the day to let the brain recharge, the eyes readjust, and the body move, employees can avoid burnout. They can also use time management techniques, get some blue light filtering eyeglasses, and exercise regularly to combat employee burnout further.

Exercise Regularly  

A common problem among remote employees is inactivity. Remote work does have its advantages, but not needing to commute to work or move around throughout the day leads to less movement overall. Although working in an office can also lead to not meeting the recommended amount of daily activity because employees spend the majority of their day sitting, remote workers are suspected of getting even less exercise. Remote employees can introduce more movement into their days by going for walks, doing home workouts, and stretches during breaks and going to the gym on lunch or after work.

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and a healthy work-life balance can be difficult as a remote employee. Still, it’s important to consider to maintain productivity and focus during work hours. OneSupport offers remote work opportunities based out of 22 states around the U.S. If you need more tips for remote employees, or you’re looking for a job, we’re here to help.