Work from home was one of the most common things in 2020 and it may continue for longer. But do not worry about that since we have got you covered on how to manage your workouts, food, and health in these times.
Creating a work-life balance at home can be just as tough as it was in normal times since Work From Home leads to you eating and sleeping at hay-wire times.
Unlike your office, you can eat n number of times and all these habits may create havoc in your weight loss process or if you wanted to stay healthy or even if you had decided to lead a better and balanced life.
Do not stress, It’s better late than never. We will be mentioning some strategies and tips on how to stay healthy and eliminate sources of stress even when you have to work from home.
1. Have A Specific Workplace
Pick a quiet room or a corner in some room where you can keep a desk and your belongings. This helps you be away from the noise of the house and since this place has all your needed work things, it will help create a mindset of working.
Not only would this help you to work more efficiently but it will also indicate to others at your house that you are at work and are not to be disturbed. Having a separate space can make a huge difference since it will help you get accustomed to the space which will lead to lesser visits to the kitchen to snack on something.
Also, keep an ideal office chair to keep your back in a comfortable position.
2. Do Not Work Near The Kitchen
This will completely beat the purpose of the above point since your trips to the kitchen will increase leading to you eating more food as compared to normal. This would also lead to mindless snacking on things you find, also the kitchen is a place used by everyone in the family so there may be an increased disturbance and thus less concentration.
3. Plan Not Only Your Work Schedule But Also Your Meal Timings
Even a loose schedule can help you divide your work at home and not create work pressure. Every morning decide what you will be covering and also at what time will you start and end your day. This will give you a basic idea of how many hours are you putting in and also what your break timings look like.
In your breaks, you can divide it and prepare quick breakfast and lunch options. For snacks, you can keep a box of nuts or seeds, or fruit handy so that you do not have to venture into the kitchen.
4. Prep Your Meals for The Day
Good nutrition is very important for your mind to work at its full capacity and also for your body to feel energetic throughout your day. It is hard to concentrate when you are always hungry or have eaten too many empty calories.
On the weekends you can stock up your house with many fruits, vegetables, nuts, milk, curd, etc. You can think and decide what you will be cooking for the next few days and prepare accordingly. You can buy high protein foods, and whole grains and avoid buying sugary drinks or chips so that this removes the feeling to reach out for these foods.
5. Workout Early In The Morning
You can start waking up 30 minutes before you would normally and do regular exercise during that time. This will help you to start your day on a fresher note and you would not feel guilty for not working out throughout the day.
You will not have to fit in an exercise routine that you may or may not follow in between your work time because there are high chances of something popping up. You can plan a walk or a gym session or a quick full-body workout early in the morning. Since you will be rejuvenated for work you will be more creative and also work at full capacity.
6. Keep a Bottle Of Water With You
Working continuously can lead to you forgetting to drink water which may lead to dehydration. Dehydration may cause brain fogginess, confusion, and headaches which will delay your work further. It is also found that if you have a bottle of water with you, you consume more water which is always beneficial. Research has found that sometimes people age confused about whether they are thirsty or hungry so whenever you feel hungry, sip on water, and if the hunger persists then grab a snack.
7. When You Eat, Just Eat
It might seem like a fairly common point, but it is very important. You might feel tempted to do some work and get done faster but do not do this because mindful eating is very important. If you do not concentrate fully on eating, you will feel hungry within a short period whereas if you eat slowly and calmly you will feel fuller and more amped up to complete your work. Always sit and eat without using a phone or any device for a soothing meal.
8. Keep Doing Some Desk Exercises
After certain intervals do some exercises to keep the body moving and mind alert. Exercises like triceps dips, desk pushups, arm circles, and wall pushups can be done for the upper body. Chair squats, calf raises and wall sits can be done for the lower body. Each of these can be done for 20 counts 1-2 times.
Most importantly keep doing eye exercises like spot an object 20ft away and focus on it for 15 seconds and keep your thumb 10 inches away and focus on it for 15 seconds. Follow the 20-20-20 rule to avoid eye strain. After 20 minutes of using a device focus on an object 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
9. Keep Your Mental Health A Priority
While working from home is rewarding, you should overwork. That’s right! You may tend to overwork even if you are working from home. This can take a toll on your mental health and you may experience certain mental health issues and feelings of stress from uncompleted work or increasing workload.
To avoid this employee burnout, we have some helpful strategies for you:
- Plan your daily work schedule by a list of tasks on a paper or notes on your computer and work your way through.
- Once your major and challenging tasks are off the way, take a relaxing break and sip some coffee or snack.
- If your job permits so, opt for flexible work schedules. This can definitely help create a healthier work-life balance.
- Don’t commit for a workload you won’t be able to perform in a day. Take only what you can do without stressing yourself too much. Regular work-related stress can happen but don’t go overboard.
- If you are experiencing anxiety or depressive symptoms during work, talk to your employer and try to schedule time with a therapist. Always keep your mental health a priority.
10. Have A Quality Sleep At Night
It is very easy to mess up your schedule once every while especially when you are working from home in flexible hours. Avoid major time-wasting tasks and keep a fixed sleep schedule. Take out time everyday to unwind yourself before sleep. Get rid of unnecessary stress and workload and keep this time to do anything that keeps your relaxed be it a warm bath or and relax yourself with a chamomile tea or any other you prefer.
Bottom Line
Work from home is rewarding, yet it can take a toll on your physical health. Try practicing these tips regularly so you can stay fit while working in the comfort of your home.
