Working from home has become our new normal, and keeping oneself fit has become quite challenging.
If you are one of those who are staring at a computer screen all day with little to no movement, it isn’t good for your mental or physical health.
If you’ve had enough suffering and want to boost your health while working from home, we have solutions that are guaranteed to lead to an improvement in as short as a couple of weeks…
1. Do An Online Fitness Class
One of the major benefits of the Internet is that you don’t need to leave your house to get an effective workout. You can workout in the comfort of your living room with a qualified instructor telling you exactly what to do.
Exercise will do wonders for both physical and mental health. Why not do an exercise class first thing in the morning? You could do one before starting your working day. Or if you’re not a morning person, how about your lunch break, or after work to destress?
Also Read: Self-care in the time of Pandemic
There are lots of options available. You could join an online fitness class or hire a private one-to-one trainer and do sessions via Zoom or Skype. Investing in a bunch of online classes or hiring a coach will keep you motivated and accountable.
2. Improve Your Sleep
Following six tips to improve sleep:
- Turn off your laptop and phone at least one hour before bed
- Take a relaxing bath in the evenings
- Use supplements such as zinc and magnesium glycinate
- Aim to get at least 30 minutes of sunlight per day
- Make your bedroom as dark as possible
- Try a meditation practice before bed (Headspace App)
3. Take A Walk On Your Lunch Break
Rather than staying at home on your lunch break, scrolling on social media, and staying indoors… why not get outside? Walking does wonders for your health. Walking burns calories and show a low impact on joints and helps you to destress.
Just a 30-minute walk each day will lift your mood and help you perform at work when you sit back down at your desk for the afternoon.
4. Stretch Throughout The Day
Sitting at a desk all day means that you’re likely to experience lots of tension in your neck, front shoulders, and lower back. It’s not ideal for your posture, and your muscles become extremely tight and inflexible.
Stretching throughout the day is a great way to reduce tension and take a break from work. Try desk stretches in between video calls, and whenever you experience lots of tightness and tension.
Also Read: Surprising Benefits Of Yoga And Meditation | For Body And Soul
Alongside stretching, you could also look at muscle release techniques such as foam rolling and mobility work to improve your range of motion.
5. Take Regular Breaks
Ideally, you want to take a mini-break every 45-60 minutes. Your break doesn’t have to be very long, just 1-3 minutes is enough. How about setting a timer on your phone? And when it vibrates, go for a walk. You could walk to the bathroom or take a walk around your house or garden. You could even close your eyes and do some breathing work to destress and recharge. Here’s an enjoyable breathing exercise to remove stress:
Sit upright and close your eyes. Take 4s breathing in, hold the breath for 4s, and then breathe out taking 8s. Complete this exercise for 3-5 rounds.
6. Wear Blue Light Blocking Glasses
Staring at a computer screen all day is incredibly draining on your eyes. Lots of screen time can damage your eyes, cause headaches, and negatively affect your sleep.
Instead, we recommend wearing blue light blocking glasses throughout the day to protect your eyes. These glasses are stylish and are worth the investment.
Another thing you can do is turned down the brightness on your computer screen, and in the evenings, put your phone in night mode.
7. Prep Your Meals
When you’re busy and working from home, the last thing you probably want to do is spend time cooking all your meals?
It’s why lots of people gain weight because at lunchtime, instead of cooking, they opt for a quick sandwich, packet of crisps, fizzy drink and a chocolate bar.
Instead of going on autopilot and reaching for convenience carb foods, why not reach for healthier convenience foods such as:
- Protein shakes/bars
- Nuts
- Fruit
- Ready-made salads
You could also prepare all your meals for the following day. This is what lots of fit celebrities and athletes do. Prepping your meals may feel like a chore, to begin with, but it’s guaranteed to lead to results, and once you’re into the habit of doing it, you’ll never go back.
8. Stay Hydrated
Dehydration negatively impacts performance, and even just slight dehydration is enough to cause a headache, cause brain fog, and make a wrong decision at work.
Always make sure to have some fluids on your desk, ideally, you want to drink water, but you could also opt for flavoured water or low-calorie juices. Aim to drink at least 2 liters of water per day, if you can drink more than that’s even better.
When you stay hydrated, you’ll feel shaper both mentally and physically. You’ll have fewer cravings and clearer skin, so it’s well worth the effort.
