There are some challenges you don’t quite understand until you’re in them. Working from home sounds like a dream until you’re faced with a pile of laundry that needs to be folded and a Netflix queue that’s calling your name.
You’re home, but you have all these deadlines and responsibilities looming over your head. And that’s on top of all the deadlines and responsibilities you already have in your personal life.
To add to that, you’re tempted to forget it all and succumb to the comforts of your own home. And that inner conflict only adds to the challenges you’re facing.
This is why it’s so important to take care of your physical and mental health while working from home. When you do, you’ll find that you’re more productive.
So let’s actually take advantage of the many benefits of remote working to take care of our physical and mental health. Here are a few ideas.
Take true breaks
Research has shown that you’ll be more productive when you take regular breaks from work. And this is easier to do when you’re working from home. You can even go for a walk around the block to clear your head or take a quick personal call. This is extremely helpful when you’re feeling stressed out about a work conflict.
Because it’s challenging to get that kind of separation when you’re physically in the workplace, but when you’re at home, you may find it easier to disconnect mentally because you’re already disconnected physically.
Plan healthier meals
When you’re physically at work, there’s a good chance you’re hitting up the vending machines (or Sally’s stash of Skittles). And there may be even more temptations at home. But at home, you can do something about it. Try to stock your fridge with healthier meals and do some meal prep just like you would if you had to bag lunch for work. We always make the worst food decisions when we’re hungry, which is why we should never shop on an empty stomach. It’s also why we should plan every meal and lots of healthy snacks.
If you get stuck on ideas, consider spending one of your five-minute breaks searching for healthy snack ideas. You may even be able to get the groceries delivered while you work.
Workout in the morning
Take the time you would typically spend on your morning commute and spend it exercising instead. You might be tempted to spend it sleeping instead, but reconsider. If you need some extra sleep, you can always go to bed earlier.
Exercise is a stress-boosting activity that will help enhance your overall health and prepare you mentally and physically for the day ahead. The beauty of this is that you can do any type of exercise you want. And if you have time, you can even hit the gym.
Avoid damaging habits
When you first got the call about your work-from-home situation, you may have spent a day or two celebrating with an early cocktail. And while this is a terrible idea for productivity, it’s even worse for your health. It’s important to maintain a separation between your work time and personal life, and it’s incredibly dangerous to get into the habit of day drinking. If you find yourself drinking often, look out for the warning signs and symptoms of addiction. It can creep up on you and you and have a negative impact on both your physical and mental wellbeing.
Working from home has many benefits and can provide an amazing boost to your overall mental and emotional well-being. Just be sure to maintain healthy habits and avoid pitfalls like procrastination and over-consumption.