Thanks to COVID-19, vast numbers of Americans are now working remotely. While it offers many advantages, remote work can also pose some serious challenges to employee mental health and productivity

The biggest struggles of remote work tend to fall into three categories:

• Isolation and loneliness
• Unplugging from work
• Communication challenges
  

Nancy Costikyan, director of the Office of Work/Life at Harvard University, compares the challenges of remote work to balancing on one foot, which requires continuous small adjustments. She says, “Tools and rules help. Rules like regular schedules, regular meals, regular exercise and regular sleep patterns are essential … another rule is simply to begin again each day.”

To meet the challenges of working remotely, we suggest focusing on four areas.

Stay Balanced

A 2020 New York University/Harvard University study showed that since the pandemic began, the average workday has increased by 8.2 percent, or more than 45 minutes (which may also reflect more frequent non-work interruptions as well as a lengthening of work hours). Try these tips to keep a healthy balance between work and personal time.

• Create a schedule. Build a routine that includes a defined start and finish to your day, plenty of breaks, lunch, technology-free periods, self-care, exercise and time with family and friends.

• Consider a fake-commute. A recent Washington Post article suggested creating a transitional routine to replace the average commute time of 38 minutes. While not commuting is one big plus of remote work, you’ve lost that time at the beginning and end of the workday to clear your head and keep work in its place. A morning fake-commute could include walking, exercising, meditating or going out for coffee, while the evening routine could be about tidying your desk, planning the next workday or listening to a podcast.

• Set boundaries—with both work and family. Make some rules about when you will work and when you will not. Communicate your schedule with your manager and coworkers and with your family members, with the understanding that the occasional emergency will happen.

• Take care of yourself. Focus on eating and sleeping well, and take scheduled breaks during the work day. Getting regular exercise and tending to your very human needs for relaxation, contemplation, fun and socializing will greatly help to improve your mental health.

Stay Connected

The isolation caused by working remotely can be crushing, so try to be proactive about building connections with coworkers, family and friends.

• Deepen coworker relationships. Without those casual office pop-ins, lunchroom catch-ups and hallway hellos, teamwork can suffer. Weekly virtual coffee breaks (no shoptalk allowed) and other remote gatherings (sometimes the sillier the better … hat day, anyone?) can help re-establish team bonds. Forbes offers tips on how to stay connected with your work team here.

• Cultivate your support network. Think about the people that you count on for emotional support. Set up regular virtual or outdoor-from-a-distance gatherings to lift spirits. Or make a point of reaching out one-to-one with good old-fashioned phone calls.

• Build rituals with family and friends. With many favorite activities impossible (for now), try new habits with friends and families. Virtual game nights, watching the same movie, walking or exercising together … these can all enrich your days and relieve stress and loneliness.

• Be kind. “Find something larger than yourself. Find something larger in yourself,” says Harvard’s Costikyan. Showing kindness and gratitude is an almost-universal spirit-lifter—and a reminder that even if we’re isolated, we’re all in this together. So, write a note of thanks … prepay for a stranger at your coffee shop … ask if a neighbor needs anything at the grocery store.

Stay Productive

Without the structure of onsite work, many people have trouble working steadily and efficiently. Paying attention to how you work can pay off in improved productivity.

• Organize and prioritize. Create not just a to-do list, but a schedule for when you will accomplish the most important tasks. Many people list 3–5 top items to tackle the following day, then focus exclusively on those priorities until they are done. Take advantage of a flexible schedule to work intensely on priorities at the time of day when you are most productive.

• Upgrade your home office. Even if you are working in a big chair or at the kitchen table, try to set up a comfortable, pleasant and efficient space. Pay attention to ergonomics, and if you can, invest in furniture and tech devices that support good posture and form. Use noise-canceling headphones if that helps you concentrate.

• Use technology effectively. Create out-of-office email autoreplies to let others know you’re done with work for the day, and reduce distraction with email filters that sort messages into folders. Use Slack, Trello and similar technologies to streamline communication with your work team.

Stay Moving

Remote workers often slip into an all-work, no-play mindset. Make it a priority to stretch and move your body throughout the day, which will improve both your physical and mental health.

• Get outside. Leave your home each day, if possible. Studies suggest that physical activity in nature, especially green and wooded areas, can have a calming effect on the brain. The fresh air and change of perspective will do wonders for your outlook.

• Get regular exercise. Research suggests that even one workout can help lessen anxiety and boost your immune system, so try to incorporate some movement into every day. The possibilities are vast: Yoga and stretching, aerobic or strength training, walking … even dancing to YouTube videos can give you a burst of energy and lift your spirits.

• Take a technology break. Build in short times during the day to step away from your computer. Rest your eyes, do some quick stretches, call a friend—just disengage from the screen and focus for a few minutes on the world around you.

With any luck, we will soon begin to resume a post-COVID “normal” workstyle that will tilt back toward onsite work. Still, remote work promises to remain a prominent part of how Americans do their jobs. We hope these tips for working remotely not only help get us all through the current crisis, but help make all of our workdays to come happier and more productive.