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
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