For many, working from home has probably been the most enviable of office environments for a long time. You get to skip the daily dread of the commute, have a certain degree of flexibility into your schedule, and get to spend more time with the family.
However, remote working has not been a lifestyle choice but a norm in recent times. For countless individuals, it is an entirely new experience that they are coming to terms with. And regardless of how new or old you are to this mode, a sedentary lifestyle is bad news for all.
How is your body and mind dealing with the new normal? Have you been keeping a check on your health and activity during these times? Here are some ways to ensure a fit and active routine while working from home:
Move as you work
One of the biggest problems when working at home is the inactivity that it comes with. When burdened by a busy workload, you tend to sit for as long as possible just to get done with your tasks for the day. However, before you realise, hours seem to have gone by with you not having moved an inch away from your chair. To avoid that from happening, you should take regular breaks during the day just to get out of your chair and move around a little.
Be it to make yourself a cup of tea, hold a call, or have a conversation with a family member; leave your desk space at least once in an hour to stretch, relax, and refresh your body and mind.
Schedule warm-up exercises and workouts
Since there is a lot of lethargy involved in remote working, you should prioritise exercise and workout just as much as workload and meetings. Schedule it according to your working hours but make the plan foolproof so as to not miss out on exercising. Chalk out a plan as it suits you the best.
For instance, many people feel comfortable exercising during the morning hours before they start their day while for others, it is an evening activity after they are done for the day. Choose the time as per your convenience but do not skip exercising or at least some warm-up workouts.
Set up a separate office space
Balancing professional and personal life is difficult, and work from home has only blurred the lines further. To ensure that you do not fall prey to the mental associations that may get created, designate and use a space in your home solely for work.
For instance, working in bed can interfere with your ability to relax later on by keeping your mind occupied with professional obligations even after your working hours. Therefore, set up a space in your home for work, separating the professional from the personal.
Invest in ergonomic study furniture
While it may be tempting to simply sit on your couch and work, long hours of sitting can cause detrimental effects to both your physical and mental health. While moving around and setting up a separate space has already been suggested, you should invest in comfortable and ergonomically-sound furniture to keep your posture aligned throughout the day.
Moreover, you can simply ditch the chair altogether and use a standing desk instead. Apart from keeping you at your feet and encouraging activity, standing desks give your back its much-needed break along with several other health benefits in the long term.
Eat healthy and stay hydrated
While you might miss those lovely chai-biscuit breaks at work, you should remember not to let that habit seep in your home-working environment. It is in human nature to procrastinate and get distracted while working, and the tendency to binge on the unhealthy snacks available at home may maximise during this time. Avoid keeping junk food at home and stock your kitchen up with healthy food supplies. Also, always remember to stay hydrated.
Keeping track of it may get difficult while you work, so place a water bottle at your desk to remind yourself to drink plenty of water. With these tips in mind, you can keep your activity levels high and achieve a healthy work-life balance during these times. Remember to always strive for a healthy and balanced lifestyle, regardless of where you are working from!
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