Self-Care Guide: 10 Questions to Ask Yourself While Working From Home

I’m a big proponent of self-care. We overwork, we're too hard on ourselves, and we move at paces that are often hard to keep up with emotionally. Good mental health is crucial to our overall well-being, and it’s especially important to be aware of how we’re feeling in our work-from-home space. Here’s a list of 10 simple, but important questions that I ask myself every day in order to practice self-care while working from home.

1. Am I hydrated?

This question might seem obvious, but I’m one of those people who forget to drink water, like, all the time. If I notice that I haven’t had a glass of water in a few hours, I’ll fill a jug, water bottle, or some other large container and place it at my work station to remind myself to stay hydrated.

2. Did I shower or bathe?

The first thing I do when I get out of bed in the morning is wash my face or take a shower. When I can’t find the time to fully shower, I’ll douse my face in cold water, which helps me wake up and feel ready to tackle the day. If you’re someone who prefers to showers at night, don’t skip this part of your routine. Showering is linked to increasing oxytocin (the cuddle hormone), reducing anxiety, and relaxing tense muscles, which can help you sleep better.

3. Have I eaten something substantial?

Sometimes I experience random bouts of low-energy. It’s what I like to call mushy brain! For a quick fix, I’ll make myself a healthy snack. My go-to is Greek yogurt with honey, blueberries, and granola, or a smoothie. If I need something more filling without too much prep work, I’ll make salmon, chicken and veggies over rice, or enhanced ramen (instant ramen with bok choy, enoki and shiitake mushrooms, shrimp or some other protein, tofu, and a raw egg).

4. Am I dressed?

I tend to stay in pajamas if I’m not seeing anyone or going outside. I’ve been especially lazy about getting dressed since I started working from home. However, I’ve found that working in the same outfit that I slept in the night before makes me feel less productive. If it’s been one or two days since I put on clean clothes that aren’t pajamas, I'll make sure to wear something different, like jeans or a comfy sweater.

5. Have I moved my body?

If I notice that I’m having difficulty focusing on a task or assignment at work, I'll walk around the house, play piano, do laundry, or stretch my arms and legs. I try to practice yoga at least 4 times a week. If I don’t make it to my mat that day, I’ll incorporate some yoga poses into my stretches. If it’s a good day and there aren’t too many people outside, I’ll go on a walk or light run. If it’s an especially good day, I’ll sing or dance to a song! Daily exercise can help increase productivity.

6. Did I listen to music, read, or create something?

Creating can be incredibly therapeutic. Listening to music, reading a book, painting, playing an instrument, cooking, or engaging in other creative pursuits not only gives us time to ourselves but also provides purpose. When we feel a sense of meaning and purpose in our daily lives, we may have a more positive outlook overall and confidence in our ability to manage intense emotions.

7. Do I feel useless, unattractive, or unproductive?

My inner self-critic is brutal. Whenever I start to self-criticize, I mentally tell myself to stop, then actively try to replace my critical thoughts with realistic statements. For example, if I start thinking, “You did a terrible job running that meeting. Nobody wanted to be there,” a more realistic statement would be something like, “You ran the meeting as best as you could at the end of a long day.” Paying attention to your thoughts will help you balance self-improvement with self-acceptance.

8. Do I feel tired and have I taken a break?

Managing work-life balance can be tough, especially while working from home. I’ve found that developing and sticking to a routine can help. In the mornings, I wash my face, then open my blinds and place my plants by the window. After that, I make coffee. Finally, I head to my workspace and review tasks that I need to complete for the day. I’ve also found that taking lunch breaks in a different room, going on walks, and unplugging for at least a few hours at night help stabilize my day. When you’re feeling overworked, take a 15-minute break (or more) and don’t feel bad about it.

9. Did I write in my journal?

I’ve been writing in journals since I was a kid, but it wasn’t a serious endeavor until the beginning of 2020, when I received this AM + PM Journal from Barnes & Noble as a gift during quarantine. Journaling is one of the best methods of self-care for me because it allows me to be introspective, vent, and jot down all my thoughts in one place. I don’t start or end my day until I’ve written in my journal.

10. Have I smiled, laughed, or said something nice to someone?

This is the most important question I ask myself. There are a number of health benefits connected to smiling and laughing, including the release of endorphins (the happy hormone) and the reduction of cortisol (the stress hormone). Simply put, smiling and laughing makes us feel good and improves mental health. It’s easy to get consumed by my own thoughts and problems, but if I can bring joy to at least one person a day, I feel happier and hopeful that things will work out.