Before 2020, working from home was a matter of choice. Some people found it convenient, while others couldn't tackle the physical and mental drawbacks of this work environment. In this article, learn five helpful tips for improving physical and mental health while working remotely.
1. Arrange a Work Environment Separate from Your Office
When
setting up your workspace at home, make sure you differentiate it from your office space. If you don't have the same amount of space available, opt for a smaller working desk, a chair, and corresponding accessories. Why do this? Because the boundaries of office-time and home-time often blur when working remotely, which may lead you to overwork yourself and cause stress and negatively impact your productivity.
2. Consume a Healthy Diet
When at home, you might feel more aware of your hunger pangs now and then. That's because you have more time and fewer distractions. You may find yourself snacking excessively and gaining more weight. Hence, make sure you keep a stack of
healthy snacks handy and try to opt out of buying junk foods.
3. Drink Lots of Water
Along with a healthy diet, keep yourself hydrated. Hydration is directly linked with mood swings and well-maintained
physical health. It is also recommended to limit your intake of caffeinated and sugary drinks.
4. Don't Give Up On Dressing Up Every Day
Staying home every day allows you to stay in your pajamas all day long. You could log in to work or your classes in your comfy pajamas, and nobody's going to say a word. But, when you are cozy in pajamas, your brain is still in a relax mode and you will be forcing it to work, which will cause your energy to wear out quickly. Therefore, investing in the effort to take a shower and dress up every day will have a positive impact on your mental health. You will find yourself more inclined towards positivity and productivity.
5. Take Frequent Breaks
Sitting all day in front of your laptop or desktop without any social interaction or breaks is going to drive you nuts. It can get you too invested in work and lead to stress and joint pain. To avoid this, schedule breaks for yourself of at least 10-15 minutes every 2 hours. Now, do not spend these precious 15 minutes scrolling through your Instagram or Facebook. Instead, invest this time in watering your plants, taking a walk outside, meditating, or exercising. Remember, research says that sitting all day reduces lifetime expectancy by 3.8 percent.
Working from home seems to be the new normal for now. According to recent research, we expect the pandemic to stay up to two more years (and it may extend). So as long as it lasts, try to use these tips to stay physically and mentally healthy during these new changes in our world.