So you finally get to work from home! But soon you realise it’s not what you expected…
COVID-19 has certainly brought us to our knees but so has the endless pile of dirty dishes, screaming children, growing to-do lists, conference calls and connectivity challenges. As chaotic as working from home can be, the good news is, there are ways to ensure a reasonably productive working day.
Here are a few healthy habits to help you work from home:
Get Organised And Have A Designated Workspace
First things first, decide on a designated workspace, make it functional and inspiring! Get all the stationery and work-related files you need, check your wifi speed and make sure it’s a place that can get you into a work zone.
Have A Morning Routine
Try to keep your morning routine simple and inspirational. If having an early morning coffee with a good book, exercising or a devotionals kick starts your day, then add 30 min of that to your morning routine. This will help you start your day in the mindset. After your routine, each morning, pretend you are going to work, even though you are going to your designated workspace.
Set A Healthy To-Do List
Set a schedule and stick to it. Decide to work your designated hours, and then stop when those hours are up, this will give your brain time to work and time to rest. Working from home does mean that there is added flexibility with your personal life schedule. However, it’s best to stick to a routine where you can be productive, get your work done and call it a day when work hours are up.
Accept Distractions And Keep Going
Working from home will mean daily distractions will come your way:
- The Pets
- The Washing
- The Kids
- The TV
- Social Media
- The Partner
You have to accept that some of these distractions can be prevented and some cannot. Don’t let the occurrence of disturbances steal your energy and momentum of a productive workday, instead take them in your stride- so long as they are not taking over the whole working day.
Keep Active!
There are many ways you can stay active and continue your workout routine during the lockdown period – some of these require little or no equipment. If you are fortunate to own an exercise bike or treadmill, then you will already be accustomed to in house training. But if you don’t have these to use any activity that raises the heart rate is excellent for your cardiovascular health!
Tip 1: Try brisk walking around the house or run up and down the stairs. Dancing is also a great way to keep active, especially with children! Try putting on some music for 10 to 15 minutes and get moving to your favourite beats, you won’t even realise you are working out. Dancing to Disney music is a fun way to get children involved in physical activity.
Tip 2: Alternatively, you could dig out that old skipping rope from storage, find those long-lost fitness, yoga, Zumba or Pilates DVDs, or use fitness apps and YouTube videos, there are a ton of workouts available!
Tip 3: Resistance exercises can also strengthen your muscles and improve your mobility. These exercises can be done using weights or resistance bands. If you don’t have access to them you can do squats or sit-to-stands from a sturdy chair, push-ups against a wall or lunges are all great for those new to these kinds of exercises.
During this time of uncertainty, something we can take control of is our health and wellbeing! Staying productive with work, family life and physical activity can help us get through this time with a sense of “normality”.
