The past 18 months has shown us working from home is extremely beneficial in many ways, from money saved on travelling to the office, to getting the housework done on your lunchbreak. Even if the boss has banned dressing gowns from Zoom calls, there are still plenty of factors which make remote work more appealing.
However, working from home can be detrimental to both physical and mental wellbeing, and unfortunately there are many aspects of winter which can take a toll on the body and mind too.
The days are getting shorter, and the darkness comes sooner, making it harder to get outside in the daylight. Less light during the day makes it harder to read or see properly, which can have a significant impact on your vision. You’re also likely to feel less energised or motivated to exercise or cook a healthy meal when it’s cold and dark outside.
Let’s explore some steps you can take to stay healthy while working from home this winter.
Upgrade Your Lighting
Winter robs us of daylight, which can make it harder to see and function effectively. While commercial offices tend to use optimised lighting to combat this issue, most home offices are not so well equipped. Take the opportunity to invest in some good-quality lighting for your workspace. Good lighting is essential for maintaining the health of your vision and is shown to be an important factor in productivity levels. You’ll also feel happier working in a well-lit space rather than a dark room.
Use Your Breaks to Get Outside
Take advantage of your breaks or lunch hour and go for a walk or jog. Fresh air and sunlight are extremely beneficial for maintaining good mental health and will help clear your mind to switch off from work for a short while. We all know exercise is essential for health and fitness, but it can encourage a positive mindset and improve mental wellbeing too.
Nutrition
Winter comes with an abundance of good food. From cheesy pasta dishes and freshly baked pies to hot chocolate and decadent desserts, it’s a great season for warming, hearty meals. Maintaining a nutritious, balanced diet during winter will help you to stay healthy and avoid illness. Enjoy your favourite foods and include lots of tasty greens, fresh fruit, wholegrains and lean proteins like chicken and fish for the nutritional value.
Optimise Your Work Environment
Working in a comfortable environment will play a big role in your productivity and wellbeing. Your desk should be large enough to place any papers you may need alongside your PC or laptop, and your chair should have a supportive back and armrests. Your chair must be positioned to a height and setting appropriate for you, helping to avoid strains in your back or neck. Use an ergonomic chair set-up guide if you are unsure how to do this.
Your workspace should also be a reasonable temperature, as it’s easy to be distracted if you’re overheated or freezing cold. An unexpected event like a boiler breakdown could disrupt your work environment and impact your wellbeing, especially if you are concerned about the cost of an immediate replacement. To avoid such situations you can switch to cloud based tools such as Hyper V Server or Windows 10 Virtual Desktop. A short-term loan may help you obtain the necessary repairs if you’re short on funds. If you choose to apply for credit, ensure you fully understand the repayment terms first.
Don’t be Afraid to Ask for Help
Working from home for long periods of time can negatively affect your mental health, as you’re no longer having a chat with colleagues while the kettle boils. The risk of being impacted by a lack of social interaction is especially a concern for those who live alone. Remember to reach out if you find yourself struggling. If you’re unable to work from the office but need a break from working from home, consider joining a co-working space.
Get Necessary Supplements
Few people believe that consuming supplements is not as invigorating as it sounds but the case is otherwise. Because of our busy schedule due to lockdown we don’t get to take the essential vitamins that will otherwise take care of our body and bones.
Working from home comes with its own challenges because the tasks can give us anxiety and trouble. The key is to stay fit and supplements can greatly help us all if we are working from home in 2021.
Make sure that other than having best nutrients from food you take the essential supplements as well. The supplements will keep you on track.
Don’t Underestimate the Power of Walking
In 20201 we can get the expensive workout machines at home but nobody can underestimate the advantages of taking the time out to walk. Walking is as important as breathing because it gives us the right flow of blood and stress free life.
Working from home comes with many challenges because we all have to deal with so many demons from our bosses. These demands can take a toll on our health if we do not make the habit to walk regularly. It does not matter how busy you get, you should always take some time out to walk So you align well with the nature.
Conclusion
Working from home seem like a beautiful idea but it comes with challenges as well. Make sure you take care of your mental as well as physical health when you work from home. We have given you some amazing ideas and we hope you utilize them to stay better and healthy.
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