Working from home has become much more common these days. The truth is, even without the Coronavirus, working from home can be one of the healthiest and best decisions of our lives. Successfully working from home and staying healthy can be easy, as long as we set up the right boundaries and remember to check in with our physical and mental health regularly. Let’s walk through a few tips to help keep healthy and happy while working from home– even when COVID isn’t around.
Tips to Staying Healthy While Working From Home
Get up and move around
Once we start working for ourselves from home, it can be easy to get sucked into work and not move the body for hours. It can also be easy to get sucked into this same routine day after day, seven days a week. Neither approach is healthy or sustainable long term. What’s healthier is to set a routine that includes breaks, lunch, and getting up at least once an hour to let your legs move and your mind rest for a minute. Did you know that taking breaks may increase productivity? Taking breaks from work for weekends with family and vacation days can also increase productivity. Ever notice how you get more done when you feel refreshed and energized versus when you’re tired and overworked?
Establish a routine that works for you
One of the most important parts about working from home is establishing a routine that works for you and your family. Everyone’s got a schedule and you want yours to fit in smoothly. Schedule work time and you will be more likely to get work done during that period. Include eating and snack breaks in your routine, as well as physical exercise once daily if possible. With that same mindset, schedule your self-care days. That’s right, schedule exercise time, self-care time, and even family time if need be – because otherwise the task you prioritize least just won’t get done.
Establish a home-work space that works for you
When you first start working from home, prepare your home-work space to be a soothing and stress-free yet productive environment. Include a good chair, natural light, and anything else that keeps you calm, cool, and collected throughout the workday. Give yourself room to organize and file important documents and/or work materials. Make it known to the household that when you are in your work zone, you are in do-not-disturb mode. They will find that easier to follow than your new routine/schedule.
Eat Healthy
Just because you are working from home doesn’t mean you can eat all the snack food in the house on a constant basis. Get into the habit of not eating at your desk, and you will avoid snacking too much throughout the day. Also, get into the habit of stepping away from your office during lunch. Don’t overindulge on the carbs at lunch and you won’t feel so tired when you come back to the office.
At the end of the day, it’s not just about business. It’s about living a healthy and happy lifestyle that works for you and your family. If you are already a busy business owner, follow these tips to stay healthy no matter how crazy your schedule gets. If you are considering starting your own business or working from home remotely, contact Alan with AdvancingWithUs to learn more about how you can make working from home and for yourself work for you and your family.
