From flexibility in performing tasks to saving you from the stress of commuting to the workplace, there are many advantages of working from home.

However, working from home can take a toll on the mental health of WFH cybersecurity experts, IT security professionals and other remote workers. Some people may think that you have little distractions at home because coworkers won’t be able to come by your desk and bug you. However, missing out on human interaction has significant negative impacts in the long run. 

The WFH life can be great, but adjusting to the trend may take time and can be difficult on the mental health of the workers. From lack of motivation and loneliness to increased pressure to work longer hours, a new set of issues awaits the growing remote workforces across the globe.

These are some of the ways to keep yourself physically and mentally fit when working from home. You will be able to live the best remote work life when you follow this WFH cybersecurity survival guide.

1. Use a Good Broadband:

   You need a reliable Internet connection to work successfully from the comfort of your home. The faster your connection, the better your work speed. You need to make full use of your broadband when working from home. You also need to ensure you have a strong connection. This will increase your productivity. 

2. Download a Reliable Video Conferencing App:

   You will need quick broadband if you want to be attending video conferencing meetings with your colleagues at work. Also, install the application from a reputable video conferencing company. Always update the video conferencing application when you receive a new update.

3. Use Instant Messaging or Real-time Group Chat:

   If your office has a standard Microsoft team or Slack, you will need it to work from home. You can also use Google Hangouts Chat. Additionally, you can find open-source, cloud-based instant message applications.

4. Use a Remote Desktop:

   Do you need access to your office desktop because your laptop is not functioning? It’s always ideal to have an official laptop that you can use for work duties. However, if you don’t have access to one, you can use some remote desktop programs such as Teamviewer or Microsoft Remote Desktop.

5. Use a Meditation App:

   Meditation has been proven to enhance mental health by reducing mental stress and decreasing anxiety. It also helps you sleep better. If you have not tried it before, you can start today. There are many meditation applications that are available; all you need is to choose one. Normally, they are free and they are sufficient if you just want to meditate.

6. Take a Break and Do Some Exercise:

   Exercising for a few minutes every day can decrease your anxiety and enhance your strength. Use a timer on your mobile phone and set a reminder to take a break and rest your eyes.

7. Make a Checklist:

   A checklist is one of the easiest ways to reduce the chaos in your life. When you are working from home, you may have lots of things at hand. As a cybersecurity expert, there is a need to review your checklist in order to prevent threats from cybercriminals. 

8. Have a Schedule:

   Generally, do some time management and plan out your days. When things are unpredictable and chaotic, as they often are for remote workforce teams, the best thing you can do is have a process in place. If anything goes awry, you will be able to have something that will keep your day organized. 

9. Have a Plan for Loneliness:

   Loneliness is one of the negative effects of working remotely. You go from seeing your coworkers every day to seeing no one, especially when you’re living alone. The lack of social contact and face-to-face interactions can be frustrating and depressing. Therefore, ensure you schedule some social activities. As a remote worker, you can fend off loneliness by booking a friend once a week or once every two weeks for a virtual coffee to have a chat and talk about things that are not related to work. You can also use a video conferencing platform. The next best thing apart from seeing someone physically is to see their face on video. There are many applications you can use to make video calls.

10. Find a Task to Accomplish Every Day:

    It might be updating your software and preventing any cyber risk, using a VPN to encrypt your data, or taking your dog for a walk. Find something that you can look forward to at the end of each workday. This will give you peace of mind and the practice of gratitude. Sometimes our brains need a little assistance to reboot and think about some things that are not related to work. There is no better way than focusing on what really matters in life.

Don’t burn yourself out, don’t give out confidential information to cybercriminals, and don’t put yourself at risk of cybercrime. Ensure you practice these tips and stay healthy while you work from home.

If you need a cybersecurity tool that can make your remote work effective and offer you the right WFH security survival guide, then choose Vicarius. Vicarius is a vulnerability management software that targets cybersecurity officers and operators, as well as IT managers and operators from the U.S. market.

Photo by Andreas Wagner on Unsplash