Keys to healthy teleworking planning

Since October 1, MAPFRE has implemented a hybrid model of remote work in Spain, establishing new mechanisms in order to move towards a more flexible organizational model, which enables us to gain agility and efficiency as a company. With this new model, employees can choose to use a pool of quarterly remote work hours at their discretion. Allowances may be earned on an hourly or daily basis at the employee’s discretion, but cannot be accumulated or transferred between quarters.

In your case, are you teleworking at this time? If so, don’t miss this article in which we share some tips to organize yourself in a healthy way if teleworking has come to your life to stay.

Technology has been a turning point in the way we work today. Our days are filled with video calls and digital tools, all of which make it much easier for us to work remotely today from anywhere in the world, and which help us remain connected to our team despite not being in the same office. Here are five tips for working from home in an efficient and healthy way.

1. Find a pleasant place and keep a designated workspace

To begin talking about healthy habits when practicing teleworking, it is very important to take into account the space we designate for our working day and its characteristics. Ideally, it should be a place that fulfills only that function, which is neither your bedroom nor the dining room. However, obviously, we know that this is not always possible, since space is often quite limited. As such, avoid common areas, such as the dining table or the kitchen, whenever possible, as they are not conducive to concentration. We recommend you to find an area of the house that provides natural light and allows you to work in silence and without distractions.

2. Establish clear work schedules

One of the major challenges of working from home is the lack of routine and the number of distractions that can arise throughout the workday.  In addition, working from home often means that employees cannot easily disconnect from work at the end of the day. Even looking down at your desk while eating dinner is enough to remind you that there is still work to be done. We can avoid these mistakes by following these steps: establish a schedule that distinguishes between work and leisure time; set daily and weekly goals; avoid eating in front of the computer; and, last but not least, turn off the computer at the end of the day to ensure mental rest. By taking this simple step, we will be able to disconnect and avoid constantly thinking about work.

3. Task management and planning

Planning is precisely one of the most important healthy habits if you are teleworking. The basis of good planning is knowing how to prioritize tasks efficiently. An excellent way to achieve the proposed objectives is to start the day with the most challenging tasks or those that are most important in our to-do list. Crossing off these tasks as “done” will put us in a better mood for the rest of the day, and the other tasks of the day will be a piece of cake after knowing that you have already addressed the most important tasks. You can try the “block principle”: split your day into easily manageable chunks and take breaks every two hours, which will greatly help improve your teleworking productivity.

4. Take breaks and plan virtual coffees

As already mentioned, it is important to separate work from our private life and, sometimes, however, being at home all day can sometimes make this difficult. It is imperative that we force ourselves to take breaks, just as we would in the office. Take the opportunity to eat in a room other than the computer room, go outside or get a coffee. Without these breaks to reconnect, we run the risk of burning out as much as face-to-face employees do. It is a good idea to arrange virtual coffee dates with your colleagues to find moments of disconnection. As a result of teleworking, we miss those spontaneous conversations that take place in the office kitchen. Make up for it by meeting with your colleagues for a drink remotely and discussing topics other than work. The human factor is essential to maintain the commitment and motivation of employees working at home.

5. Exercise regularly and keep a good diet

The same way you plan your “to do list” for your workday, you should make time in your routine for activities that distract you and allow you to relax. Maintaining our productivity requires alternating between the stress of work and the relaxation of yoga or Pilates classes. On one of your breaks you can go for a walk or stretch.

Whether working from home or in any other situation, it is always important to keep a healthy diet, otherwise a sedentary lifestyle can play a dirty trick on us. In addition, a very heavy digestion can make your afternoon’s work quite unhelpful and unappetizing. Therefore, keeping a balanced diet is one of the best healthy habits, whether you work from home or not. Use the fact that you are at home and can prepare your own meals to try consuming less processed foods that will give you enough energy to face the day with enthusiasm.

A few years ago, no one would have thought that teleworking would become such a widespread reality, and teleworking was a distant dream for many workers. Although in many cases the shift has been slow, we can say that it is here to stay and that it will be an increasingly demanded feature among those who are looking for a job or are considering a change. How do you feel about the change?

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