5 Healthy Tips For Working From Home

COVID-19 has caused many people to shift to a work-from-home setting. This is a big change for many, and can negatively impact health. The transition to working from home requires changes in routine and schedule in order to stay healthy and happy. Luckily, there are many ways to stay healthy and happy while working from home. This working from home checklist will help your experience!

The Challenges of Working From Home

Working from home presents a multitude of difficulties. Pets, kids, pestering spouses, and an unstructured environment lead to challenges. Self-care, both physically and mentally, can seem entirely out of reach. When working from home, we are constantly distracted by others, tempted by unhealthy eating habits and sleep schedules, challenged by faulty WiFi, and lacking in movement or exercise. However, a change to your habits can help you feel healthier.

5 Healthy Tips for Working from Home

1. Have a Designated Space

Even if it’s just a desk in your bedroom or the kitchen table, establishing a space separate from your bed is important for work. Set up the area as if it’s your desk or office space. Have all the materials that you would need for work already there. Having the space look and feel professional will help you get in the right headspace for starting a day of at-home work.

Each morning, getting out of bed and moving to your work space helps you get into work-mode and prepare for the day. You should feel as if you are truly “going” to work. Your designated, separate space will help you focus and feel more comfortable. It isn’t easy switching from working in an office to working in your house, but designating a space mimics an office environment.

2. Healthy Sleep & Diet

Balanced meals, healthy snacks, and a solid eight hours of sleep a night helps regulate the body and reduce stress. Working from home increases stress levels while at work, and higher stress levels both influences having a bad diet and health. To combat this, sleep and diet should be well-balanced.

Establish and plan meals and snacks ahead of time. It’s easy to snack on junk food throughout the day when you have so much access to it, but this will not only create bad habits, but make you feel more rundown and sick. Planning well-balanced meals and eating healthy snacks will help with this. Fresh fruits, protein-rich foods, and vegetables are great foods to have around for a snack and to eat for meals.

Get a full eight hours of sleep. Being at home constantly means that Netflix binges and phone time are huge temptations. However, set a time at night to go to bed and strictly stay to this. Getting enough sleep is important to reducing stress levels and feeling good when starting off your day. Both a healthy diet and good sleep are important to work from home happiness.

3. Breaks for Movement & Relaxation

Working from home is often very sedentary. With no more morning commute or the need to move around an office, it’s easy to remain in your chair all day. This is terrible for your back and muscle tone, and can make you feel tired and worn-out faster.

Getting up and moving around when you start to feel tired, stressed out, or need a brain break is a great way to stay stress-free and healthy. Try going on brief, brisk walks throughout the day to get a little fresh air and exercise. For some mental relaxation, following a guided meditation for five, ten, or even fifteen minutes helps reduce stress. Apps such as Calm and Headspace are free and easy-to-access on your smartphone.

4. Keep a Schedule

It is easy to stray from a set schedule while working from home. Being at home tends to be unstructured, which often leads to increased stress levels and decreased productivity.

To help this, try creating a schedule that fits your life. Set a time to get up each morning and stick to it. Have scheduled breaks, exercise, and relaxation time. Know when you’ll step away from work for meals or snacks, and know when you’ll sign off for the day. Sticking to a schedule will make you feel more productive and overall comfortable. Productivity apps help with organizing, creating, and sticking to a schedule. Since creating a schedule and sticking to it can seem like a daunting task, download and use an app to help you with this step.

5. Maintain Your Social Life

Your social life is just as important as your work life. Being social helps us feel happier, which helps with stress management and overall body health. Maintaining a socially distanced social life doesn’t always seem easy or straightforward. However, there are a few simple ways to stay social.

Connect with your friends and family over social media platforms. Set a time each day to video chat with someone in order to stay feeling connected. Plan online game nights or happy hours with friends in order to be social. Finally, celebrate the little things with your friends. Finishing projects, the end of the week, or even just making it to the end of the day are all things to feel good about and celebrate.

Working From Home With a Partner or Kids

Having a partner or kids around when trying to get into a professional mode can be difficult. From interruptions to distractions, your partner or kids being at home with you makes work harder. Instead of getting frustrated with constant interruptions and distractions, involve them in your routine. Schedule time to spend with your household, take walks together, and eat meals together. Involving them in the work from home process helps everyone feel more at ease with each other and more bonded.

Stay Healthy While Working from Home

Working from home can be stressful, and can negatively impact your health. These five tips and suggestions help you stay healthy working from home. Most importantly: choose a good Internet provider. Nomad Internet provides excellent coverage and helps you feel less stressed and secure while working from home!