If you’re looking for ways to improve your self-care and your overall health while working from home, you’re in the right place. Here are several self-care hacks for all of you working from home.
All everyone talks about is the benefits and advantages of working from home. But what about the negative aspects of it and how to best deal with them?
When it comes to working from home, the biggest challenge is keeping our mental and physical health intact. Working from home may be taxing on both our bodies and minds.
Fortunately, there are ways to overcome the disadvantages and negative aspects of working from home. All it takes is some trial and error, creating schedules and routines and you’ll only see the positive side of working at home.
If you’re looking for ways to improve your self-care and your overall health while working from home, you’re in the right place.
Here are several self-care hacks for all of you working from home.
The worst thing that you can do as a remote worker is forgoing your morning routine. Having a consistent morning routine is the basis of a productive day and a crucial part of practicing self-care.
A good morning routine means different things for different people. But what most would agree on is that a proper start of the day means getting up early enough to be able to get dressed, have breakfast, maybe squeeze in some exercise, and only after all that, start your workday.
It’s been proven that people with a good morning routine are more mentally and physically prepared for whatever a workday has in store for them.
So, don’t waste any more time, create a routine good enough for you that will get you ready for a day at work.
Working from home can seriously mess up our sleeping schedules. We’re tempted to stay up longer and then wake up late. Similarly, taking a nap in the afternoon can turn into an hour or two long sleep.
Instead of giving in to sleep temptation, try to stick to consistent sleeping hours. This means going to bed at a reasonable time and waking up early enough to get to create the above-mentioned morning routine.
Having a consistent sleeping routine can be a very beneficial aspect of our self-care routine. People who have a consistent sleep schedule are energetic and productive.
When it comes to afternoon naps, instead of napping, try going outside for a walk, doing some exercise, or if you must sleep make sure it’s no longer than 20 minutes.
Dedicated a workspace
Self-care is creating a comfortable workspace. Another temptation that all first-time remote workers face is working from bed, kitchen, or dining room table. While it may seem like a pretty good idea to sit in bed and work, or just transfer to the kitchen when you’re hungry – believe us, it’s a bad idea.
Bedroom, kitchen, dining room, living room – all of these spaces contain various distractions for us, and getting any work done might be difficult. To avoid these distractions and to get really comfortable while working, you need to make a dedicated workspace.
You can designate one corner of your home as an office space but of course, if space is not the problem – an office would be ideal. However, most of us will need to create a small space and try to designate it as an office space.
Get a desk and a comfortable chair, gather all your equipment (laptops, printers, chargers, and so on), and stationary and only then you can start working properly.
Create a schedule with enough breaks
Having a schedule while working from home is crucial. Without the schedule, you’d be tempted to work odd hours without breaks. Your whole day depends on this schedule. Schedule your working hours and never work over them. And of course, don’t forget to schedule enough breaks.
When working in the office, breaks are a normal thing - you go for coffee and lunch breaks, you talk with your colleagues, you take toilet breaks – taking breaks when working from home shouldn’t be any different.
Having breaks is important, without them, our productivity and efficiency at work will suffer. That’s why you should always take enough bathroom breaks, never skip a lunch break – this implies getting up from the desk and going to the kitchen to eat.
Take a break every hour or two to destress and relax. Allow your eyes to rest by closing them, practice breathing to destress, and allow your hands to get some needed rest from typing.
Invest in your comfort
You want to be comfortable when you’re working from home and that’s ok. However, working from a sofa or bed is not healthy for your back or your posture.
If you’re striving for comfort, invest in comfortable, ergonomic furniture. Adjustable desks, comfortable office chairs, standing mats, and many more gadgets can help you out a lot.
When working, try to switch between sitting and standing. Neither too much sitting nor standing is good for our health. That’s why alternating between these two positions is the best solution.
Similarly, repetitive strain on our hands, wrists, and fingers can lead to injury. To avoid this, think about investing in hand massagers. For example, breo massager is a device that applies soothing massage to your hand and in that way relieves you of any strain. Having this device can be handy for everyone who spends hours sitting behind their computer typing.
Schedule in stretching and workouts
This is an absolute must if you’re trying to practice self-care when working from home. It’s a good idea to take a 2-5 minute break every 30-60 minutes and stretch or just walk around.
You don’t have to go away from your workspace, you can exercise at your computer. Simply, rotate your neck and shoulders, turn your head sides to side, stand up and raise your hands, do some squats, flex your fingers, or use the above-mentioned Breao massager. Do whatever you can to move and stretch your body.
Just like scheduling stretching breaks is important, scheduling workouts is essential, too. Your flexible schedule allows you to pencil in some workouts in your workday.
You can schedule your workouts whenever it best works for you. Some people prefer to workout in the morning, others prefer night and maybe you like lunch hours. Whatever works for you!
Conclusion
Self-care is crucial, especially when working from home. It’s important to create schedules and routines, to set boundaries. Without them, your work life and your home life will blend together, which is never a good thing.
You need to think about yourself and your needs. Don’t let your health suffer just because you’re working from home. Find a balance between self-care and work and you’ll be good.
