How can Healthcare Management professionals maintain a healthy lifestyle while working remotely?
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Working remotely as a healthcare management professional can offer many benefits, such as flexibility, autonomy, and cost savings. However, it can also pose some challenges for your physical and mental well-being, especially if you have to juggle multiple responsibilities and deal with stress and uncertainty. In this article, we will share some tips on how you can maintain a healthy lifestyle while working remotely, and enjoy the advantages of this mode of work.
One of the first steps to staying healthy while working remotely is to establish a regular routine that suits your personal and professional needs. A routine can help you create boundaries between your work and your life, and avoid overworking or underperforming. Try to stick to a consistent schedule of when you start and end your workday, and include breaks for meals, exercise, and relaxation. You can also use a calendar or a planner to organize your tasks and priorities, and set reminders for important deadlines and meetings.
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Debbie Bellenger
Executive in Health and Wellness Advisory Services, Education
This is excellent! Use your calendar as a tool to support healthy breaks and boundaries! Schedule 20 minute meetings instead of 30 and 45 instead of 60 minutes to allow for mental breaks, bio breaks and activity breaks. Exercise can be calendared, as well! It is just as important as work meetings. Make it one of your non-negotiables. Stress level high - take a walk around the house, 5 minutes of outdoor activity in sunlight can change the body's energy and reaction to the stress in the moment. Practice self care as a priority - it is not selfish, it is your health!!!!
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Another tip to enhance your well-being while working remotely is to create a comfortable and ergonomic workspace that supports your productivity and health. Ideally, you should have a dedicated and quiet area where you can work without distractions or interruptions. You should also invest in a good chair, desk, and lighting that can prevent posture and eye strain. Additionally, you should keep your workspace clean and organized, and decorate it with some personal touches, such as plants, photos, or motivational quotes.
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Claire Sakaoka
Brand Strategist and Content Marketing Maven | Working with healthcare executives, consultants, physicians and interim professionals to accelerate their online brand | 10+ years experience | 300+ served
Treat your office area like an office. Sounds simple, right? But it’s a lot harder than you might think. Establish healthy boundaries with family members who might also be at home. Kindly let them know that while you are physically there, your attention is spoken for when the door is closed (have a real door!). This means no laundry, no household chore multi-tasking, unless it’s a designated break time. I’ve been working out of my house since 2013; it takes time to develop healthy boundaries but once you do, you’ll love your home office!
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Working remotely can sometimes make you feel isolated or disconnected from your colleagues, managers, or clients. Therefore, it is important to stay in touch with them regularly, and use various communication tools, such as phone calls, emails, chats, or video conferences. You can also participate in virtual team-building activities, such as games, quizzes, or social events, that can foster a sense of camaraderie and collaboration. Moreover, you should seek feedback and support from your peers and supervisors, and share your challenges and achievements with them.
Your diet can have a significant impact on your energy, mood, and immunity while working remotely. Therefore, you should try to eat well-balanced and nutritious meals that can fuel your body and brain throughout the day. You should also avoid skipping breakfast, snacking on junk food, or ordering takeout too often. Instead, you should plan your meals ahead, stock up on healthy ingredients, and cook your own food whenever possible. You can also drink plenty of water, and limit your intake of caffeine, alcohol, or sugary drinks.
Physical activity is essential for maintaining your health and fitness while working remotely. Exercise can help you burn calories, strengthen your muscles, improve your circulation, and reduce your risk of chronic diseases. It can also boost your mood, relieve stress, and enhance your focus and creativity. You should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week, and incorporate a variety of activities, such as walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, or yoga. You can also use online videos, apps, or podcasts to guide your workouts, or join a virtual fitness class or group.
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Patrina McCauley, PharmD, MHA
Agile Consultant Pharmacist Driving Quality Outcomes- Entrepreneur-Intrapreneur- Team Player- Strategic Thinker- Human
Having worked from home for over 10 years my recommendations are to explore what works well for your routine and habits. When commitments and habits led to more sedentary needs my fitness suffered and impacted my energy levels and weight. My professional need to read and earning an additional degree added a lot of stress. Seeing the problem took longer than I would like to admit because it was easy to dismiss in busyness. My best success for physical activity came in building a routine that took into account seasons. Walking in the morning outside is therapeutic and sets the whole day on the right foot for me. Walking on breaks and being mindful to get movement in through the day yields my highest returns for physical and mental fitness.
Working remotely can expose you to various sources of stress, such as deadlines, workload, uncertainty, or conflicts. Stress can affect your mental and emotional health, and impair your performance and satisfaction. Therefore, you should learn to manage your stress effectively, and adopt some coping strategies, such as breathing exercises, meditation, mindfulness, or journaling. You can also seek professional help if you feel overwhelmed or depressed, and reach out to your friends, family, or co-workers for emotional support.
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Patrina McCauley, PharmD, MHA
Agile Consultant Pharmacist Driving Quality Outcomes- Entrepreneur-Intrapreneur- Team Player- Strategic Thinker- Human
I recommend establishing a relationship with a therapist for regular check ins. Talking about work and home life balance, exploring current and future stress, and having a mental check up can provide preventative help. We are encouraged to be disconnected from ourselves and produce on multiple levels. Keeping connected to our feelings, beliefs, priorities, and wellbeing serves all parts of your life. In the event there is a stressor, that established relationship can work to provide timely relief and support.
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