Ways to Stay Healthy While Working From Home
In theory, working from home sounds like an obviously healthier workday, right? Wrong. While you won’t be tied into unhealthy office snacks and long, mentally draining commutes, you also have the freedom to sit in your pajamas all day on the couch, which can be just as unhealthy.
Luckily, you are in complete control of your workday when working from home. Here are a few ways to stay healthy while working from home.
Create a Balanced Day
Being able to access your work can make it hard to step away at the end of the workday, which can impact your positive work experiences and overall mental health. It can also make it hard to stay focused during the eight hours you should be working.
Try to create a balanced schedule to stay on top of your work during the right parameters and don’t give in to temptations to do a little extra work after dinner, either. Having an end-of-day ritual for shutting down your daily work can make it easier to separate work and post-work hours.
Make Your Own Office
Unhealthy habits can form when you get too comfortable slouching on the couch with a laptop on your lap. This can lead to back, neck, and wrist pain. Set up a mini office in your house—even if it is the kitchen table—to sit in a proper seated position.
Eat and Drink Smart
While the office temptations will be gone, new ones will appear from your kitchen like the Oreos in the pantry or the soda in the fridge. Bring a healthy snack to your make-shift home office to avoid indulging in unhealthy snacks or visits to the kitchen due to boredom eating.
Be sure to always have water at your desk, too. Drinking plenty of water is always important to fight the harmful symptoms of dehydration, and it can be easy to forget to drink enough water when your normal office routine has changed.
Take a Break
Breaks are imperative to our mental health, and they can be beneficial to our physical health, as well. If you’ve been locked in on your work for hours, take a few minutes to step away. Reset your mind, give your eyes a rest from looking at a computer, and try going for a walk or simply moving around the room to get your blood flowing.
There are many ways to stay healthy while working from home that are completely customizable to your liking, from eating healthier snacks to using an after-work ritual to balance your home life.
