Over my 19 year career as a pharmacist, I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to work form home in some form for 17 of those years. It has ranged from 1 day a week to a total remote employee. Working from home is an amazing opportunity as it allows you to avoid commuting, have more time for family and friends, and avoid the pitfalls of working in an office. Unfortunately, it can also be a little more of a challenge to be healthier, since you are in your comfortable, cozy home where you have food at your disposal.
The following tips are designed to help you stay healthy even while working from home:
Have a Designated Work-space
It can be difficult to be healthy and motivated during the day if you work in bed or on your couch. While this is okay some of the time, it should not be where you spend all day, every day while working. What this does is make it too comfortable, to where you
tend to not get as much work done, which can decrease your productivity.
Try to set up a designated work-space in your home, whether it is a home office, part of the kitchen table, or a desk you have set up in a quiet place. Focus on work while in your work-space, and leave work there when it’s time to take a break.
Prep and Pack Your Meals and Snacks
Treat working from home as you would a job outside the home by preparing all your meals and snacks ahead of time. This will keep you from munching on unhealthy snacks all day, instead of eating well-balanced meals. Cook your breakfast in the morning, then prep your snacks and lunch for the day ahead of time. That way, you don’t take too much time away from working every time you need to have a meal or snack, and you already have the healthy snacks all planned out. I tend not to eat enough of the calories and nutrients that I need when working form home. Meal prepping has helped me tremendously. It’s a lot easier for me to grab a healthy meal or snack if I have them prepared ahead of time.
Get Dressed Every Morning
Another way to stay healthy while you work from home is to get dressed. Similar to where you work, how you work can make a big difference in how your subconscious treats your work environment. In the morning, take a shower, brush your teeth, and get
dressed just like you were heading out of the home to your job. It puts you in the mood to work and gives you great focus and productivity. I take the girls to school everyday, so putting on clothes is the easy part. I will typically wear workout clothes and head straight to the gym. This helps increase my chances of getting my workout in for the day. I will typically check email and follow up on a few things before leaving. Then I head home and start my work day.
Have Scheduled Breaks
Just because you are working from home, does not mean you should be working every time you are at home. You need breaks for your mental and physical health. Have a scheduled morning break to get up and take a walk, take your dog out, or stretch your legs. Your lunch break should not be at the same place as where you work, just like an afternoon break if you choose to take one. You can also take advantage of these breaks to get a little exercise in. Want to know a little secret, I like getting on the elliptical when I’m on conference calls or webinars where I’m not the presenter. This not only helps the time go by, it also helps me get my exercise in if I haven’t already.
While working from home is amazing. It is easy of getting into a rut that can cause unhealthy habits. It is important to have a schedule, have a designated work space, have healthy snacks and meals available, and to schedule breaks for mental clarity, walking or exercising. Applying these tips can help you maintain a healthy lifestyle while working form home.
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