More people are now working from home even after COVID 19 concerns are waning. Despite the potential for better work-life balance, working from home can bring its own set of health challenges. Unhealthy eating habits, sedentary work setups, and scheduling disorganization can become routine in a person’s home office. Those things can all negate the positives of remote work options.
With that in mind, let’s look at four ways you can stay healthy while working at home.
1. Clearly Define Your Schedule
Time is a fickle thing. You can “speed it up” or “slow it down” by your mindset. No, not really. But it feels like that. When you’re having a great time, time flies. When you’re bored, it drags on.
For this reason, defining your schedule is a must for both productivity and health. Otherwise, one of two things usually happens. You can end up procrastinating and not meeting deadlines. Alternatively, you keep on working when it’s time to quit, exhausting your body and mind. You may even end up neglecting things that are important in life until they demand your attention.
Productivity and health are not in opposition. The brain likes predictability. It loves a routine. Life feels less stressful when you’re completing the daily goals you’ve set for yourself. Set goals for work, family, health, leisure, and anything else that’s important to you. Allocate time for each of them, setting calendar reminders if necessary. Then stick with your schedule.
But don’t beat yourself up if you’re unable to follow it precisely. Allow for some flexibility to avoid adding to the stress. And know with certainty, having a productive schedule doesn’t mean working all the time. You’re more productive and healthy when you live a balanced life.
2. Make Use of Exercise Reminders
If you don’t exercise regularly, it’s hard to get into a routine. And even if you do, work project problems can easily bleed over into your workout time. Exercise reminders are a great way to keep yourself on track and accountable to yourself. It’s much easier to passively keep working until it’s too late to head to the gym or out for a jog.
Set a reminder to put your running shoes on when it’s time to stop working. You can also use exercise reminders for many types of activity during your day.
Consider adding breathing exercise reminders during the day. Set aside 2-5 minutes to take slow, deep breaths. No matter what kind of stress you’re dealing with at work, this can instantly re-center you in the present. You might find it easier to let go of stress and become more focused.
“Get up and move” reminders are another great use of this simple technology. Prolonged sitting is horrible. But when you’re in the flow with work, you can easily go hours without even standing. Set reminders to stand up and walk around the house for 1-2 minutes every hour. You can also make use of this time to check the mail, refresh your coffee, or put the laundry in the dryer.
Whatever you do, keep it short. If this is work time, you don’t want to get caught up in a major home project. Consider writing out chores you can do very quickly on these little breaks. You’ll feel less overwhelmed by housework and keep a neater home. That’s also good for your health.
3. Get an Adjustable Desk and Use It
It’s no secret that sitting for long periods is bad for your health. It can lead to back pain, blood clots, brain fog, lethargy, and trouble maintaining a healthy weight. It can increase mental stress and wreak havoc on your immune system, making COVID 19 concerns even more concerning. The human body is not made to sit for four to 10 hours a day. But many people do so because they have jobs that seem to require it.
You could stand and work. But if your desk setup is designed for sitting, you’re still leaning over, straining, and working in an uncomfortable position.
An adjustable desk can be a great investment in your long-term health. If you get one, make sure it’s easy to convert back and forth. Otherwise, you will never use it.
If an easy-to-adjust desk is outside of your budget right now, know that you do have options. You can get relatively inexpensive (or free) platforms for your monitors, phone, and keyboard. It does take a little more time to adjust than those adjustable desks. Once you become accustomed to the routine, however, it becomes second nature.
Set a reminder on your computer, smartwatch, or phone to alternate positions every one to two hours. Do you want to take this to the next level? Consider getting a balance board to engage in dynamic standing rather than static standing at your workstation.
4. Do More Meal Planning and Prep
For many, working from home means giving up that daily commute. With the average commute time at just under 30 minutes nationwide, you’ve potentially got an extra hour in your day.
Suddenly, having extra time can lead to bad habits like lounging in bed when you’ve had plenty of sleep or wasting that extra hour on social media. But you could choose to do something active and productive at that time. One option is to promote mental and physical health through your food.
Reduce your dependence on packaged foods by more healthy meals and snacks at home. If you already love to meal plan and cook at home but never had the time, great. You now have that time. But if you’ve never been one to cook, don’t overwhelm yourself. Start with some basic meals, watch some videos, and work on your skills. If needed, start with a meal service with proportioned ingredients and step-by-step instructions.
Taking this approach reduces stress, so you can enjoy planning and preparing meals. Pre-packaged food companies would have us believe cooking is drudgery. For some, it can be relaxing and stimulate your creative side. Knowing you’re using healthy ingredients is a very nice bonus.
Healthy Work At Home
Working at home gives you more control over your day. Using that control to get your physical and mental health at its peak can have significant short- and long-term results. So make a plan, get moving, and make the most of your home work situation.