How to create motivation and balance when working from home

Working during the coronavirus pandemic is hard on all of us - especially now that the sprint has turned into a marathon. For those of us who have been working from home over the past many months, it requires dedication and focus to stay motivated and
keep our spirits up.

Here are some tips on how you can protect your physical and mental health during
the pandemic.

Click here to download a PDF

Go outside - preferably in the nature:

Make sure to go outside and get some fresh air during the day. If you have 1:1 meetings that do not necessarily require a PC, arrange to hold these outside as a walk and talk - even if it is a bit rainy . Also remem­ber to let in some fresh air multiple times during the day.

Control your thoughts:

Sometimes you can get consumed by negative thinking . Remember that you can actually control your thoughts . If they wander in a nega­tive direction, try to park them. For example , set aside 15 minutes a day to manage your worries . It may seem a bit silly but it can help you control your negative mindset.

Active breaks from the screen:

Remember to take breaks during the day to take a little exercise. Maybe you can do some Power Break exer­cises or a short workout in your living room. There are many online home workouts you can use. Choose a type of exercise you like - maybe one that gets your heart rate a bit up. You can also break up your day, so that you al­ ways have something to look forward to. That may be a walk with your dog, a to-go coffee from your favourite cafe or a quick bicycle ride while you listen to a podcast. That way, you break the monotony when working from home.

Lift your spirits with social activities:

If you work in a team, you can suggest some social virtual activities, such as greeting each other in the morning, sharing virtual lunch breaks or having a Friday bar. We need to find alterna­tives to the informal conversations at the coffee machine, and having a laugh together helps to lift our spirits.

Look after each other:

One thing that may strengthen your mental well-being is showing concern for others. For example , your team can create a calling list or a calling buddies system, where you take turns calling each other to check in. Also remember to pay attention to colleagues who are not as 'visible'. Reach out and ask questions. Most people appreciate concern and attention from others.

Find inspiration for your healthy lifestyle in Danica Pension's podcast channel 'Sunde Stemmer' (In Danish only)

Find the channel where you usually listen to podcasts.

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