Working from home can be a challenge, especially when you are used to being in a typical office setting. The combined effects of sitting for long periods, sleep deprivation and work stress can add up over time. By making proactive choices now, you can take back control of your health and well-being.
Here are some helpful tips to stay healthy while working from home.
Sleep
Commit to a time when you turn off all devices before bed. The blue light emitted from phones, televisions and other devices actually inhibits the production of melatonin, the hormone that controls your sleep and wake cycles. Try to turn off technology at least 30 minutes before winding down to go to sleep.
Design a routine to help you relax after a long day of work. Try meditation, a yoga video, reading a book or taking a warm bath to help you wind down.
Eating at Home
Working from home presents a great opportunity to cook and eat more meals at home. If you have flexibility in your schedule, you can go grocery shopping during off-peak hours to avoid the crowds.
Before heading to the store, create a list of ingredients that you will need to ensure you can make the meals you planned.
Focus on eating away from your desk to allow yourself to practice mindful eating.
Try a new meal delivery service such as Home Chef, Freshly or Gobble. Freshly does all of the preparation and cooking for you, so that all you need to do is heat it up.
Hydration while your work from home
Staying hydrated can be difficult when you are focused on getting your work done. It may help to set an alarm on your phone or computer as a reminder to drink.
Get yourself excited about drinking water by trying an infused water recipe. Try adding lemon and strawberries or cucumber and mint to your water to spruce it up!
Exercise
Set aside 1 hour per day that you would have spent commuting or in meetings to dedicate to exercise. Whether you start your day with a walk or use your lunch break to do a quick workout video, the most important thing is that you are moving your body.
Schedule breaks throughout the day to stand up and take a quick 10-minute walk or stretch.
Mental Health while working from home
Take time each day to focus on reducing stress by mediating, reading a book, or journaling. If you are new to meditation, you can try the Insight Timer app, which offers 25,000 guided meditations.
Focus on going outside to get fresh air and vitamin D. A vitamin D deficiency can lead to depression, so make sure you get outside or take a dietary supplement recommended by your doctor or registered dietitian if necessary.
Set a work cut-off time each day to prevent yourself from over-working, which can lead to burnout.
Working from home can be very lonely at times. Make time to connect with others by scheduling a meet-up with friends or collaborating with coworkers remotely.
Our Registered Dietitians Working from home
Take a look at our Registered Dietitians who are working from home during the COVID-19 social distancing. The good news about nutrition appointments is that we are all set up to provide nutrition counseling virtually!
To make an appointment with one of our eating disorder specialists, reach out to us at admin@empoweredeatingrd.com.
Blog contributions made by Liz Kerr, MS, RD, LD