7 ways you can take care of yourself mentally and physically while working remotely

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We asked some accountants what they’ve put in place to prioritise their mental and physical health while working on their own.

1. Remember you are not alone

Everybody has been affected by something in their life in one way or another and almost everybody is struggling and dealing with these issues in their own ways. However you feel and choose to deal with it is not wrong. Be kind to yourself and work through stressful situations in your own way.

2. Join online communities

Interacting with people online that have similar interests to you can be a great way to get a dose of meeting new people and sharing ideas. If you feel like it, you can arrange video calls with your online friends or attend webinars to learn and socialise in a low-pressure environment.

3. Create new healthy habits

Try and create new habits and routines that work for you now and going forwards. Start as small as you can and focus on the actions you need to do to get a routine in place instead of thinking about the habit itself. For example, if you wanted to go running, aim to go for five-minutes and concentrate on putting your running gear on, not the run itself. 

4. Look out for others

It’s easy to get wrapped up in our own work but we need to make sure we’re looking out for others too if we can. Check in on your friends and colleagues regularly. Do something small to make someone else’s day. No doubt that will make you feel great too. 

5. Be kind

Be kind to each other but also be kind to yourself. It’s easy to think about the things you haven’t achieved but what about all the things you have? Take ten minutes to write down everything you are proud of yourself for.

6. Talk about it

The topics of depression, stress and anxiety can still be swept under the carpet. People can be scared that they will be perceived as weak or lazy. Talking about these topics as openly as you feel comfortable can help you and others close to you to cope, understand, and overcome misconceptions.

7. Get professional help

Our physical and mental health are intrinsically linked and you would probably not hesitate to go and see a doctor if you felt physically unwell. Book an appointment to talk to your doctor about how you feel and ask them what options are available to you.

Winter, with its colder, wetter, darker, and seemingly longer nights can be harder for people who suffer from depression, anxiety, panic, and OCD (you can take a test for OCD here). Please remember you are never alone. Talk to a friend, call a mental health charity, chat to someone online, or a health professional. There are plenty of people out there who want to listen and help.

Further reading

5 tips from a psychologist to redeem your mental health

What to do if you need help with your mental health

How I overcame my mental health issues and went on to succeed with AAT

Sophie Cross is the Editor of Freelancer Magazine and a freelance writer and marketer at Thoughtfully.

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