Find out a few finer points to stay healthy while you work from home with these 10 interesting tips!
In this article, we discuss 10 ways you can stay healthy while working from home or remotely!
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Over the course of the last few years, our lives have changed in many ways...
But one of the biggest changes is the prevalence of major companies switching from office work to remote work for many of their employees...
Remote work is in. Office work is out.
For some, this change came with a resounding round of applause...
There are many benefits to working from home...
- You get a better work-life balance.
- More time spent around your family.
- No more sitting in traffic during a morning commute.
- And you have more opportunities to enjoy your personal hobbies such as SUP.
But for every benefit, there comes a negative.
There is less interaction with your employees and less comradery.
In fact, social isolation is a major concern. Plus the line between personal time and work time is now blurred. You can no longer just leave the office at the end of the day. Your home is now your office!
These major changes to your daily routine can cause you to face unique challenges that end up damaging your physical and emotional health.
To help reduce the risk of falling into a rut, whether it be physical or mental, check out these 10 steps you can take to stay healthy while working from home (and in SUP shape)!
Make it Easy to Move
For most people, working from home conjures the idea of rolling out of bed in the morning, doing the bare minimum while hopping onto a work call without ever changing out of your pajamas.
Why would you?! The only thing people see on Zoom calls is your face.
But this is a major cause of added stress and anxiety.
When you don’t feel motivated to move in the morning, get dressed, and prepare for work, this feeling will follow you throughout the day.
Because of this slowed momentum, it’s easy to sit at your computer all day long without ever taking care of yourself!
Before you know it, it’s dinner time and you took about 100 steps and the only lift you’ve done is your pen to write down notes for the day.
By falling into this rut, your mental health will suffer and so will your work.
To combat this routine, make it impossible for you to ignore movement.
- Set timers throughout the day to knock out 100 squats or 50 pushups.
- Leave weights in the middle of your office or a kettlebell where you can’t ignore them.
- Put a pull-up bar in your office doorway and knock out 5 whenever you enter or exit the room.
- Invest in a standing desk.
- And schedule a certain time to hit the gym or get your 10,000 steps in.
If you can make it impossible to ignore your much-needed movements throughout the day, you’ll stay healthy while working from home, in paddling shape, and feel better when dinner time comes around...
Work in Blocks of Time
Along with scheduling time for workouts, make sure you are not distracted by social media or Youtube by working in blocks of time.
What do we mean? It’s simple. Set up your day for deep work hours, breaks, and other things like eating.
For example, maybe you wake up every day at 6:30...
From 6:30-8:30 use this time as your wake-up routine. Stretch, grab a cup of coffee, go for a walk, etc.
Then from 8:30-12:00, set this time aside as your $$$ making hours.
During this time you tackle the big projects for the day. Whatever it is you need to get done, this is the time to do it.
After your work block, 12:00-1:00 might be lunchtime. Or a simple break/20-minute nap time.
Then 1:00-3:00 is another deep work time.
Finish up the big project and start knocking out the smaller to-do tasks.
Use this technique to get as much done as possible during the allotted times without wasting a second.
Bonus tips: Use an app blocker or website blocker to cut out endless scrolling or consumption. You can also use something like a Pomodoro timer to work in blocks of 20 minutes with 5 minutes rest. This is a great way to manage your time while remaining focused throughout the day.
Drink Water
This one is essential. Dehydration decreases focus, processing speed, and productivity, so make sure you are drinking enough high-quality water.
What do we mean by high-quality? The best kind of water is pure spring water right from the source. To find a spring near you check out https://findaspring.com/.
Once you locate one, fill up a few (preferably glass) containers to sip on throughout the day.
If you can’t find or make it to a spring, purified water is second best.
Be sure to add electrolytes to this type of water as most of the mineral content is filtered out. If you don’t, bland, dead water can make you thirstier over time.
Avoid any plastic containers.
And especially avoid any BPA chemical plastic containers. One of the main sources of ill-health is our prevalent use of plastics. These containers leach chemicals into the water you’re drinking and can have a harmful effect on your endocrine system.
Avoid at all costs. Better alternatives include a Yeti Stainless Steel, RTIC water bottle, or even better, glass.
With a full gallon or half a gallon of high-quality water by your side, you’re guaranteed to feel better throughout the day...
Watch Out for Caffeine
Are you a coffee addict? If so, you need to monitor your caffeine consumption throughout the day.
A little caffeine is a great way to get your brain fired up and ready for your work day.
But too much caffeine can also increase your stress, and anxiety, and have a negative effect on your sleep.
It can also cause low-level dehydration as coffee is a natural diuretic.
Stick to one cup of coffee or two at the most in the morning. Your body will thank you...
Eat Proper Meals
When you’re at home, it’s not unusual to look through the pantry to see what you can snack on.
It’s only natural...
You’re on the computer, a little bit of hunger arises, and you want something to munch on while you work.
But did you know that if you continually snack while you’re working, your digestion suffers? This is due to an increase in stress and brain activity when you’re actively working.
On the other hand, your body improves its digestion when you’re in a parasympathetic state or relaxed state.
When the parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS) is activated, it slows our heart and breathing rates, lowers blood pressure, and promotes digestion. For more information on the parasympathetic nervous system and how it works to keep you healthy click HERE.
To get the most out of your time at home, be sure to set aside blocks of time to relax and eat properly...
Get Out of the House
As we’ve already discussed, it’s not unusual for remote workers to roll out of bed, grab a quick bite to eat, and sit inside the home office all day long.
This can cause serious stagnation in your body and your life.
Even though working from home can be convenient, it shouldn’t be the only place you stay during the day.
To get a much-needed change of scene, head to a coffee shop, the local library, or other shared workspaces.
This change can spark feelings of newness, creativity, and even energy.
Working from home is great. But it’s even better if you can change the scenery once in a while and reinvigorate your body. Do this to stay healthy while working from home...
Create Novelty
Novelty is an important part of growing through life. Without it, we become set in our ways, and our scope of experience collapses.
Does this sound familiar...
“Most people become very set in their ways as they age and they develop hard and fast routines that are followed on a daily basis. We tend to become comfortable with the way we live our lives and don’t often try new things or vary how we spend our time. Because of the way our brains work, this leads to the subjective feeling of time going by fast.”
If every day becomes to same, then before we know it, our entire lives fly by without us ever noticing.
To counteract this, you need to introduce novelty. What do we mean?
Novelty means new...
Read an interesting book. Take an online course in a subject you’d like to learn more about. Hit up a new restaurant with friends. Or simply go for a long walk in the middle of your day.
By introducing a bit of novelty, you get out of your usual routines. As a result, time slows down, and you can enjoy life a little bit more...
Get Creative
One excellent way to stay healthy while working from home, mentally and physically, is through your own creativity. Now, some people might proclaim they aren’t the creative “type.”
This isn’t true. Sure, some people might be more creative than others, but in reality, everyone has a slice of creativity waiting to come out.
It can be in the form of music, writing, dance, and all manners of self-expression. It can even be in the form of practicing a martial art.
The possibilities here are endless. But with a creative outlet, you’re guaranteed to have an uncluttered mind...
Limit Your Screen Time
When you’re working from home, it’s easy to keep on plugging along well after clock-out time.
To counter this and stay healthy while working from home, make sure you set a certain time aside during the day when you have to unplug from your screens.
Even better, don’t use your computer, phone, or television after 9 pm. This will help to realign your circadian rhythm, allow your body to produce melatonin, and set you up for deep rest...
Get Your Workouts In
To truly stay healthy while when working from home, you need to get your daily workouts in.
Time in the gym is important. In fact, it’s the greatest investment towards your health that you can make.
You can either do an at-home workout, get outside, or get to the gym. However you get your exercise in, do it.
Not sure where to start? Check out this simple SUP-inspired workout with Nikki Greg.
Do These To Live Healthier From Home
This might seem like a lot to keep in mind. And even more difficult to practice. Our advice? Start slow. Like, really slow. Pick one of our suggestions above and practice it for a week before moving on to the next one.
Or even better, practice them all at lower intervals until they become routine...
If you can, your work, your health, and your body will thank you if you want to stay healthy while working from home.
Of course, if you have any questions or comments, give us a shout! And be sure to check out similar helpful tips in our Knowledge/Resources section on Perfect Paddles.
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