Christmas is right around the corner, and it’s the perfect time to start thinking of Christmas gift ideas for remote employees. Self-care is the best gift to support remote workers while showing appreciation for their hard work.
Society has come a long way in redefining what it means to work. Of course, working remotely was forced upon us due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But remote work has made an interesting impression and has shifted our standards and expectations.
Remote work is here to stay. It will become the standard as more companies let go of the office and embrace company culture in a new (and possibly more convenient) way. However, working from home means we have to rethink how we give corporate gifts and adapt to what may be valuable for remote workers and the different ways we can help them succeed.
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Challenges of Remote Work
If you’d ask a remote worker if they love working from home, they’d give you an immediate YES! But, while a remote lifestyle may seem like a dream come true (I mean, who hasn’t thought of working from home at some point in their lives), it doesn’t come without its own set of challenges.
I had the chance to ask a few remote workers what they found challenging about their remote working environment, and here are a few answers worth mentioning:
1. Lack of community
It can be challenging for workers who interact with remote teams to establish a genuine connection with those they work with. Remote working can affect team building and make it difficult to create a harmonious work environment, which has the potential to negatively affect motivation.
2. Time Management
Working in your place of choice or the comfort of your home should make you more disciplined, right? Wrong. Many remote workers have expressed their lack of work-life balance while working remotely. Remote workers may find themselves doing more work throughout their day when combining their home life and work life.
3. Burn-Out
Physical and emotional exhaustion, aka burnout, is a common symptom of being in the workforce. It just so happens that burnout doesn’t just happen in corporate settings but remotely too. Merging your personal and professional environment can lead to a loss of identity and reduced accomplishment.
4. Self-Neglect
Staying home all day to work, or working on the go, without much connection to others can put our minds and bodies in a state of stress and burnout, which can lead to neglect. A lot of people have reported that their self-care has been depleted while being home employees.
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Why Remote Workers Need Self-Care
Working remotely takes the saying “bringing your work home” to a new level. When discussing the need to implement self-care into our lives, we are told never to bring our work home to prevent stress, anxiety, and mental and emotional overload.
Here are a few reasons why self-care should be an essential practice for remote workers and why Christmas gift ideas for remote employees is necessary:
- Working from home requires more energy to be creative, innovative, and considerate of ourselves when thinking of ways to create an office space in our place of sanctuary constantly.
- Self-care can help one stay realistic and intentional in allocating time while “on the clock.”
- Self-care practices can help maintain self-awareness throughout the day to stay connected to your body’s needs (e.g., rest, food, water, or more movement).
- Prioritizing self-care can make weekends, time off, PTO, and vacations more nourishing and healing, setting them up for success throughout the week.
Related posts: Cheap Self-Care Gifts That Make Relaxing and Self-Love More Easy
How to Choose a Gift for Remote Employees
Let’s make this holiday season one where we make the extra effort to see one another and take the time to understand our challenges while constantly showing up for ourselves.
Without further ado, I’ve listed the 20 best Christmas gift ideas for remote employees to express gratitude and allow more room for self-care and self-love. Choose a gift you want to receive to assist you in your self-care journey.
Remote employee gift ideas
Ember Temperature Control Smart Cup
Price: $99.95
Working remotely can sometimes mean working from local coffee shops and cafes. This cup will give any remote worker the feeling of doing just that in the comfort of their home.
With the promise of keeping any beverage at your perfect drinking temperature, this cup will allow anyone to make room for a healing cup of tea or coffee.
Massage Gun Percussive Muscle Massager
Price: 49.99
Like an in-office employee, remote workers are sitting throughout their work day. So help them out with one of these fun gifts.
This high-performance percussive massager would be the perfect gift for a remote worker to prioritize much-needed love. It has eight massage heads to cater to your body in different ways.
Heating Pad for Neck and Shoulders
Price: $39.99
This machine-washable heating pad is excellent for combatting neck and back pain. It can be useful for any remote worker who finds themselves stiff from sitting all day.
Gift this heating pad to someone who may need a reminder to take care of themselves throughout their work day and encourage them to enjoy themselves while on their break or even while they work.
Time Management Manual and Planner
Price: 6.98
It can be easy to mismanage your time as a remote worker. The comfort and freedom of being home while working may make it hard to set time boundaries while working.
Since time management is a form of self-care, this inexpensive gift would be the best employee gift to give this Christmas.
UGG Women’s Leda Cozy Sock
Price: 20.00
If someone you know is working from home, why not help them make it as comfortable as possible?
These cozy socks are a fantastic gift. Small things like this can help remind someone to focus on their comfort and put themselves and how they feel first, even while working.
3 Pack Blue Light Blocking Glasses
Price: $11.79
This three pack of glasses is a great deal for any price range. Blue light glasses are a great gift that can make self-care easier for a remote worker.
This thoughtful gift not only protects the eyes’ health, but they are also stylish and come in a pack of 3. The variety compliments any outfit change, from pajamas and athleisure to business casual.
Self Love Baby – 20oz Stainless Steel Water
Price: $24.89
Remote work has the potential to make someone neglect themselves throughout their day. Something as simple as drinking water can be forgotten.
This chic stainless steel water bottle can help someone remember to take a break to hydrate their body properly. The capacity of this bottle to grab in go to the gym on a walk or errands.
Starbucks Gift Cards
Price: $25-200
A Starbucks gift card is a great holiday season gift and one of the best virtual gifts. Working from home can be difficult, and something as simple as getting to leave out early for a flavored coffee or during your break for a yummy frappuccino.
This ideal gift is an easy way to help anyone enjoy the many seasonal drinks introduced this time of year.
Paula’s Choice Lip Booster, Hydrating Treatment
Price: $29.00
Remote work usually requires sitting in front of a screen for a better part of the day.Constant exposure to screens can affect the skin, including the lips.
This lip balm is one of the best items to gift someone. It’s packed with hydrating ingredients to keep someone’s lips healthy and feel good while they work.
Foldable Lap Desk
Price: $37.99
Remote workers can work from anywhere, even their beds. This lap desk can help bring some comfort and self-care to a workday. Whether they want breakfast in bed before work or to work on the sofa, this lap desk can help.
This lap desk is foldable and portable and comes with drawer space and a cup holder. It has plenty of space and comes in a variety of colors.
Adjustable Wood Desktop Organizer
Price: $25.99
This one is for all of the remote workers with home offices. Working from home is arguably easier than going to the office, but it may not come with the organization of an office.
A desk organizer is one of the best gifts you can give someone to help them tidy up their surroundings and office supplies and fill their day with organization and cleanliness.
Decorative Extra Soft Faux Fur Throw Blanket
Price: $21.99
A soft, cozy, warm blanket can be the easiest way to encourage someone to care for themselves while remote working.
It doesn’t matter if they use the blanket to stay warm while working or napping between breaks. This blanket is a good choice.
Aromatherapy Oil Diffuser and Essential Oil Set
Price: $49.94
This type of gift help remote workers set up a relaxing homework environment by gifting them an oil diffuser and an essential oil set.
This oil diffuser cancels background noise with its white noise feature. It also has relaxing sounds and nightlights. So it’s a perfect self-care tool for day and night.
Glass Water Bottle with Time Marker Reminder
Price: $19.98
Drinking the right amount of water can take time and effort while working from home. This 32-ounce glass water bottle can be the answer to that.
With its time makers and inspirational reminder quotes, this gift goes the extra mile to help someone make the extra effort. They will be encouraged to dedicate time and focus on their health and hydration.
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Self-Care Package Spa Kit
Price: $56.95
Gift boxes are a great gift for a remote worker to enjoy before or after work.
Like in-office employees, remote workers need to unwind after a hard work day. Give the gift of self-care by allowing someone to pause and cater to themselves. This gift set comes with bath bombs, steamers, oils, and butter.
Unboxme Lavender Spa Gift Box
Price: $46.00
This gift basket has everything to ensure a full day of self-care from morning to night.
Full of warm socks, hand cream, lavender soap, and a ceramic mug, it would be easy to add in some me-time while working from home with this fantastic gift.
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Modern Home Office Desk Chair
Price: $129.99
If a remote worker could benefit from anything, it’s an ergonomic desk chair. This chair offers comfort, a design made for comfort and good posture.
The adjustable features of this desk chair make it easy to adjust to self-care needs. It’s also stylish and comes in a variety of colors that can fit into any home office.
Nutruit Gourmet Healthy Snack Variety Box (Pack of 20)
Price: $28.79
Working from home can encourage more snacking than usual when there’s unlimited access to the pantry and fridge. So why not help remote worker manage their cravings with healthy snack boxes?
This snack box is full of healthy snacks that are vegan, gluten-free, non-GMO, plant-based, and have high protein ad fiber.
Air Purifying Plant- Chamaedorea Elegans Parlour Palm
Price: $21.59
An air-purifying plant is one of those unique office gifts that can help a remote worker indulge in self-care without trying to reduce brain fog, fatigue, and allergies.
Since remote workers spend a reasonable amount of time in their homes working, air quality is essential. The be== best part is this plant can provide a personal touch to any home office.
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Personalized Insulated Coffee Mug with Lid
Price: $27.99
Personalized gifts are perfect as holiday gifts for remote workers. It’s a thoughtful gift that can help make a remote office space comfier.
This insulated coffee mug can be used for coffee, tea, or even a quick matcha latte to get any worker’s day going.
What Are The Right Gifts for Remote Workers?
In attempts to create better work environments, happier employees, and make room for an overall better life experience, employers are making remote work the new normal. With this change, we must also make the practice of self-care our new normal
One of the top gifts to give is the gift of self-care. This Christmas season, consider adding a few of these Christmas gift ideas for remote employees to your shopping list. Choose a gift you want to receive to assist you in your self-care journey.
Gift them to a hardworking friend, partner, or family member to show how much you care about their self-care. Show that you thoughtfully appreciate them by encouraging them to value themselves.
We Want to Hear From You
Have any Christmas gift ideas for remote employees? Let us know in the comments below!
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A Holiday Guide of Practical Wellness Gifts You Need This Year