With the emergence of the coronavirus pandemic, many companies have allowed their employees to work from home. While remote working is something that we didn’t think would work before, we have proved it is doable.
Working from home has been a relief for most workers as they no longer have to be present in their traditional work environments, thanks to technology. It means spending more time with family, less commuting hence reduced costs, completing assignments around the clock, better work-life balance, location independence, improved productivity and performance, among other benefits.
However, in the middle of that silver lining lies a potential risk to people’s health. You will find yourself seated throughout the day with tad movements– you wake up, get to your study or living room, finish your work, then relax on your couch as you watch the news or catch some latest episode of your favorite movie. Yes, you will be productive in your work, but that kind of lifestyle will take a toll on your overall body health.
But don’t worry, you can still manage to excel in your job and take good care of your health at the same time by using the tips below.
Eat healthily
Working at home can easily result in overeating during meal times or even senselessly consuming calorie-dense snacks.
There is a possibility of forgetting to eat, especially when you have tons of tasks to accomplish. To avoid that, ensure you take breaks to eat proper, balanced diet meals.
Also, stack your refrigerator with healthy and nutritious foods. This will enable you to take care of your health and nutrition and enhance your mental clarity.
Discard snacks rich in carbohydrates from your house completely as they can result in inflammation and deteriorated gut health.
Consider substituting sugar-filled beverages with fruit-infused waters. This will inhibit weight gain resulting from empty calories.
- Plan your schedule
Create a routine for yourself that you will be following strictly. Go to bed and wake up the same time every day of the week, including weekends. This will enable you to get enough sleep each day and therefore perform tasks optimally.
Make sure you plan everything you are going to do and stick to it religiously. Know when to work, when to exercise, when to read, when to rest, etc. For example, you can decide to work out for 10 to 30 minutes every day, depending on the intensity of the exercise.
- Incorporate movement during work hours
Sitting down for long is dangerous to your health as it can lead to Type 2 diabetes, Obesity, or Hypertension. You should consider moving around to make sure you stay active.
Take a few-minutes break every hour- could be for five minutes or so. When picking calls, grabbing some coffee, or even when downloading/uploading files, walk around your house.
If you have a job that is so hands-on and cannot get an opportunity to stretch every hour, you can take a long walk or ride a bike during lunch break. That way, you will feel energetic, have improved mood, and enhanced focus.
Besides, consider having an alternative standing desk. Even though this won’t help burn calories, it will keep you active.
- Use what is at your disposal
You don’t necessarily need gym equipment to exercise. In fact, for some of the exercises, you don’t need anything at all.
Instead of weights, you can lift a container, a bag, or practically anything that bears some reasonable weight.
You can also do pushups, sit-ups, squats, dancing, rope jumping, stretching band workout, running, etc.
- Make use of technology
These days there are loads of smartphone apps and wearables that can help you track your fitness progress and motivate you to do even more. There are, however, customized according to one’s fitness needs. You just have to find one or several that work for you.
Additionally, you can get fitness ideas from YouTube and TV channels that air such programs. They have guides that show you how to work out effectively according to the time you’ve got. For example, an exercise can take 10 minutes, but its intensity is worthy.
To stay committed to your schedule, you can work out alongside friends via video conferencing softwares like Skype. Working as a team will keep you on toes on the journey to staying healthy while working from home.
Conclusion
Let not a sedentary lifestyle keep you from achieving your fitness goals. Set objectives, and once you hit them, raise the bar.
Ensure you consume healthy and nutritious foods at regular intervals, create a schedule that you stick to every day, move around in between work hours, use what you have to train, and make good use of technology.
It may not easy at first, but with time, you’ll get used to the new activities in your routine. Eventually, you will have a fulfilling lifestyle that will see you be productive at work and stay healthy at the same time.