Following the outbreak of the Corona Virus Pandemic which led to lockdown in different countries, the concept of heading out to work changed. The pandemic not only made it difficult to go to work, but it also made it very unsafe. Companies and organizations have had to adapt to working from home. Now, going to work no longer involves heading out the door. Some organizations have fixed a tentative date for the physical resumption of work. Others on the other hand are looking towards making work from home a more permanent arrangement or at least an option for employees.
Working from home disrupted routines and life as we know it. Even though working from can be convenient as you are working from a relaxed location, it still has its challenges. One of such challenges is how it can make you lose track of time. When you had to go to work, it was easy to have a schedule for workouts, breakfast, lunch, walks, and other recreational activities. Working from home makes it easy for you to lose track of time or even any sense of time. People are beginning to realize how much waking up and preparing to head out to work helped the capacity to maintain a routine. It has become very necessary to keep and maintain a healthy routine.
Another major area that working from home has been able to affect is the health of remote workers. People have become less conscious of their diet plans, exercise plans, work postures, and many other things.
We have put together tips to stay healthy while working from home.
- Create an office space – You have to assign a designated portion of your house solely for work. Working from your comfort places like your bed or couch can cause your mind to associate those places to work even when you are not working. This can hinder your ability to relax in your own home. We cannot be sure when this whole work-from-home arrangement will be over. You, therefore, want to avoid increasing your stress level just by saying in your home. Irrespective of the size of your house, you should set aside an office space. Your space can be as small as just setting a worktable and chair, so your mind knows that when you’re there it’s time for work.
- Use good furniture – Bad posture at work leads to different types of musculoskeletal pain. Bad posture also has other side effects. A considerable amount of the 24 hours in a day is spent working. This makes it important for you to get the right table and chair for your workspace. Considering your body features, invest in comfortable furniture. When getting a table, you can get one that can be converted to a standing table. Whenever your back needs a break, you can increase the length and stand. You need to maintain a sit-stand balance. Good furniture helps your posture and ultimately your health.
- Have a routine – Many professionals have complained of not having their own time in the new work-from-home arrangement. Work comes in at any time and you are expected to deliver. It is best to have a schedule. Wake up early as you would have when you had to head out to work. Have a morning routine that should include a workout session and a healthy breakfast. It has become even more important to exercise because you no longer have to go anywhere. Your body does not get the exercise it gets when you walk from place to place trying to get to and back from work. You will need to have regular stretches and exercises to ensure that your body is in good shape. If your work is one that no longer has regard to the time of day, then you can find a way to work around the flexibility that it brings. You can do this by having a to-do list asides from your actual work. When you do not have work early in the morning, you can do some of the things on the list instead of waiting till the evening which should have been your official closing time. Find a way to work around it but ensure that you do all that you need to do in a day.
- Eat healthily – Staying at home all day makes it easy for you to eat more than you usually would eat. It is easy for you to find your way to the fridge and have a snack at an unusual time. To help you stay healthy, you can stock up on healthy snacks. Buy more fruits and veggies so even when you are eating too much, it’s at least healthy. It is also important for you to stay properly hydrated. Drink lots of water and healthy fluids. Certain fruits can serve as hydrating snacks. Taking fluids can also help you move around more because the more fluids you take, the more times you have to go to the bathroom.
- Meditate – Meditation helps you to become more mindful. When working from home, it is easy to become distracted. It can also be easy to get too overwhelmed by work to the extent that you do not leave your worktable. What’s more, you still have to worry about coronavirus. All these things and more are stress factors that can easily make you burned out. Meditate and be more conscious of your mindset. Meditating will help you maintain a balance and control in your mind and ultimately, your health.
- Have a virtual community – Working from home has made it so easy to not keep in touch with co-workers. These are people you were used to seeing and talking to daily. Man is a social animal and so you need a community even if it is not your co-workers. A virtual community can be your virtual gym class or any other group. Just ensure that you have people to talk to who can help you feel motivated.