Tips to stay healthy while working from home

Work from home(WFH), these words sound pleasant for many. You don’t have to put extra effort into dressing up for the office, reach the office through all that traffic, get up in the morning, and then run to the office. Hit the snooze and sleep for some extra hours, the majority do that. You can attend a call directly from the couch or even a better place- bed. What else does a person need? You can do much of your work munching potato chips and looking for some extra snacks. Yes, work from home gives you this much liberty, so why would anyone hate it? But, at what cost and How can one stay healthy while working from home(WFH)? Here are some tips to stay healthy while working from home. 🙂

WFH comes with additional challenges. Your decreased physical activity, binge-eating, and bad posture while working can put you in some severe long-term troubles. It requires a lot of self-discipline and motivation to step out of bed and get ready for a workout (even if they are home-workouts).

You will have to put in some extra effort in winters, as the motivation also dips with the temperature that time. Also, bad posture can cause back pain, neck pain, etc. The next most important thing that can bring significant change in your health is binge-eating. So, binge eating with reduced physical activity and bad posture while working will harm physical health and mental well-being. 

Working from home?-  Here’s how you can stay healthy

1. Plan your day: Plan your day well and stick to it. This is one of the most challenging tasks that you’re supposed to do. Sticking to it is the next big challenge because everyone can make a plan, but a few can stick to it. Even if you’re going to stay at home, make a plan and follow it. 
2. Plan your workouts: Planning even includes your workouts and not just your daily tasks. Dedicate some time for exercising, morning or evening, anything. But stick to your workout routine. You can give yourself many excuses for not working out, but doing this every day will create an impact on your physical and mental health. You may find it more challenging to get out of the blanket in the winter season, as the motivation dips with temperature. Check out some tips that will help you get out of the blanket and get the benefits of winter workouts.
3. Identify your workspace: You’re not supposed to build something special. Most of us have a basic table and chair in our homes. So, identify your workspace and don’t work sitting in a blanket or on a comfortable couch. If your job needs a lot of screen time and typing, you can also stand and work as this will help you improve your posture. Otherwise, a gym ball will help you engage all your core muscles while balancing them and prevent slouching. 
4. Take small breaks: Make sure you move every hour. You can take a 5-10 min walk or go and drink some water. Walk and talk to burn some additional calories. Stretching or a 10-15 minutes mini workout session in breaks can help you a lot. Usually, a walk to the office(if it’s near) or stairs helps us stay active, but this is not possible when you’re working from home. So, you have to identify yourselves that how can you stay fit and active. Sitting continuously for long hours is harmful to health, don’t do that.
5. Get some healthy snacks: Work from home brings another challenge of mindless snacking, which can quickly shoot up your daily calorie intake. So, shop right and store some healthy snacks and fruits. Many different brands offer tasty and nutritious snacks. Store nutritious stuff and avoid storing junk food because what is out of sight is out of mind.
6. Follow a proper eating schedule: Every office has a lunchtime, but people usually mess up their eating schedules while working from home. You are getting up late every morning, spending hours in bed, and then eating whatever and whenever. This freedom might sound good, but it is not. Your poor eating schedule will put you into a problem if you do that daily. You might also eat more than your daily calorie requirement, and your chances of unhealthy snacking increase.
7. Invesṭ in your health: If you can spend money on weekend parties, expensive gadgets, etc., then you can invest something in your health also. Though it’s your choice and your money, an investment in health will give you a better return. Get a stability ball, store some healthy snacks, buy a yoga mat or gym equipment. They will help you stay fit even if you can’t step out. And, if you’re not ready to invest, then you can perform exercises that require no equipment like jumping jacks, push-ups, lunges, squats, dips, etc. 
8. Take care of your mental health: Not everyone likes working from home, which can incite a feeling of isolation and other mental health issues. Stay connected to your close ones and practice meditation, yoga, journaling, etc., to deal with such problems. You can always reach out to the people who care. Also, there’s an amazing link between food and mood. So, your mental health can also be affected by the food you eat. Make sure you nourish yourself with the best nutritious food. Don’t be harsh on yourself for this, and you’re amazing as you’re.

Conclusion:

These are few tips to stay healthy while working from home. But, they are of no use if you aren’t disciplined. We can very well understand the fact that pandemic has pushed everyone into a different mental state. And it is not always easy to stay motivated.

But small steps daily can help you build healthy habits and even pull you out from bad days. Exercise and food can change the mood quickly, so make sure you get those benefits. Good physical and mental health can solve the majority of your problems. 

Don’t forget to share this with your friends and take care. 🙂