1. Prioritise your health
It’s important to remember to look after yourself by taking regular breaks away from your desk and finding ways to exercise. There are a vast range of online classes available making it easier to exercise indoors at a time that suits you – whether you are into yoga or high-intensity training, there’s something for everyone.
2. Decide on a winter routine
Your summer working from home routine may not work as well with the shorter days and colder temperatures in winter. Changing the times of your daily routine could help you to get more out of your day. Consider going out for walks or runs in your lunch hour rather than after work to make the most of the daylight. If you are able to work flexibly, you could even make small changes to the hours you work to make the most of the last bit of light when you clock out.
3. Stick to the same ground rules
If you are working from home, try to keep enforcing good habits. Confining your work to one room in the house, starting work at the same time each day, keeping your office room clean and taking regular breaks both by taking your eyes off the screen and getting up, leaving your desk and stretching your legs can all help to maintain a good work-life balance. If you have faced COVID-19 restrictions for a long period of time, try not to let your good habits slip.
4. Stay sociable
While COVID-19 restrictions might stop you from visiting your workplace or seeing your friends, Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Facetime can be great tools to engage with people. You can still celebrate birthdays and festivities by sending cards and having a cup of tea or glass of wine over Zoom. Making an effort to talk to colleagues for five minutes with your camera on could make a big difference to your day and you might be the only person they speak to while working from home.
5. Look out for online entertainment
More and more events have shifted online due to COVID-19. This means that you can still attend concerts, quizzes, exhibitions, comedy shows and cooking classes from your living room! These events can give you something to look forward to at the end of your week and create fun memories to share with your friends while following government guidance.
So, there you have it – 5 tips to maintain a healthy work-life balance during winter COVID-19 restrictions. For more working from home tips, see our Make working from home easier with five simple steps.
Related links:
Zoom
Make working from home easier with five simple steps
Read more:
Find EURES Advisers
Living and working conditions in EURES countries
EURES Jobs Database
EURES services for employers
EURES Events Calendar
Upcoming Online Events
EURES on Facebook
EURES on Twitter
EURES on LinkedIn
Details
- Publication date
- 22 January 2021
- Authors
- European Labour Authority | Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion
- Topics
- Business / Entrepreneurship
- EURES training
- Hints and tips
- Youth
- Related section(s)
- Sector
- Accomodation and food service activities
- Activities of extraterritorial organisations and bodies
- Activities of households as employers, undifferentiated goods- and services
- Administrative and support service activities
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Construction
- Education
- Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply
- Financial and insurance activities
- Human health and social work activities
- Information and communication
- Manufacturing
- Mining and quarrying
- Other service activities
- Professional, scientific and technical activities
- Public administration and defence; compulsory social security
- Real estate activities
- Transportation and storage
- Water supply, sewerage, waste management and remediation activities
- Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles