Hong Kong is one of the most intense cities in the world to be a remote worker. Quality standards are higher than in most places, and the cost of living is extremely high in. It’s no surprise that remote workers in this city are prone to stress, depression, substance dependence, and other mental health problems. Of course, these issues can be avoided if you handle your working situation correctly. Here are seven ways you can do that without sacrificing productivity.
1. Don’t stick to one environment
Changing up the environment in which you’re working is a great way to stimulate your brain and find inspiration. Staying in one place can make you feel trapped or bored, neither of which is good for your mental state.
2. Try switching up your schedule
Different people perform best at different times of the day. Some people are morning people, for example, and some are evening people. Some require a nap in the middle of the workday. Finding your optimal work schedule and building your schedule around that will keep you feeling happy and energized.
3. Block out (most of) the noise
Working all day in a noisy environment like a park or crowded places are not good for most people. Putting up with frequent noise interruptions can damage productivity and even induce undue levels of stress. At the same time, you don’t want to totally isolate yourself and work in a dead quiet space, like your home or a library. The best noise level is the white noise at a quiet cafe / restaurant or even a co-working cafe.
4. Make time for health
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle outside work with sleep, diet, and exercise has a huge impact on how you feel and how productive you are during the day. Different people require between six and nine hours a night. Find out what you need and make sure to get it. Eat plenty of meat and green vegetables. Make sure to carve out on an hour or two most days for an athletic activity you enjoy.
5. Develop a routine
Make a schedule and stick to it. Your schedule during the week should be as rigidly structured as an office schedule, but it should be personalized for you. In other words, it can take into account exercise, your personal life activities and your preferred sleeping schedule.
6. Keep it professional
Even as a remote worker, it’s good to keep up professional behaviors. Yes, you hypothetically could work in your pajamas, but behavior like that will make you lethargic and may even lead to depression. Try to get up at a reasonable time, put on some “work” clothes, eat a good breakfast, and head out of the house to wherever you’ll set up your mobile office that day.
7. Work on Jobs You Like
If you can afford to be selective about what work you take on, then fill your schedule with jobs that interest you rather than jobs that make the most money. Surrounding yourself with work you actually enjoy will keep you happy and motivated.
Joining a flexible hot desk network like TableWorks is a great way to aid your mental health as a remote worker in Hong Kong. The network allows you to work in a variety of comfortable environments throughout Hong Kong and offers you a huge amount of scheduling flexibility.
If you want additional assistance, the Hong Kong Society of Counselling and psychology offers free face-to-face, telephone, and online counseling services. You can book via Whatsapp or phone at +852 62181084.
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