For many, 2020 was the first remote work experience for many. If you were balancing kids at home full-time as well, these changes might have been more difficult to get used to. That’s especially true if you add online coursework to the mix on top of the responsibilities of a full household.
Now it’s 2021 and you might still be adjusting to this “new normal.” Wellness seems more top of mind these days and there are so many ways to maintain your wellness at work. In a previous blog, we covered the importance of relationship building and communication in the workplace. And while those topics are important when dealing with others, you can’t neglect the most important factor — you.
READ — Wellness Tips: Find Satisfaction in Your Work
Moving forward, it’s important to reduce stress and find joy in our day-to-day tasks. Here are four tips to encourage this:
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Keep a regular schedule. A routine can be help in making the remote world feel more like our normal work or school life. Start this schedule the minute you get out of bed. Set time to get dressed in the morning and then make breakfast a special event, whether eating alone or with your family. This can trick your brain into believing your day is just like any other good day.
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Exercise and stay active. Periodically, get up and move around your home (whether inside or outside). This can help to stimulate your body and mind. Use your lunch break to take a stroll in your neighborhood. You can also schedule short fitness breaks. There are plenty of at-home workout videos to enjoy at no cost, online.
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Set boundaries on your work and school schedules. Because your work will always be there, it can be very tempting to put more hours in at home. This can lead to burnout and a blurred division between work, school and personal life. Stick to a set schedule for your “office or school hours” for a healthy relationship with your work. This will also allow you to manage time you need to spend on personal needs or taking care of family.
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Schedule virtual meetups with co-workers and schoolmates. If you used to work in an office, causal chats with your co-workers are something you may miss. Talking to a coworker on your lunch break can still be a thing. You just need to do it via video chat. Having human relationships can help to make work and school life better.
- Helpful Resources:
Reduce Your Stress and Anxiety
If you were struggling with stress and anxiety pre-pandemic, then COVID probably didn’t help. Partly because personal time off became harder to come by. How do you take time off from your job if you live where you work? While taking time off from work while still having to stay at home may not seem like a different circumstance during COVID-19 isolation, it can be very necessary, if not more so than before. The benefits of mental health time while working a job or doing schoolwork at home include:
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Resetting our mindset
We don’t just need rest when we are sick. We need rest all the time. Time out can really help us reset. It allows our minds to refocus energy and trigger the flow of healthier, happier and more positive thoughts -
Creating a better work-life balance
Remember who you are outside of a job or school. Give time to reconnecting with who that person is. You can start by giving more love to our actual homes — they’re not just a place to work. Consider redecorating or reorganizing a closet that you didn’t have time for in the past. -
Being more productive
Yes, you read that correctly. Taking time off can help us feel more productive. It can enhance creativity and allow us to more easily form ideas. When you get stuck on homework, or a work project, or start to feel a lack of fulfillment in your tasks, this is a good sign you need a time off. Let go of frustration and come back to it later. -
Other Helpful Resources:
UMA Support
UMA knows that many students juggle work and family life while going to school. That’s why we have a built-in support system. Our Learner Services Advisors are here for you. Call 888-216-0544. We encourage you to reach out with questions and concerns.
UMA Cares
UMA Cares handles important student issues that may need to be addressed with special attention. UMA Cares takes all inquiries seriously and responds in a timely manner. Visit UltimateMedical.edu/uma-cares/ to make your voice heard.
UMA Wellness Center
Stay tuned to the UMA Wellness Center for new blog posts! Wellness is incredibly important to your studies and your overall health. UMA is committed to providing you and your household with access to wellness resources. You and your household can use these resources to work toward your health and wellbeing!
UMA does not endorse any vendors, products, or services presented in the UMA Wellness Blog Series, and UMA bears no responsibility in any capacity as it relates to such vendors, products, or services. The information on wellness or related services is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional financial advice. Please contact the vendor or service provider for answers to questions regarding its content, products, or services.