Blogging or working from home can be great but it also has pitfalls that if not watched carefully, can snowball into stress. Maybe there are too many inside distractions keeping you from getting your work done or maybe there’s an obnoxious neighbor next door that plays his music too loud.
Whatever the situation, it’s best to nip it in the bud as soon as possible and also to find alternative ways of coping with a work from home career.
We know what it’s like to write, design and blog from the comfort of a work at home arrangement, but also we know that stress can and will creep up when we least expect it to.
Below we look at six ways to nip work at home stress in the bud. Once and for all.
1. Meet With A Friend –
This one is at the top of my list, because meeting with a friend can do wonders for your mood, your productivity and your stress levels. Assuming of course, you have picked someone you actually enjoying being with. You can visit one another, take a walk, go for a quick snack or maybe even go shopping. But most importantly, work is not to be discussed.
2. Fire Up Your Hobby –
Hobbies are great because they can distract us from our worries and keep us balanced, simply by keeping one interested and immersed in the activity. Be it knitting, reading, coin collecting, pottery, gardening or any of the numerous hobbies people pick up – do this when you’re running low on energy and see your worries take a hike.
3. Take A Run –
Another excellent mood booster. Taking a walk can enhance your overall well being by giving you a nice change of pace and a much needed kick in the pants. Even just a four block walk in your neighborhood can do wonders for your serotonin (a/k/a mood) levels.
4. Head To The Beach –
Who doesn’t love and appreciate a leisurely stroll on the beach? Most people love the beach and reason being is that it has a calming effect. The water, the waves, the sound of the waves; all of it can produce a nice relaxing state of mind.
5. Take A Coffee Break –
This means leave the house for a bit and go grab a cup of coffee at your local coffee shop and enjoy a nice 15 to 20 minute break. Most corporate employees get at least two 15 minute breaks for every 8 hour work shift – every day, why shouldn’t you. Since you work from home it means you’re the boss, so give yourself a break.
6. Give Yourself The Day Off –
This one is my personal favorite. When you’ve done a good job and are all caught up with your work, give yourself a day off. One day where you could really use the time off and do something else. Just make sure, it’s not a day where clients are counting on you to deliver work or when you have a deadline to meet. Instead pick a day, you know you can take off, and enjoy it fully.
If there’s a running theme in my six tips above, it’s that sometimes less is more. As in doing less can give you the energy and stamina you need to come back stronger and accomplish more the next day.
This is why most of my tips above involve stepping away from your desk, your home and even your work. For a period of time, of course. But to step away for a bit and recharge those batteries. Your brain, heart, body and your audience – will thank you.
Happy Blogging 🙂
Image Credit:alan cleaver
20 comments
For me, I just surf over to webtrafficroi.com! 🙂
I am glad to hear that the blog helps …keep visiting us 🙂
Hi, Jasmine:
I do too. Be sure to visit (Web Traffic ROI) daily for max benefit.
Thanks!
Superb tips that can be helpful for many professionals and bloggers. Go stress free !
Hi Marty. you hit the nail on the head with this post. Most people think working from home is stress-free, but that’s often not the case. Most that work from home, also have to handle the upkeep of the house and their kids. So these tips are sure to be a life saver.
@Michelle:
Thanks for the compliment. Appreciate it and glad you like my post.
Cheers!
I’m on the same boat, working from home stress more often happens on me.
thanks for the tips, i will do the tips you listed here.
Hey, Becca:
Agree, a work from home job is anything but stress-free. This is a big misconception. Thanks for commenting.
Cool! I can actually do all of these in just a day.
Hi June, going to the beach is the only thing I cannot do in this list in a day, as the nearest beach around here is about 3 hours away.
It’s true. Going to the beach may not be feasible for some, depending on where you live and how far the beach is from you. Only a lucky few can escape for a few minutes to the beach and get away from work.
A very effective stress-reliever for me is by taking a break and looking at funny pictures of cats and dogs. Also, reading and re-reading inspirational posts here on webtrafficroi.com eases my tired mind and gets me energized to continue for the rest of the day. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for such a stress reducing post. I work as a professional SEO. So obviously I work from home as a freelancer. I spent about 9 hours per day on ma notebook. To reduce stress visiting the beach with friends work as a great tonic for me. It really helps.
I hear ya, Michael. 9 hour days are rough, so turning off the lights at home and closing up shop are important – otherwise we burnout and fast.
Glad you’re able to find relief at the end of the day. Yay!
Great tips, I usually watch TV and drink tea. There is no doubt that it is a stressful thing to do. I might consider giving myself a day off from the whole thing. I am seriously thinking of not even putting the computer on for the whole day.
Hi, Shalu:
Me too! I usually have my TV on as well while I work but this is mostly for background noise, I don’t sit and watch anything. Well, except for “The Talk” (everyday at 1pm, on CBS) – love that show and usually take my lunch break during this time. Lol.
Thanks for visiting.
In my case, I too go for a TV and sometimes with my hobby of reading for couple of hours. These are some good tips for bloggers to follow in order to reduce stress.
Great tips Marty, I know how hard it is to keep disciplined working at home. You get to a point where you are so caught up you need to take a few minutes to yourself so you can relax and get motivated again. A bad way to relax but i tend to lie on the couch and watch some tele.
I usually turn off the phone and go for a run or walk around the block to recharge the batteries.
Thanks for the article. It’s great to know you’re not alone in this. Sometimes I just to go outside and get some fresh air and take a stroll around your yard or neighborhood. There have been times I took my work on the road and actually find a shade tree out at the lake and click away in a peaceful place.
Thanks,
john