How to Start Meditating for Better Mental Health
October 29, 2020
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It’s been a year and two months since working at home stopped being a mid-day office fantasy. While 2020 gave us plenty of time to upgrade—or finally create—a space at home that’s conducive to productivity, the current situation has caused people to feel stress and even burnout. Underlying mental health issues bubbled to the surface, and the lack of boundary between work and home certainly hasn’t helped. But it’s not like we can fast-forward to herd immunity (oh, if only). That said, here are five ways to make working at home easier for you.
We know, we know. Now’s not exactly the time to be swiping our ATM cards like there’s no pandemic. But a workspace you enjoy working in has become essential for both your physical and mental health. If you’ve been using an old monobloc as an office chair—instead of a proper work chair that supports your spine and promotes good posture—you could walk away from your WFH life with neck and back problems. If you’re spending eight (or 10) hours in a place you don’t even enjoy looking at, that can contribute to feeling lonely and depressed. Good surroundings are an important first step to better wellbeing, according to the University of Minnesota. Allow yourself to have that cute keyboard, laptop stand, or deskside succulent you’ve been eyeing. Invest in great coffee beans from that coffee house you love but can’t visit (they probably deliver!). It’s technically for work, anyway. *wink*
Since your going-out clothes aren’t getting much use right now, it’s time to take a good look at your house clothes. Having a “uniform” for work helped create work-life balance—because believe it or not, walking over to your desk in the same clothes you went to bed in can contribute to feeling trapped. Which particular tops and bottoms will you be designating for work mode, and which ones are strictly for weekends only? This will help divide your week (or day), creating a clearer line in the sand between work and rest.
Absolutely no need for a full face, just whatever makes you feel ‘put-together’! Tons of brands have hopped on the multipurpose makeup trend lately. A small compact can be all you need for eyes, cheeks, and lips. Then brush your hair or pull it back into a neat ponytail to signal to your brain that it’s time to work.
According to The Atlantic, the key to office happiness is the three-beverage rule. “Always have three drinks,” they proclaimed in August 2019. Of course, you need water (Dr. Vicki Belo insists that you try to drink 10 glasses a day). Then, a caffeinated beverage to keep you alert and focused. Finally, “a third beverage is your wild card, a chance for a little bit of random pleasure in a period of the day that is otherwise not your own.” It can be anything from a vanilla Frappuccino to a strawberry-banana smoothie—whatever your heart desires. “Small, regular pleasures have real psychological value in any part of life,” the article reads. “During the workday, acquiring a mango seltzer or green juice can return some humanity to the cubicle farm.”
This is especially helpful if you live in a small space. Think of your home as a spaceship, where there are designated areas for every function. You’ve probably heard that working from your bed should be avoided as much as possible. Your bed needs to remain a sacred space for relaxation and rest. If you do have to work in the bedroom, assign a designated corner with a chair you don’t sit in unless it’s time to work. And when the work day ends, it’s equally important to get up from that chair and enjoy leisure activities somewhere else (like your couch). I used to be the type of person who would log off from work, but sit in the same place to unwind and watch videos on YouTube. No-no!
We hope these tips will help you become more productive when it’s time to be productive, but relaxed when it’s time to relax. Any tips you wanna share? So you can easily adjust to work when its back to normal. Tag us @belobeauty on IG and @belo_beauty on TikTok.
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