It’s been over 5 months of social distancing. If you’re lucky enough to have a job working from home, you probably consider yourself blessed. But staying focused, healthy and engaged in one room can take a toll on our body, mind and social spirit.
Here are five takeaways I have adopted that keep me fit and sane while earning a living at home.
Set a schedule and dress for it!
I never expected such isolation nor the impunity to do that what I wished. Should I sleep in for a sultry 30 minutes more? Or should I shiver the timbers with a few more snores? I could stumble into my office in my PJ’s and wrap a scarf around my head. I would wander into the kitchen around eleven or so to try my hand at a few culinary feats. After a few weeks of this slovenly behavior, I began to feel like a Turkish Babushka who should be making pickles and Kurdish Gozleme! Which, in fact, was just the case!
So, I set a schedule! I arise with the alarm at 7am. I walk early and then eat breakfast. I sit down by 9am for a good session of productivity. I take regular breaks, and I wear my favorite dresses again,, with earrings and lipstick. Sometimes I even don one of my outlandish eveningwear dresses—just because I can.
I walk away at 4 or 5pm—no sneaking or peaking at emails. The workday has ended, and it’s time for love, laughter and dining.
Get up, stand up— turn yourself around.
There is a growing body of evidence that if you sit on your patootie for hours at a time without moving, you have a higher risk of expiring earlier—yep death—than those who sit and get up for even short bouts of movement.
Studies from researchers at several institutions conclude that excessive sitting has been linked to everything from an increased risk of obesity and depression to heart disease.
Every thirty minutes, I stand up, walk around and do some deep knee bends or even a Pilates plank.
Set your alarm, and just do it.
Exercise, not extra fries!
Find a way to move your body that you love and do it every day! Dance, swim, walk, run; just do it!
I get up early and walk my dogs for at least three miles before I plunk myself in front of my screen. My goal each day is at least 10,000 steps or 4 miles on average.
I am lucky enough to have an online Gyrokinesis instructor who teaches every day from the Berkshires in Massachusetts. I would never have had the opportunity to study with her had I not been hunkered in place working from home. You can read more about her Gyrokinesis here.
Perhaps you set aside money for travel this year that you’ll never take. Or you canceled that gym membership because it’s closed. If you have the means and love to swim, you might consider investing in a swim spa.
Swimming is a great way to keep your heart rate up and reduce some of the stress you might hold in your body. It builds endurance, muscle strength and cardiovascular fitness while maintaining a healthy weight, heart and lungs.
A range of companies offer swim spas with small designs or split models with a hot tub option.
Don’t forget to read reviews about the company before you buy a swim spa. You want to be confident that they have a good standing in the industry and are right for you.
Feed your body organic food for your health and the planet.
One of the chief reasons why organic food is recommended is because organic foods are packed with nutrients!
The Organic Center recently highlighted a review published in the journal Nutrients showing that increased organic food consumption is associated with fewer incidences of infertility, birth defects, pre-eclampsia, allergies, middle ear infections in children, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and metabolic syndrome, which increases a person’s risk for heart disease and stroke.
Did you know that non-organic agriculture is one of the largest polluters of our waterways and environments? Organic farming practices work with the earth to lessen the effects of climate change and foster healthier ecosystems. Studies have demonstrated that organic farming methods lead to healthier soil, better water quality, more biodiversity, and can combat climate change by sequestering carbon. Learn more about the environmental benefits from The Organic Center.
Don’t make a spectacle of yourself—take care of your eyes.
If you’re like me and spend a lot of time on a computer, I find it strains my eyes and has changed my overall vision. Computer eye strain causes focusing fatigue.
Sore, tired, burning or itchy eyes, headaches, blurred vision, sore neck or poor concentration may be symptoms of eye strain.
Because of this, giving the gift of a stylish pair of computer glasses is definitely a good idea. You deserve this gift, and many of the glasses on the market today are incredibly stylish and eye-conic!
These five simple steps can bring you more focus and productivity while earning your living at home.
Don’t forget to be grateful to be employed, working near your loved ones, in the place you call home.
Hey friends, thanks for reading. I included links within this post. I make a little money for some of these referrals, and the FTC wants you to know that. If you know me personally or have been a longtime reader, I hope you also know that I only recommend companies that I believe in. Live well, friend.
