Feel Tired, Unfocused & Distracted During Remote Work? Consider This.

There’s an impression that remote working from a laptop or other professional device is tantamount to the height of professional luxury. Sure, staying at home with no commute is certainly nice, as is only having to wear a smart shirt in remote meetings as you wear the comfiest tracksuit bottoms known to man. But the truth is that remote work is still work. It takes your focus, drive, and energy to complete tasks and to get them done on time.

Moreover there’s a hidden benefit to a daily commute: it freshens you up. Sometimes, that can be enough to help you stay focused for most of the day. But if you wake up, shower, and go directly to your screen, even a great deal of coffee might not be enough to truly inspire your energy for the day.

So, what should you do if you feel tired, unfocused, and distracted during your daily working focus? In this post, we’ll discuss some helpful ways around it.

Use Ergonomic Furniture

Ergonomic furniture, like an ergonomic office chair, can make a big difference in how comfortable and focused someone feels during the workday. A good chair with proper lumbar support can massively help reduce back pain and improve posture, and so it’s worth investing in a good one. If your company has a remote work bursary, that can be a great idea. If you’re investing in your self-employment, consider claiming it against your business.

Try A Standing Desk

Standing desks are great, a with a click of the button you can stand for periods and sit for periods. It lets you avoid sinking into a chair all day and feeling lethargic because of it. Starting with short periods of standing and gradually increasing the duration is the best way to begin, because it helps the body adjust. Some people find that certain tasks, like phone calls or brainstorming sessions, feel more natural while standing because you can think on your feet and remain more dynamic. Some even place treadmills next to the desk, but this guaranteed to be safe, so we will not recommend that here.

Get Outside Before You Work

Fresh air is important, and without a commute it’s easy to wake up before you have to work and just sit down at your desk. Walking your dog, spending ten minutes breathing fresh air, or just heading for a longer fast walk to exercise each morning can help you rejuvenate without the stuffy internal air getting you down.

Balance Coffee & Herbal Tea Intake

Coffee can be great to wake up with, but if you find yourself constantly crashing you may find it worthwhile to balance that along with herbal tea to avoid the crash. Maybe try a mix of both - coffee to start, then switch to something more mellow like chamomile or peppermint for the antioxidants. It's not an exact science, just about finding what works. Some even choose matcha because it’s less of a head rush. There’s no shame in preferring caffeine, but don’t get into the rut of relying on it for every sense of alertness you can.

Work In Time Blocks

Breaking up your day into chunks can help keep you on track, so maybe try 45 minutes of work, then a 15-minute breather to decompress a little. Or, if you have a lot to get through, try 25 minutes on, 5 minutes off. Whatever feels right is probably fine. The idea's to give your brain a chance to reset instead of trying to power through for hours on end and feeling immediately burned out once you stop, and finding it hard to return to your mojo the next day. During those breaks, get up and stretch, grab a snack, or just zone out for a bit if needed. Some people even like a midday nap - don’t worry, it might not be the norm in your country but Spain will be looking on with pride.

With this advice, we hope you can avoid feeling lethargic even with a convenient remote job.