10 Wellness Tips for Working From Home

As more of us work from home, many are asking – how do I practice wellness tips for working from home? In fact, working from home increases temptations for eating and sitting more. However, it is possible to stay in great physical condition even if you are not at the office daily.

According to Forbes, it is easy to pick up bad habits while working from home. Not to mention, it can be tempting to continue bad habits without co-workers around to keep you in check.

You can improve your overall health, by using the ten tips listed below:

1. How to Stay Active While Working From Home

If you are working from home, staying active is key to staying healthy. Even if you are sitting at a desk or working from your computer for most of the day, you can still be active by setting some goals.

Getting up and moving and stretching will help your body’s overall well-being.

Here are some ideas:

Start the day by working out – Find an exercise routine that works for you. I personally like running, but if you are looking for a more gentle morning workout you can try yoga or pilates, or take a walk.
Walk as much as you can throughout the day – Walking is an amazing form of exercise and it is totally doable because it is fairly easy for most. Do you have pets? Walk your dog on a schedule each day or during your lunch break. If you have to run errands try to walk or park far from the store, so you have to walk more. Set a time and walk around your house (I used to do this during the winter months.)
Add in other exercises as you get into shape – Find something you enjoy and incorporate it into your daily routine. You can work out for ten minutes three times per day and it will add up. Do you have weights at home? Do you enjoy biking or hiking? Doing exercises you enjoy will increase the likelihood of continuing your workouts.

2. Good Nutrition While Working from Home

Let’s face it, if you are home all day, you are more prone to snacking and indulging. If you find you are falling behind on eating healthy, here are some hacks to stay on track.

Keep healthy snacks on hand – Put your healthy snacks in your visual field. I love skinny pop and keep it out on the counter. You can put clean fruit in the fridge where you can see it. And of course, put away junk food (or stop buying it).
Meal Prep can help you stay healthy – If you used to bring your prepped lunch to work, you can do this at home too. Be sure to meal prep your healthy lunches on Sunday so you are ready for the week. If you have pre-made healthy lunches you will be less tempted to grab unhealthy foods for lunch or order out.
Set Specific “kitchen times” – If you are constantly grabbing a snack all day long, set times you can get up and use the kitchen, just like you would be able to at work.

3. Learn to Develop Healthier Habits at Home

Life is all about balance and I love the old saying “Everything in moderation, even moderation.” This holds true for staying healthy while working from home. So instead of being super restrictive and feeling angrily deprived, try starting small and developing some positive healthy habits to keep you well, mama.

When is the best time for your to work out? Is it first thing in the morning – my favorite time so I only have to take one shower! lol If so, start by working out five to ten minutes every morning and adding more as you build your stamina. This doesn’t have to feel like a chore if you start small and build on your workout time.

You will quickly notice a difference after a week or so.

Ask yourself if you need to change up any of your daily routines. You can change up habits to help you become healthier. Do you often go to the store when you are hungry and reach for junk food? If so, try going to the store right after lunch and sticking to a list.

Remember to get your family involved. Let your kids pick out some colorful veggies at the store and find activities that prompt health such as family hikes or walks. Keep moving! The human body was not meant to be stagnant.

4. Determine Your Health Motivation

Let’s get motivated. Really think about your pain points and try to the association being unhealthy with pain and eating junk food with pain, instead of pleasure. Sure it tastes good going down but think of how uncomfortable you feel when your jeans are tight. Make a list to keep a reference and try to keep some gum or health snacks available when you feel cravings.

Make a list of your why’s. Why do you want to be healthier? Is it for your family? Is it to feel better and have more energy.

Jot down some ideas in your journal. Once you find the why, it will be easier to stick with your new habits.

5. Follow a Healthy Morning Routine

The best time to start a new habit is first thing in the morning.

Create a schedule for yourself. I like to use a dry erase board while I am working from home and “time-chunk” tasks including going for a walk or doing the weights I keep under my bed.

Make sure your routines are something that will move you closer to your goals.

Benefits of the Morning Routine

If you have made the transition to working from home, it is important to still have a schedule and structure for your day. Since it is just you, this requires way more motivation and self-discipline. So keeping healthy will benefit you and a morning routine will help you stay on track.

Some of the benefits of having a morning routine are listed below:

Starting your day off right
Including healthy habits in your morning
Setting yourself up for success
Doing something positive first thing
Reminding you to make healthy choices throughout the day

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6. Health Downfalls to Avoid

Now that you are on a healthier path, there are some things that can throw you off to avoid.

Some think being healthy only includes going on a restrictive diet. Yet, being too restructure usually promotes feeling deprived and most give up before they are able to change to a healthy lifestyle.

Here are some things to avoid when staying healthy:

Trying a restrictive diet

Try focusing on being healthy, rather than being on a restrictive diet. Usually, these diets leave us feeling hungry and deprived. You will be better off, trying to be healthier and make “lifestyle” changes, instead of a “diet” that will end.

Feeling overwhelmed

Don’t feel overwhelmed. Remember to start small and maintain a balance. You will find you can do more when you build up stamina and stick with your routine.

Focusing on the wrong areas

Try to focus on being healthier overall instead of focusing on the latest diet trend. If you learn to take breaks and walk daily, get up and move throughout the day, and eat healthier, you will see an improvement. However, if you focus on a specific diet, you will eventually get frustrated and revert back to junk food. Don’t focus on running a marathon on the first day. Take things step-by-step.

7. Taking Regular Breaks While Working From Home

Taking regular breaks is essential for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Research shows sitting is not good for the human body and as adults get older, we tend to sit more and more.

Learning to take breaks from your desk is key.

I like to use a whiteboard to create a daily schedule and include breaks.

Here are some ideas to help you:

Do desk stretches – Make sure to take a break and stretch and move away from your computer screen. Try finding some 10-minute yoga videos on YouTube or write down a list of your own favorite stretches.
Walk around – Take a break and walk around the block. It is good to get outside and have natural sunlight. If it is too cold, walk around your house for a set time.
Make adjustments – If you are having any type of back pain, try moving your workspace. If you are at a dest, try your kitchen table or bring your laptop over to the couch. Find an area that is peaceful, but comfortable.

8. Environmental/Home Changes

One way to stay healthy is to create some changes in our environment. It is easy to just let things be and forget about it, but if you make some small tweaks, you’ll be on your way to wellness.

Here are a few ideas to try:

Workspace – Set up your workspace with good lighting and a comfortable supportive chair. Make sure you are working in a quiet area, free of distraction.

Healthy resources – Try to include resources in your office space that will promote wellness. You can add some weights to your office to stop and do a few reps between breaks or calls. You can keep healthy snacks in your office area, so you are not tempted to binge.

Designated break areas – Find a designated break area away from your office space so you will feel like you are actually taking a break and not tempted to check emails or continue working.

9. Learn a Work-Life Balance

Create a balance between work and home life. This can be very tricky if you are working from home. In fact, you may be tempted to keep working. This is why it is important to have a separate workspace, so you are not tempted to jump back on your computer when your kids come home from school.

Make sure to set a schedule and stick,k to it. Prioritize important tasks first in the week and leave other smaller tasks for the end of the week.

Use a timer method to stick to your tasks.

10. Ask Yourself, “Are You Ready to Be Healthier?”

Are you ready to give these tips a try? Make sure to start small and stick with your new habits, to build bigger changes. Find motivation to keep going and set clear goals about your health.

As you continue on your wellness journey you will start to see some improvements and this will help you stick with it.