Everyone would have to agree that COVID-19 had an impact in 2020! Well, it is not over yet! Although we would not likely need to experience another major change like before… the impact can still be felt today.

The implementation of social distancing and restrictive regulations also brought upon new problems.

For the longest time, remote working or telecommuting has been a benefit of just specific groups of people like new mothers and top executives.

Many people only envy the thought of WFH in the past. But this has changed.

Humans are social animals. Doing work at home week in and week out can take a heavy toll on the person mentally. Without someone at the watercooler to share jokes and talk about the weekend, employees can feel distanced and isolated from the company.

Today, I am going to share some tips on overcoming WFH blues with you! 

1. Consider working with friends or colleagues at a cafe

With the widespread practice of WFH across companies, you should able to find some of your friends with no scheduled meeting to work outdoors together. With the compliance of prevailing social distancing measures of course! (e.g. not too big of a group or meeting multiple friends in a single day).

2.  Working at a coworking space

There are many people who sign up to work in a coworking space. There are also simple amenities like a small cafe and most importantly, a quieter environment as compared to cafes. Chances are, they will be equipped with rooms for taking phone calls and teleconference.

3. Having short private calls with friends or family 

Making time and schedule to meet each other may not be possible but jumping in and out of a short break with friends or family can be a quick solution to take one mind’s off the WFH blues.

4. “Commute” to work

Have a bit of buffer time between waking up and working works wonders for me! Try going for a short morning walk around your residential area or even grabbing breakfast at a place where you usually didn’t have time. This can help implement a new daily routine that acts as a signal to your brain of the change between your work and home mindsets.

I have a friend who cycles daily in the early hours before breakfast and work who swears by it. 

5. Experiment with lighting 

It is well-documented that lighting can have a big impact on your mood. One study found that there is an “indirect and direct influence of light on mood and learning…  light, the circadian clock, and sleep interact to influence mood and cognitive functions.”

If you are interested to find out more, I have an article here for your convenience to learn more: https://www.tcpi.com/psychological-impact-light-color/

These days there are smart light bulbs that is automated to shift in hue depending on the time of the day, minimizing the effect of blue light in the evenings and regulating your circadian rhythm. Plus, the ability to turn the lights off with a clap of your hands or voice command is always fun.

Not only are these practical and effective solutions, but also easily implementable! 

We hope that you will be able to see immediate benefits from tomorrow 🙂  Follow us on our Facebook and LinkedIn to get more updates like this!