Recently, many of us have had to make the sudden transition to working from home. Switching to a work from home schedule and lifestyle naturally involves adapting to a range of changes (like swapping out skirts and blazers for super-soft loungewear).
For instance, some have found that working from home negatively affects their health if they allow it to. Having constant access to snacks (and having few reasons to get up and move during the day) can easily lead to weight gain and other factors over time.
Luckily, that doesn’t need to happen. There are many steps you can take to stay healthy while working from home. They include the following:
Schedule a Lunch Break
People who make the switch to working from home often modify their schedules so they’re not as structured as they would typically be in an office environment. This frequently involves skipping lunch breaks.
However, that’s not to say such people don’t eat. On the contrary, without a structured lunch break, they’re more likely to snack throughout the day, eating more than they normally would as a result.
That’s why you need to adhere to a structured schedule. Don’t give into the temptation to ditch the nine-to-five routine entirely. A scheduled lunch break will help you make more conscious decisions about how you eat. It’s also worth noting that sticking to a routine has been shown to reduce stress levels.
Prep Meals Ahead of Time
Taking a regular lunch break will help you avoid snacking too often. That said, even if you do schedule a break during the day, by the time it arrives, you may find you don’t have the energy or motivation to prepare a nutritious meal. You might opt for something easy but unhealthful as a result.
Avoid this by prepping meals ahead of time. All you need to do is set aside a little bit of time at the start of the week to make nutritious meals that will be ready for you whenever you have lunch.
Schedule a Workout
Working from home may not give you access to a lot of fitness equipment (although it might, depending on your home). Maybe you live in a small apartment without the space needed for a home gym.
Fortunately, you can still reap the benefits of exercise. Numerous types of effective workouts can help you get in shape without requiring a lot of space. Even simply running in place burns more calories than many realize. Additionally, thanks to YouTube and similar platforms, you can easily access fitness videos to follow along to. You can also check out home training and workout inspired by rock climbers.
Just make sure you actually include exercise in your schedule. You may very well intend to work out, but if you don’t prioritize it as a regular task, there’s a good chance you rarely will.
Stick to the Basics
Don’t let a change in your working environment change your basic health habits. Along with all these tips, it’s also important to stay hydrated and get enough sleep.
Working from home may very well affect your health. Luckily, if you take the proper steps, its effects will be positive.
