Winter activities for remote workers

Winter Activities for Remote Workers

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As the weather gets colder and the sun setting happens well before 5pm, seasonal depression seems to be setting in pretty quickly. Working fully-remote is a blessing for many reasons. Cutting back on commuting times means more time for errands, activities, and spending time with friends & family. It cuts back on transportation costs, maintenance needed on vehicles, and clothing purchases. Everyone raves about the benefits, but there are not many conversations with the negatives..

As a sales professional, I have the luxury of speaking with people every day but I know a lot of people don’t have that. Just a simple check in in the morning then it’s off to the races to get the days tasks completed. The days either fly by or go really slow, when they drag they really drag. When something goes wrong you’re alone and when you want to celebrate something you’re also alone. It can be a very lonely very sedentary life. As it gets even colder and dark out earlier, the opportunity for getting outside and moving your body gets more difficult to find.

Here are 5 ways to keep your body moving as a remote worker…

5 Ways to Stay Active as a Remote Employee

Early Morning Walks

The sun rises before 9am, which means plenty of time to get some movement in before the work day even starts. Start with a 10 minute walk then slowly work up to 30 minutes or even 1 hour! Sitting at a desk, or at your kitchen table, or on your sofa is exhausting and draining because of how lazy it is. Keeping your body in motion not only gives you energy for the rest of the day, but the bit of sunlight you can soak in the morning hours will keep you in good spirits throughout the day.

Even as it gets cold, the sun will be up before a typical 9am-5pm job which leaves plenty of time for morning activities. If you’re feeling motivated, go ahead and make that walk into a ran! Who knows, a small winter walk habit can turn into a big lifestyle change. You could be running a marathon before you know it!

Lunchtime Gym Sessions

Use your lunch hour, while the sun is still up, to get yourself to the gym. Whether it’s a gym down the street or your home gym, or even just a body weight workout outside, using your lunch break for physical activity is the best way to take advantage of the sun during the shorter winter days. Not to mention as a remote employee, actually taking your lunch break, and going to the gym, is a great way to break up your day. You come back to your desk feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the afternoon’s tasks.

If your looking for ways to boost your productivity as a remote worker, this is a great way to make that happen! Planning your day around a midday gym session means you have clear goals for your day and can make personal deadlines to finish projects or start them before or after your midday gym sessions!

YouTube Workouts

So maybe you’re not a morning person or don’t have a gym membership… That’s ok, there’s still plenty ways to get active as a remote worker and these don’t need to be done early and won’t cost you an additional penny.

Sure doing a YouTube workout won’t get you out in the sunlight, but it will get you moving and that’s the bigger picture here. Not letting the seasonal depression sink in and getting up off your butt from spending all day working! YouTube workouts are a great way to fit in a quick workout and get a sweat. You can do these in between the work day, before, or after. Whatever time you decide, block it off and stick to it. From yoga, zumba, and even bootcamps, YouTube has everything. A quick search for “20 minute Yoga” and you are likely to find hundreds if not thousands of hits for yoga workout videos to try. Don’t like one you picked? Go back and find another. Who knows you may find an instructor that you really enjoy and starting watching more of their workout videos.

Top of the Hour Exercises

I started doing this back when I got my first remote job almost 4 years ago now and its been a habit ever since. I get so focused into work that I lose track of time and before I know it the day is over and I have done nothing but stare into my laptop screen and have calls with my team. Then all of a sudden it’s 5pm, dark outside and I feel like a giant slob.

To combat this I started doing exercises at the top of every hour I was working. So I’d take 3-5 minutes every hour and do 10 air squats, 10 sit-ups, and 10 push-ups, then get right back to work. Incorporating this little addition to the top of every hour means every day your are doing 80 squats, 80 sit ups, 80 push ups. Every week that adds up 400 reps of each exercise weekly!! I chose these exercises because they hit all parts of my body that need to be moved, but you can make them any ones you’d like! For added accountability, I have alarms set on my phone. When I hear the ring, I stop what I’m doing, hit my quick flash workout, then get right back to where I left off!

Sunset Breaks / Resets

Part of turning down and getting ready for the next day, is acknowledging that the day is over or ending. The sun may be setting before the workday ends, but going outside breathing in the fresh air and seeing the sunset marks that the day is almost done and you will be closing out soon. Getting up, even if it’s not for a walk, but just to go outside can help you get through these short days and add a tiny bit of movement back into your life.

Put a block on your calendar for the time of sunset and always head outside to watch the beauty that unfolds. Sunsets are the prettiest in the winter and it’s a shame to miss the few minutes of beauty while being stuck into an excel spreadsheet on your laptop.

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stress from work, work stress, workaholic, how to work remote, working from home, work tips, stress management

Life of a Workaholic : How To Handle Work Stress

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It’s the end of the year and I cannot wait for my week and a half off! This year has had some many ups and downs – from moving from Boston and starting a new job, to navigating my way out of an extremely toxic relationship and finding a better one. I swear 2020 was the year for ultimate growth – but one thing that’s been consistent throughout most of the year? Work Stress.

Some people handle work stress better than others – I like to think I have a good hold on it, but sometimes I let it control my day. The first thing to do before trying to fix work stress, is acknowledging that it is a thing! We spend so much time at work, a majority of our lives, that it just seems normal at some point. Guess what? It’s not. Yes, some stress is good. It means you’re invested in reaching a goal and motivated to do it. When that stress reaches a higher level and it becomes unmaintainable, then your productivity will plummet. You want to avoid that at all costs.

Finding the line being highly productivity and stress related burn out is tough in the work place, especially in highly competitive environments. Once you’ve acknowledged that work stress is 100% the problem, here are some ways to help you decompress and keep your sanity.

Figure Out What Is Causing Your Work Stress

Work Stress can come from various different sources – figuring out what is causing the stress can help you better understand how to control it and also how to navigate your way out of it. Sometimes we get stressed over things that just aren’t worth it, you need to understand the root or the problem to know how to fix it. Maybe you have a micro-managing boss who is always nagging in your ear. Maybe you set unrealistic daily expectations for yourself and struggle to reach your goals every day. It could be that you are just unhappy at work. The list really could go on forever – every industry and job title has its own pressures and stress that come along with the territory.

Once you understand why your work stress is getting to a crazy point, you can start to develop a plan to fix it. Try to solve something that you don’t know the basis of can be tough, all the wine and essential oils can’t solve a problem if you don’t know why you have it.

Work Breaks Into Your Daily Schedule

Staring at your computer or working yourself to the bone for 8 hours straight doesn’t do anyone good. If you find yourself stressed from work, give yourself time regularly to take a break. Make sure you respect this time! Don’t go and book meetings or schedule tasks during your free time.

Breaks help with your productivity and your focus. Stepping away helps clear your mind and gives you a chance to look at things with fresh eyes. A task that was once daunting might not be as bad at second glance. Allowing yourself 5-10 minutes to get away from work, wether it be a task or a person, can help save your entire day.

Ask For Help

This is tough for a lot of people, myself included. Remember this – asking for help does not mean defeat. Asking for help doesn’t show weakness, it simply means that you need help! Most of the time, others are more than ready to assist a helping hand. If your work stress is coming from a place of unpreparedness or being unsure, asking for help can change your life. Don’t be afraid to ask for help from higher ups or peers – It’s a lot more beneficial to get the task done right first than to be told that it’s wrong and you have to re-do everything. Whatever you need help with just be vocal about it – everyone has been new or a beginner at some point. If you are confused, don’t know where to start, don’t know how to work something, not sure what to do next, don’t give up on it completely. Ask for help!

If You Need To Vent, Don’t Vent To A Co-Worker

If you have stress from work, chances are some of your co-workers do too. You should refrain at all costs from venting to them. Call your friends or your family. Talking about work stress to co-workers can open a can of worms when it comes to office drama and things getting re-told to people who shouldn’t hear them. You really just don’t want to go there. But why is this important to handling stress?

When you start venting with a co-worker, it will continue. It can become part of your every day to complain about how stressed you are and how miserable you can be. It takes time out of your day to finish your work and it puts a lot of negative energy in the air. Instead of talking to someone in your office or organization, try calling a close friend or family member. They’ll be totally unbiased, let you get whatever you have to off your chest and then go on with your day. It will only occur the next time you call or talk to them about it. Venting is so necessary and can help with controlling and decompressing stress from work – just make sure you are venting to the right people!

Stop Working At The Same Time Every Day, Don’t Overwork.

This might be a reason because I need to hear this… I work 12/13 hour days normally and it really takes a toll. Overworking might not be bad the first or second time, but it takes a mental and physical toll if it becomes a reoccuring issue. Letting work take over your life can be pretty negative toward your overall well-being. A way to combat this is to set a time that you can stop working and call it a day, don’t look back.

I totally get that some jobs you can’t do this and that some people have to be available 24/7. For situations like this, make sure your time off is your time off. Bringing work to days off makes work an around the clock event. If you can’t be done at a certain time then it is incredibly important to maximize your time off. Separate yourself from work and help get a head of your work stress!

I hope this was helpful! What are some ways that you handle work stress?

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Workaholic Definition, Workaholic Meaning, What is a Workaholic,

The Life of a Workaholic : 5 Ways to Disconnect From Work

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Workaholic Definition : Noun /ˌwərkəˈhôlik,ˌwərkəˈhälik/ – a person who compulsively works hard and long hours.

So you’re a workaholic, I get it. So am I.

If you’ve followed along on my life adventures here or on Instagram (@teenafey), you know that I’ve kind of been on a small hiatus – Not really posting or promoting, Not really talking with anyone, Focusing on what I’m working on outside of my digital life and that’s really about it. It really was an unintentional break, but here we are almost 4 months later and I am finally getting back into the swing of things. And that really makes me happy and is something I’ve wanted to do for months but just couldn’t! Why has it been so difficult to get back to writing and sharing? Short Answer here is work. I have been so utterly and completely consumed with work that I barely have time to eat or get up from my desk throughout the day.

I started a new job mid-pandemic as a Marketing Strategist and I love every second of it. I work with some amazing brands and have been involved in some amazing branding and marketing projects. (Check out how I might be able to help you or your business). I’ve been so focused on work that I’ve put my blinders on to other parts of my life, including some things and people I really care about. So as a workaholic, I get it.

One of the hardest things to do as a workaholic is take a break, remove yourself from work for a bit and not worry. Even if you know that breaks have a huge positive impact to your productivity level, it’s still tough to really commit to one. By definition, workaholic means someone who can’t help but continuously work long and hard hours. Devoting all your time to work means that time has to be taken from somewhere else in your life. We do only get 24 hours in every day, we have to make the best of that. Borrowed time typically comes from spending it with family and friends, sleep, and even side hustles or passion projects that fulfill our human!

There’s nothing wrong with working hard, but when that time starts to be taken and your happiness is effected, it’s time to re-evaluate. Here’s 5 ways to keep your workaholic tendencies in check.

How to Disconnect From Work as a Workaholic

Work in Time Blocks and Respect Your Schedule

Workaholics get that there is not such thing as an 8 hour work day, that’s a rumor and a myth. The workaholic definition of when to stop working is when it’s done, and work is never done. Start breaking up your schedule into Time Blocks. Set a strict period of time that you are devoting to one specific task. When the time is up, you are done. If you are finished or not. The beauty of working in time blocks, especially as a workaholic, is that you acknowledge the deadline and you do whatever it takes to hit that deadline. There’s no more working until 1am or 2am when you set a limit that the task must be completed by 6pm, sharp.

Setting time blocks is only as effective as you are. The second part to this strategy is respecting your schedule. If you say it will be done at 6pm, you will be done at 6pm. Not 6:05pm or 8pm. 6pm. No excuses.

Start by evaluating the task or job at hand and come up with an estimate of home much time it will take to complete, or how much time you can devote to it in a single day. Then do it! It’s that simple. By setting and respecting your schedule, your overworking, workaholic tendencies will start to transform you into an incredibly productive worker over time. When your work is done for the day, so are you.

Meditation

One of the most difficult things for a workaholic to do is to stop thinking about work. Thoughts are constantly racing through one’s head before, during and after work and all those thoughts are about, you guessed it, work. Even if it’s just for five minutes, the idea of not stressing over work and really being able to disconnect is pretty peaceful.

Meditation is a great way to escape. The beauty of meditation is that you can devote 5 minutes to multiple hours or time to focuses on things other than work. Following guided meditations, or even taking a yoga class, can help clear you head for just a few minutes. You can search on YouTube for Guided Meditations and can escape through a quick video that is dedicated to bring rest and relaxation to those who constantly work on overtime.

Adding a 5 or 10 minute break into your day to practice rest and relaxation not only helps you disconnect from work, but can help with productivity in many parts of your life. Adding meditation into your morning or night routine can leave you feeling refreshed to start or end your day. Whenever you may find your mind racing about work, try incorporating a breathing exercise in its place. Invest in your well-being like you do your work!

Take a Lunch Break

Eat. I repeat, do not skip lunch.

Food is what keeps you going. If you are depriving yourself of food during the work day, you are not allowing yourself to be as productive as you could be. Not only does food fuel you and help keep your brain focused, but it also keeps you from getting hangry. The last thing you need is your emotions getting in the middle of work, whether it be with your internal team or a client. Maintaining your emotions can be directly correlated to how you eat. Crazy right? But it’s true.

Not skipping lunch can help you while you are working because it also helps with productivity. It helps you disconnect from work because If you are productive during the day and finish your work during the allotted time, my workaholic friend you will be able to disconnect from work without a worry.

Get Active

You heard me go get active! Being a workaholic means you are so invested in your work, your whole entire life revolves around it. There’s no better way to get your hamsters off their wheel in your brain than going and getting active. Sign up for a gym membership and start working out. Lifting weights and cardio is a great way to keep your body healthy, but also a great way to clear your mind. When you step into a gym, you are leaving your work-self behind and stepping into a new mindset. Getting into a fitness routine can keep you focused on goals that have absolutely nothing to do with work.

Whether it be joining a gym and getting started on your own, hiring a personal trainer, getting a Peloton, or joining a group fitness studio like SoulCycle or OrangeTheory, there are so many options for you to check out of work. What better than getting physically fit but also doing a little something for you mental health.

Having something to look forward too, besides from work, can be a major help in disconnecting for work everyday. So my workaholics out there, go get active.

Use Your Paid Time Off

Give yourself a break. Allow yourself to disconnect. By forcing yourself to work through holidays and days when you are sick, you are being an enabler to your workaholic self. It’s a tough mindset shift, but you have to allow yourself time to not work and truly be disconnected from work.

If you are a true workaholic, you probably cringed reading those three sentences. Reality is you know it’s true.

By working so hard day in and out you have earned a few days off. Go on a trip you’ve always wanted, spend a day with family, or even take a day to get some housework done. Your reasons can be anything, but take the time that you have earned. A workaholic knows that burnout is a real life possibility, especially when you are focused on work all 24 hours of the day. Remember to remind yourself that it is okay to take a day off of work. Work will always be there and it is not going anywhere, you earn your paid time off. When it comes down to it, as a workaholic, you have to admit that it is ok to take your mind off a work for a bit!

Taking a break from work is ok. Workaholics, don’t cringe at that thought. With last week being National Mental Health Awareness Week, it’s important to continue putting our mental health first this week and every week to follow. Being a workaholic is a good thing, it means you are dedicated, passionate, hard-working, and hungry for growth. Don’t let it become a weakness. Keep your productivity high and keep burnout at an all time low. Disconnect from work every once in a while, I promise it will end up okay!

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