Now more than ever—especially during National Wellness Month—we all must take care of our mental health and well-being. As we protect ourselves against potential exposure to COVID, remember that social distancing doesn’t mean social isolation. The tips below are a culmination of best practices and recommendations from the American Psychiatric Association.
1. Keep a Regular Schedule
Developing and maintaining a routine is critical if you’re working from home. First, decide which area of your home you’ll designate as your workspace. Also, be sure to work reasonable hours. Many may find it tempting to work more, but it can tax your mental and physical health. So set boundaries on your work schedule.
Pro Tip: Feel free to work around your home. Try working outside on nice days, but always have your go-to office or quiet space available when you need to avoid distractions.
When developing your schedule, don’t forget to include breaks. Although everyone’s schedule should be their own, here’s a sample to get your started:
Another way to improve your schedule is to meal plan for the week, designate a day for movie night and set aside time for weekend activities or to simply recharge.
2. Exercise and Stay Active
Exercise is a powerful medicine for many common mental health challenges. It can have a profoundly positive impact on depression, anxiety, ADHD and more. It also relieves stress, improves memory, helps you sleep better and boost your overall mood.
Throughout your workday, get up and move around. Go for a walk/run, water the plants or develop a more intensive workout plan.
Here’s a basic workout plan you can try at home:
3. Stay Connected
There may be nothing more important to maintaining mental health than staying connected with family, friends and support systems. And now with technology like Zoom, FaceTime and Google Hangouts, it’s never been easier. Use these conversations to address your fears and concerns with the people you trust. (Chances are they are feeling the same way!)
If you miss being social—and doing social activities—you can try these activities over video chat:
- Happy hour
- Host a watch party for TV shows, movies or sporting events
- Start a virtual book club
- Virtual poker
- Game night (Jackbox Party Games)
Register for Paycor’s Health & Wellness Webinar Series
Because August is National Wellness Month, we’re offering a special webinar series on select days throughout the month to provide HR leaders with best practices for creating and promoting a healthy, stress-free work environment for employees.
Register for one (or all!) of the sessions below:
Mental Health in the Workplace: 5 Ways Employers Can Make a Difference 8/18/20 @ 2pm ET
Discover 5 ways employers can encourage better mental health and help employees reach their full potential.
Navigating Wellness in Traumatic Times 8/20/20 @ 2pm ET
Leverage best practices for stress management and tips on promoting wellness in your organization while keeping in mind proper social distancing requirements and much more.
Keep Your Sanity: How to Weave Self-Care into your Workday 8/25/20 @ 2pm ET
Learn tips and guidance on practical things you can do to take care of yourself and make it through the workday.