Who said remote working was stress-free? Your stress management at work (or, technically, at home) shouldn’t be neglected because of location.

Everyone has great things to say about remote working. Improved productivity, better work/life balance, making your own schedule—it’s a dream for most people. However, it’s silly to assume that everything is roses and daisies. As a remote worker, you experience stress just like everyone else. Stress management at work is neglected because, well, you’re working at home—you have it easy, right?

Sure, there is strong evidence that full-time, remote workers are more productive and experience lower stress levels. But let’s be honest: without self-motivation and team communication throughout the day, feelings of isolation can creep up on you. The same goes with disorganization and struggling to maintain workflows.

Stress management in the workplace has been studied and implemented for decades. However, most methods don’t translate to the rising population of remote workers. According to a recent report from Global Workplace Analytics, telecommuting jobs are growing faster than the overall U.S. employment rates. It’s time to consider how to handle the unique stresses of working from home.

20 tips for stress management at work—is your home office 100% stress free?

1. Make a daily routine to stick by it

There’s a reason “daily routine” sits at the top—everything else depends on it. Although you work from home, you still need a structure for the work day. Disorganization and procrastination are the biggest culprits of work-related stress. Establish a routine to keep your daily workflow in order.

2. Separate your work and living spaces

Many people have trouble working in the same rooms they eat, sleep, and relax. If you’re one of these types, move your desk out of your bedroom and into a different space. Keep your work materials out of your living space, too.

If you need a quiet place to work, but don’t have room for a home office, consider using the local library. It’s free and typically offers private workspaces.

3. Work in locations with similar crowds

If you need to get out of the house to work, try to surround yourself with like-minds. For remote workers, that means coffee shops, sandwich shops, libraries, and coworking communities. It’s a good way to strike up a proactive conversation in-between work periods, and you’ll be less inclined to get too distracted. You both have a lot to get done.

4. Don’t let your work hours bleed into personal time

Working may offer incredible freedom, but sometimes that flexibility stretches too far. Remote workers often have trouble keeping their workloads contained within specific hours of the day. They end up working all night, early in the morning, on the weekends, etc.

That can cause a lot of stress. Try your best to contain your work hours each day and don’t give yourself wiggle room. Set daily deadlines and maintain your personal life.

5. Get out of your room and get some fresh air

This tip goes for every type of work environment—remote or office. You need to get fresh air away from your desk a few times a day. Go for a walk around the block, run a quick errand, or schedule in a half-hour exercise. Staying in the house all day will stress you out.

6. Finish the most important tasks first

Prioritizing your time is crucial to a productive work week. When you push aside important tasks and spend too much time on things that don’t matter, you make room for stress. Don’t rush to finish the important tasks and end up botching the job.

The bottom line for stress management at work is to complete the big jobs first. Prioritize your days, weeks, and months.

7. Work in small, focused bursts

Set a timer for 50 to 90 minutes of focused work periods, and give yourself a ten-minute break in between each burst. Chances are you’re working on a computer all day, so your eyes and brain need a chance to recharge.

8. Take a vacation when you need it

Sometimes we get so caught up in our remote schedules that we forget to take a nice, well-needed break once or twice a year. No traveling and working at the same time—this is a period to stop thinking about work completely. If you need that time away, you’re doing everyone a service by taking it.

9. Stand up while you’re working

Standing desks are a staple of younger, remote-friendly businesses. It’s not secret that sitting all day can adversely affect your health. Having an ache-y, stiff body with undoubtedly raise your stress levels. By standing up and working, you’ll be more alert, focused, and healthier long-term.

10. Make time for human interaction

Technology is making it easier for remote workers to avoid human contact. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram—they’re all useful tools, but nothing can replace a face-to-face conversation. Too much time on the computer makes stress management at work a difficult task. Put aside time to nurture a real social life.

Is stress getting you down? Virtual work is different than working in a traditional office space. It takes a new set of skills that allow you to build trust, demonstrate your team value and create your own career path even though your boss and/or colleagues work elsewhere. By developing your superpowers as a virtual team professional (VTP), you can set yourself apart and gain an advantage in your workplace. Learn more about our Superpowers to Excel as a Virtual Team Professional course.

11. Contact your team members several times a day

Isolation is one of biggest hurdles of remote workers. A good manager will stay in contact with you throughout the day, even if it’s a light conversation. Make an effort (and influence a team habit) of staying in constant contact.

Good remote working digital tools for chat and updates: Slack, HipChat, P2, and Trello.

12. Get dressed and ready for the day

Did you think staying in your pajamas all day would be stress-free? When you go straight to work from bed, you’ll eventually burn out. Instead, get dressed for work every day. Treat each morning as a regular work day. Maintain a healthy productive schedule to keep negative stress away. Getting dressed is the first step.

13. Don’t get caught up with household tasks

If you know you should be working (and employers are expecting you to be working), don’t start tasks around the house or run personal errands. When you return to your workspace and see a missed call or message from your manager, that’s when stress and anxiety kick in. If you agreed upon times to be working, stick to them.

14. Take a 20-minute nap halfway through the day

Sometimes a good power nap can make a huge difference to offset stress during a busy day. Close your eyes, stretch out, and calm your mind for a few minutes. Make sure you update your team with a “be back in 20 minutes” message, so everyone is on the same page, and no one expects you to be working.

15. Drink a lot of water

Staying hydrated is far more important to our mental and physical health than we give credit. If you’re living off coffee all day long and sitting at your desk, your body cramps up and dehydrates. Remember to hydrate and stretch out to keep the blood flowing and loosen up stiff muscles.

16. Use your lunch break proactively

Just because you’re working from home doesn’t mean you should forfeit your lunch break. Whether it’s a half-hour, hour, or fifteen minutes, that’s your time to spend. Besides eating a healthy lunch or snack, consider using this time for other activities, such as exercising, reading, cleaning, or personal tasks. Bonus points for finding a way to relax on your downtime.

17. Make yourself laugh

If you’re working alone, figure out a way to amuse yourself. A good laugh is one your best tools for stress management at work. Here are a few ideas: hang up funny quotes on the wall, watch a quick YouTube video of a comedian, look at hilarious memes of pets, or learn a new joke.

18. Focus on keeping good posture

Working with bad posture is a problem that most people fall into, but never do anything about. Over the long-term, prolonged habits like this can have horrible effects. Invest in a self-correcting chair or standing desk, and keep watch of how you sit throughout the day.

19. Reward yourself for a job well done

Did you finish one of the biggest projects of the year ahead of deadline? That’s awesome! Reward yourself with something special, like a dinner, a massage, or a game of disc golf with friends on the weekend. It’s a good idea also to give yourself mini rewards throughout the week. Make it something that relaxes you and brings you a sense of accomplishment.

20. Plan out time to travel, explore, and work

Finally, take advantage of your opportunity to travel and work. If you only need a wifi connection to complete tasks, plan out a week or two of travel. Take a road trip and schedule places and times to work along the way. Find places on your journey that offer a quiet space and a wifi connection.

Do you have any tips for stress management at work? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Photo by Abbie Bernet

Is stress getting you down? Virtual work is different than working in a traditional office space. It takes a new set of skills that allow you to build trust, demonstrate your team value and create your own career path even though your boss and/or colleagues work elsewhere. By developing your superpowers as a virtual team professional (VTP), you can set yourself apart and gain an advantage in your workplace. Learn more about our Superpowers to Excel as a Virtual Team Professional course.