More businesses in Malaysia are working remotely than ever before in an effort to combat the Covid-19 crisis. But while employees may now be well acquainted with working from home, this way of working can also present challenges that are difficult to spot at times – such as feelings of isolation and loneliness.

According to Tom Osborne, Managing Director of Hays Malaysia, this can not only impact performance and productivity, but also be detrimental to mental and physical wellbeing. To prevent this from happening, he sets out six ways that employees can look after their wellbeing while working remotely.

1. Create a dedicated workspace

“If you don’t have a separate room to work in, try your best to still create a dedicated space to work in from home”, advises Tom. “Keep it clutter-free and away from any distractions. If you discipline yourself to only work in this space, you’ll find it easier to keep your focus and still enjoy your time in other parts of your home.”

2. Be a home worker, not a lone worker

According to Tom, communication is key when working from home. “Work out what you need to put in place to enable you to communicate with colleagues, keep it frequent, and try not to use too many different platforms. You’ll mainly be communicating about work, but don’t miss out personal conversations too which usually happen more naturally in the office.”

3. Talk face-to-face where possible

“Wherever possible, communicate with your colleagues via video”, Tom recommends. “Face-to-face conversations are more engaging than conference calls and will help you feel more connected to your colleagues. Just remember to dress appropriately and keep your background neutral and not distracting to those seeing your screen.”

4. It’s okay to take a break

“The nature of an office environment can mean you’re more likely to take a break to chat to a colleague or go out and buy lunch. Therefore working at home means you need to be more proactive about taking a few moments off work to give yourself a break”, says Tom.

“Go for a walk outside, make a nice meal or take some time out to chat to a friend on the phone. Short breaks will help you refocus on your work and eventually support your productivity and mental health.”

5. Maintain your physical health

“You’ve probably heard it before, but eat well, sleep well and exercise well”, says Tom. “These are the cornerstones of good physical health and shouldn’t be ignored just because you’re working from home. If you find yourself with more time in the day as a result of not commuting, use it to improve your physical health and ultimately benefit on your productivity and wellbeing.”

6. Take a moment to reflect

“It’s very rewarding to end your day by reflecting on what you’ve achieved. Recalling these success and highlights on a daily basis will help you maintain a positive outlook on your work.”

Tom ends by reassuring professionals: “As Malaysia continues to brave strict measures and keep the crisis in control, remote working has become an essential piece to keeping businesses afloat while preserving the health and safety of their employees. While many have already adapted to this new way of working for the first time, wellbeing may not always be top of mind. These tips are a reminder that a few proactive steps can go a long way in not only ensuring wellbeing, but keeping both morale and performance at a productive high.”

For more remote working tips, check out dedicated Hays Remote Working Hub.