How to Stay Healthy When Working from Home

Staying Healthy When Working from Home

Staying healthy Working from HomeDid you know, people who work from home report higher levels of happiness than those who have to drive to work every day.

But…working from home means (most of the time) longer hours because we push ourselves to do better or feel we didn’t do enough.  As we all know, long hours in front of a computer screen is detrimental to our overall well being.

Staying healthy when working from home is actually more challenging than one would think.  So what should we keep in mind in order to ensure we’re looking after our health when working from home?

Avoid the Junk Food Trap

When you get a bit lonely or are facing a deadline working on your project it’s all too easy to reach for your favorite junk food and eat it mindlessly at your desk. I  know, I’ve done it more then once…still doing it once in a while :(.  And perhaps, once in a while it’s OK but don’t let it become a habit, it sneaks up on you so be aware. We don’t want you to get mad at the bathroom scale :). Health is always number one, unfortunately we tend to forget that at times. 

Treat your home office as you would at work use it for working and your kitchen for eating. My home office is upstairs and if I want a snack I come down to the kitchen. This also gives me an opportunity to move my body. Cooking meals once a week saves time and ensures you are eating healthy home cooked meals Well, that is if you actually cook healthy 🙂 but I assume you do. Most people who take the time to cook also take the time to cook healthy.  If possible, don’t even buy junk food or buy or keep minimal amount of junk food in the house. 

Have a Set  Schedule 

It sure helps to have a set time to eat, take breaks and exercise. If you’re anything like me, you can find yourself getting lost in your work for hours and that is not good for your health. Our body suffers when we just sit in one place. Pry yourself away from your desk and stick to your schedule. You will be more productive.

If you keep on working without proper breaks you’ll burn out sooner or later, not to mention you will not be an enjoyable company to your family. I’ve been there done that….It could even bit you the next day. When we get super tired and don’t eat healthy most of us suffer the next day. So it’s totally not worth it. 

Instead, have set breakfast, lunch, and dinner times that you arrange your workaround. If you must, set alarms to remind you that mealtime is soon approaching. 

Small Bursts of Exercise

Take small 2-3 minute breaks every 50 minutes or so. We actually do this at the office too. You can set alarms on your phone to remind you to get moving. My fitness watch automatically nags at me when I’ve been sitting at my desk for over an hour without taking a quick exercise break. 

Stretching and moving around a bit gets the blood pumping around the body again and when you come back to your desk you’ll be refreshed and ready to go. Your mind will be less foggy and you’ll be able to work for longer hours simply because you’ve taken the time for breaks and a little light exercise. You can read more about how this improves your health and work performance at Psychology Today. 

You have more control over your time when working from home so consider using this flexibility to offset your sedentary lifestyle. All of the time that you’re saving from commuting can be put into gym time, jogging, or a yoga routine. Make sure that each day has some activities that get you out of the house.

Let’s not forget Sleep

Good sleep is the foundation of good health, and yet people who work from home often have poorer sleep quality than those who work in an office mainly because some would work late at night and not turn off their electronics in time for the brain and the eyes to relax and settle.  Commit to a time that you’ll clock off each day and get to bed at a reasonable time each night. 

After you finish each day, stick to a routine that allows you to unwind and relax before bed. Consider leaving your smartphone out of the bedroom and using an old-fashioned alarm clock if you struggle to put it down before bedtime. At the very least put your phone on silence and on airplane mode. 

Office Furniture Ergonomics

Avoid back pain and repetitive strain injuries by investing in an ergonomic chair and desk. Consider a standing desk if you have the room for it. Make sure your keyboard, mouse, and computer monitor are at the perfect height. 

When working from home, you need to be extra conscious to take care of yourself. There are fewer people around to keep an eye on you and you can easily push yourself too hard while simultaneously neglecting important health concerns. Eat right, sleep right, and get the right amount of exercise and you’ll be able to do more each day, all while feeling a lot better too.

Enjoy the freedom to work from home. Make the most of it! 🙂

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    The main reason I bought the fresh basil plant was because I simply like the taste of it and I knew I will be using it a lot. I do not have a “green thumb” so this is a very convenient way for me to have a fresh herb.

    I have been using basil for a while now and I thought, geeh, it must have some healthy benefits so I decided to check that out online….where else? 🙂

    I have to say I am so pleasantly surprised by all the  benefits basil has that I will make sure my little plant stays healthy providing me with a lot of fresh leaves for months to come.

     

    In addition to the many benefits of basil you will find on most sites when searching online, I want to mention a couple that might not be so readily found: 

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    Simply rub the basil leaf on your mosquito bite and reap the benefits. It helps with itching, swelling and disinfecting.

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    Are you using basil? If so what is your favorite way of using it?

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      I feel somewhat useless and helpless when it come to dealing with people with anxiety or depression. I realize that I am very lucky not to have suffered from these scary and very real diseases. My problem is that have no skills on dealing with or talking to people who are suffering…I feel very inadequate and I never seem to say the right thing so I just listen most of the time.

      There are people who discount the seriousness of mental illness but in my experience most of the time they, just like me, don’t know how ot react or what to say when faced with the situation. We hear a lot about the stigma of mental illness and how most of those suffering feel shunned or even afraid to mention their problems because of the stigma. I personally wish there would be more education on how to deal with people who are close to us and need our support and help.

      But I digress…..

      Let’s talk about this natural, easy to make home remedy for depression and anxiety

      When I was reading the article about anxiety and depression this morning I scrolled down and read the comments people left. Love reading comments…

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      Yvonne shared her experience with Dr Mercola’s bone broth recipe. I love any kind of natural home remedy and this seems to be a classic.

      If you suffer from anxiety, depression or any kind of mental illness please give it a try.

      At worst you have some good tasting soup for a while.

      Here is another place to check out a yummy bone broth recipe. Let me know if you tried both, which one you like better and why.

      Please leave a comment. Have you heard of this remedy, have you tired it? I respond to every comment.

       

       

       

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        Personal trainers? …. Hmmm…Don’t think so…

        Vegan diet?……Hmmm…Not that either

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          • How many are coming?
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          Try to find out how many are coming for the occasion so you can prepare enough food. If you are uncertain about the number of guest coming it is always best to overestimate but not too much. Any extra food can always be used next day or frozen or you may ask the guest to take some home.

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          • It is always best when you are not rushed. A lot of us like to procrastinate and wait till the last minute before we do what we need to do. If some parts of your dish can be prepared hours or days ahead, than do it.
          • Avoid trying out new recipes especially if you plan to make it on the very day of the said occasion. It is always best to try out new recipes when you are not rushed and you have time to do adjustments to make the dish right.

          Help is just a click away, many sites on the internet have many recipes that you can pick from. Again opt for simple yet delicious and healthy meals to prepare. What would be the point of going to all the trouble of cooking a fancy dish if it will just cause you to stress out and later on not enjoy your guests company because you are too tired.

          The important thing when cooking for a special occasion is that not only the guest enjoys your food and the company but you, the host should also enjoy not just cooking for the occasion but being there.

          Special occasions are suppose to be a time we look forward to being together with family and friends. You can eliminate or avoid the stress and tension of having to cook for a special occasion if you just stick to the tips given above. The key is planning properly and allowing as much time as possible.

          Please leave a comment and let me know how do you deal with the cooking for special occasions.

          To your health

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