Many practitioners have noticed increased fatigue, strain, and lack of connection to others when working online, compared to working in person. But here’s the good news. There are things you can do to turn your online work space into a wellness space, enhancing your ability to thrive.

Here are some tips you can try to enhance your online work space.

Tip 1: Pay attention to your eyes.
Lean back from the screen, taking breaks every 20 minutes, looking 20 feet away, to rest your eyes. Be aware of light sources both artificial and natural, and make sure they’re assisting your comfort levels throughout the day. Turn on or off lights, adjust blinds or shades as needed.

Tip 2: Surround yourself with pleasant odors and colors to beautify your work space.
Add fresh air, flowers, plants, or natural fragrances such as essential oils or incense.

Tip 3: Wear comfortable clothing.
If only the top half of your body is seen by others, you may want to wear informal options below the waist, including loose fitting pants, fuzzy socks, warm slippers, or bare feet.

Tip 4: Stretch and move about when time allows.
Keep exercise equipment, such as light weights or a yoga mat in your work space you can use during breaks.

Tip 5: Stay well fed and well hydrated.
Enjoying healthy, nutritious options, to keep yourself focused and grounded. Enjoy treats that make you feel happy.

Tip 6: Smile and laugh, even if you don’t feel like it.
Your mind and emotions follow your body. Move your facial muscles into a smile and practice laughing, thinking of a time when you were joyous, or watch something that makes you laugh. Remember: seven days without laughter can make one weak. 😊

Tip 7: An attitude of gratitude can brighten your day.
State aloud or silently three things you are grateful for before and after you work.

Tip 8: Take deep belly breaths, or diaphragmatic breathing.
Take a longer exhale than inhale, to refresh your body, mind and spirit. Keep a sticky note or other symbol in plain view to remind yourself to breathe while you are working.

Tip 9: Stay in present moment focus.
This allows you to take in and release what you need. The present is the point of power, where change can happen. If you find yourself in the past or the future, gently refocus and notice what is around you. Your senses will orient you to the here and now.

Tip 10: Practice energy hygiene techniques during your breaks.
These can include energy psychology or “tapping” and its variants, energy medicine, yoga, Traditional Chinese Medicine practices, meditation and more. They only take a few minutes to help you center and ground.

Tip 11: Go outdoors if possible.
If you can’t, find a spot indoors with sunshine/moonbeams, fresh air through a window and/or a view of nature. Walking barefoot on the earth, if it is safe and desired, connects you with the electromagnetic frequencies of the planet. One minute of outside time is better than none at all.

Tip 12: Consciously claim your personal space.
Release what is not yours, through exhaling, words, and/or intention, returning it with love to where it belongs. Claim what is yours with an inhale, words and/or intention. You can enhance your personal space and circumstances with the thought of creating “this or something better.”

Tip 13: Set an intention or say a prayer.
Do this before and after your work sessions for your wellbeing, or other options that suit you. If appropriate, ask for guidance to assist you as you work. See yourself in detail receiving what you need in the here and now, with a body sense of what it feels like when it happens, then offer thanks.

Tip 14: Ask for help.
Ask some more. Ask before you need it. If this is hard to do, offer to help first, then ask for help. The more you do it, the easier it becomes.

Tip 15: Be kind to yourself.
Be compassionate with yourself. Give yourself a break. Find love and let it surround you, then pass it on from your abundance.

These tips are merely suggestions for your wellness. We are each unique and are changing every minute, hour and season. You may find that some tips work for you now, others may be helpful later, and some may never be right for you. Be creative and come up with tips of your own.

 If they work, remember you need to do them regularly to reap the benefits of enhanced wellness. Find an accountability partner to practice the tips, and share your stories, to increase your chance of success and fun while working online.

Author

Lori Chortkoff Hops, PhD, DCEP is a licensed psychologist in Westlake Village, California, USA. Lori is President-Elect of ACEP (www.energypsych.org), and Chair of ACEP’s Communications Committee. She is certified in Comprehensive Energy Psychology, and is a Reiki master. Learn more about Dr. Hops at www.drlorihops.com. You can visit her Facebook page for A Tip A Day for Wellness Program at Lori Hops.

Computer Photo by Nick Morrison on Unsplash 

Woman Photo by niklas_hamann on Unsplash