Women's Life Link Be Well, Be Happy, Be YOU!
You would think that working from home would be the perfect opportunity to look after your body and get healthier. After all, there should be more time to exercise, hit the gym, and prepare fresh food in your kitchen. Unfortunately, it can be a little more challenging than you think. While there are clear benefits to the work-from-home lifestyle, there are also unseen obstacles. In this post, we’re going to run through a few ways to counteract the cons and be healthier while working from home.
Schedule Movement
Working from home means that you expend less energy and calories getting to and from work, and that’s a bad thing. Therefore, it’s important to make up that lost activity by planning ways to move more. For instance, going for a stroll or bike ride first thing or at lunch can make a huge difference in your energy levels and overall health.
I highly recommend that you schedule your activity for each day in advance. That way it is a part of your workday and you’re much more likely to do it. Choose things that are simple and not too physically overwhelming. Doing some simple stretches and walking around the house a couple of times during the day will help.
Focus on Posture
Most offices provide workers with chairs that allow them to adjust their position to sit comfortably at their desks. At home, however, the ergonomics may not be as quality and could create pain and discomfort. I guarantee that sitting at the kitchen table or hunched over a laptop will take its toll in a short period of time.
While working from home, a good goal is to focus on posture as much as you can. First, start with a proper chair and desk if you can. If you don’t have a home office and a budget to buy these things, ask your employer if you can use something from the office. They may even offer to purchase a chair and desk for you, especially if you are experiencing discomfort.
Make sure the desk is the right height for the chair and that your keyboard is positioned in a comfortable way. Next, find ways to monitor your posture throughout the day. Remember, your body may not send pain signals immediately, even if you’re slumped in a way that could harm your spine. There is actually a downloadable posture app for Apple Watch that helps you monitor your posture, breathing, and breaks. If you can’t invest in something like that, set a timer to check on your comfort level, pain, and energy levels throughout the day.
Add Plants to Your Work Space
Adding indoor plants to your workspace offers several significant benefits. First, it improves the air quality in the room. Second, it adds to your feel-good factor. Being around green plants is scientifically proven to elevate mood and enhance feelings of relaxation. Finally, it may actually help you focus by reducing anxiety and tension.
Eat Healthily
Do you sometimes find yourself losing concentration as you work throughout the day, especially after lunch? If so, it could be the side effects of a poor diet or inconsistent meal times. For example, when you eat a large meal full of calories, it puts a strain on your body and zaps your energy. Consider eating smaller meals more frequently throughout the day. Make sure you have quality snacks on hand that you can grab when your energy dips. Things like nuts, seeds, veggies, and fruits can really boost your brain function and alleviate fatigue.
You can also fight energy gaps by drinking green drinks or protein smoothies. Green foods like kale and broccoli help boost energy, making you feel more vibrant and alive.
Staying healthy while working from home is a challenge. But, with the right approach, you can even gain some ground in that area. With simple planning, prep, and research, you can make positive changes to the quality of your working experience and keep your body and mind going strong.
**** This post is strictly informational and is not meant to replace the advice of your healthcare provider. Women’s lifelink, it’s owners, administrators, contributors, affiliates, vendors, authors, and editors do not claim that this information will diagnose, treat, or improve any condition or disease.
