We can surely all agree that while working from home over the past few months has had its ups, there have also been stresses along the way.
Offices maybe opening up once more but with an increased focus on flexible working, it seems like home desk set-ups are here to stay for a little longer yet.
Helping to keep us all in a good frame of mind is Seven Wellness, a yoga studio and vegan cafe on Reem Island. Below are five tips from co-founder Neli Merris on why practising mindfulness will help your daily working- from-home routine.
1. Stay on Track
Moving our workspace into our home space can really confuse our brain, meaning it can become much harder to stay focused.
Our productivity levels are higher in the morning so we can feel ready to jump straight into the day without needing to take time to plan out our tasks, especially if our bed is right next to the office.
To avoid burning yourself out before the day has even begun, try writing down your tasks at the end of each working day, for the following day in order of importance. This will help when you come back to your desk the next morning as you already have an organised ‘to-do’ list to work through.
Not only will this increase your productivity levels dramatically, but you will start to have a clear line of vision from one goal to the next, allowing you to check off your to-do list at a faster pace.
2. Reduce Stress & Anxiety
Dedicating a few minutes each morning, on your lunch break or before you got to bed to bring your awareness to your breath, can reduce brain fog, help you regain focus and lower your heart rate. This keeps your stress levels low, allowing you to better handle any “surprise” tasks that might fall into your lap when you open up your emails.
Remember it’s okay for your mind to wander when you do this – once you notice your thoughts are no longer with your breath, bring your attention back to the body and try again.
Stay gentle with yourself, it’s a practice.
3. Boost Your Immune System
Stress has been identified as one of the leading causes for many different health problems. It is also said to worsen pre-existing conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, IBS and depression. So, by taking action to reduce your stress levels daily, your body will definitely thank you.
Engaging in mindful movement on a daily basis such as yoga or Tai-Chi can help reduce inflammation, improve circulation and increase lung capacity.
Boosting our health means our mood is immediately improved, making it much easier to hold ourselves accountable & inspired to complete the not-so-fun home office tasks.
4. Remain Calm & Carry on
So, you’re sat your dining room table, clients are calling your personal phone and your bed is two feet away from you. It’s really tempting after a bad call to close your laptop down and jump straight back into bed. This is where mindfulness practices really can make such a difference to your professional life.
Being able to take a moment to regain your focus through journaling can change the whole course of your day. Instead of replaying the call over in your mind and finding it difficult to bring your concentration back to the task at hand, grab a pen and start to write down exactly how you are feeling.
Releasing your emotions down on paper can help you create space in the mind, plus it allows you to build inner awareness helping you to overcome stressful situations in the future.
5. Stay Connected
Working from home is going to look very different to your normal working life.
We are used to spending time with colleagues and just by acknowledging the difference that working from home brings, is a mindfulness practice in itself.
Become aware of the feelings you are having, recognise them for what they are and talk about them openly and honestly with friends and family.
Remembering that you are not alone during this time by reaching out and sharing how you are feeling is a great way to stay connecting to others and keep the loneliness at bay.
Try to dedicate time each day to connecting with friends/family for a chat about something other than work and remember that this is a new experience for everyone, you are not alone.
Keep an eye on Seven Wellness’ website here (www.sevenwellness.ae) for details on virtual classes and news on the studio opening up again.
The studio’s vegan cafe is now open and is offering Time Out readers the chance to get 20 percent off by showing the voucher below when you visit.
Enjoy, and stay focused.
Seven Wellness, Reem Island (054 407 5405).
