10 Stress Buster Tips for Managing Stress When Working Remotely

Working remotely allows you to work in your pajamas, but it also means that many sources of stress are just a few clicks away. If you’re working remotely, managing stress becomes even more important, since distractions are the number one thing to avoid when working from home. This list of 10 stress buster tips for managing stress when working remotely will help you focus on your work and become more productive during your time working remotely.

1) Communicate clearly

When you’re a remote employee, it can be tricky to communicate clearly. Speak up if you’re not sure whether someone is understanding your instructions, or if something doesn’t seem quite right. Before any major decisions are made, make sure everyone on your team understands each other. Open up communication channels and have regular meetings where everyone can discuss what they’ve been doing and make sure you don’t overlook anyone!

2) Take breaks

Take a break, even if it’s just for 15 minutes. Go outside, talk to a coworker, exercise it doesn’t matter. It can be helpful just to get away from your desk and clear your head. Not only is physical activity good for relieving stress, but you’ll also come back feeling refreshed and more alert than you would have otherwise. Allowing yourself some downtime between tasks will help improve overall productivity and employee satisfaction.

3) Improve relationships

While you might be your boss, you don’t have to manage yourself. It can sometimes be difficult to remember that if you’re used to being able to do things your way without interference. Getting along with others is key for remote employees whether it’s peers in another city or people across oceans but improving relationships and making time for communication are both vital parts of a remote career.

4) Meditation and mindfulness

Meditation is a great way to improve employee satisfaction by reducing stress, improving teamwork, and fostering healthy work habits. While some companies have provided meditation resources and sessions for their employees, you can also offer them access to information about mindfulness exercises that can help with stress management.

5) Keep your workspace tidy

When you’re at work, don’t let yourself get distracted by clutter. Studies show that keeping a clean workspace can reduce stress, increase productivity and improve employee satisfaction. Use virtual storage if necessary; there are plenty of tools like Evernote that allow you to keep all your files in one place no matter where they’re stored on your computer.

6) Get enough sleep

A few hours of lost sleep adds up over time. If you’re not getting at least seven hours of rest each night, your productivity and focus will suffer. Use these stress-busting tips from Harvard Medical School to get quality shut-eye and take naps if you need a midday boost. An early-to-bed, early-to-rise schedule helps ensure you’re at your best for work.

7) Exercise

Regular exercise is a great way to manage stress and relieve stress and, of course, good for your health too. Try running, biking, or swimming for at least 30 minutes per day. Yoga is also a fantastic way to stay in shape and help combat workplace stressors plus it has been shown to improve concentration, which is extremely valuable when you’re trying to work on tight deadlines.

8) Give yourself some space

We’re programmed for physical proximity. When you work in an office, you can see, hear and feel your co-workers and they can do likewise with you. So it’s easy to have frequent casual interactions that boost moods and keep stress levels down.

9) Don’t forget your priorities, focus on them

With so many distractions phone calls, emails, and texts it’s easy to forget your main goal. Don’t! Schedule interruptions into your day and only respond when you get that email alert or phone call. This will help you refocus on what matters most: creating healthy work habits.

10) Surround yourself with like-minded people

Starting a business is daunting, and it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Surround yourself with like-minded people who are also starting businesses, and who are open about sharing their struggles. You don’t need to reinvent your entire world; you just need one supportive friend (or two or three) who understands what you’re going through.

Final Thought

To many, remote work is a welcome reprieve from 9-to-5 office jobs. But working independently can be isolating, and being away from your team makes communication difficult. To improve teamwork skills, there are many easy ways you can stay connected with your remote team while still getting plenty of work done during off-hours. Try these stress buster tips and feel free to share any additional tricks in the comments below!