For many of us, remote working has been a blessing, allowing us to save money, recoup time in the day and enjoy more personal freedoms. There are, however, a few major setbacks as we spend so much time sedentary in the same location. Now more than ever, it’s crucial that we focus on wellness and protect our personal health - here are a few tips to get you in the right routine.
Nutrition
When your favorite takeaway meal can be summoned at the tap of a button, it takes some effort (and willpower) to prioritize nutrition in your diet. The importance of a balanced diet, however, cannot be overstated - failure to incorporate vegetables, fruits, whole grains, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates can result in lower energy levels, reduced immunity, poor sleep, and cognitive issues that make you moodier and less able to concentrate.
Revamping your diet is often easier than you think. There are plenty of online recipes that can help you to replace fatty, sugary food with similar-tasting but healthier alternatives. Just make sure to focus on fresh produce (rather than processed) and incorporate plenty of nuts, seeds, and, in the colder months, fruits that are rich in vitamin C.
To help you reshape your eating habits, try cooking at home more often. This can be facilitated by using well-reviewed home products such as kitchen gadgets and cooking implements. Having the right tools makes cooking easier, and you’ll always enjoy a meal you cook for yourself.
Stress-Relief
Prolonged periods spent at home, hunched over a laptop, have increased feelings of stress and anxiety for many remote workers. Rather than allowing these feelings to fester, it’s important to take a proactive approach. This means identifying your stressors and finding solutions that match your symptoms - if you’re feeling frustrated, you could try upping your cardio routine. If you’re feeling anxious, you could try settling down with a cup of tea and a book. Adopting a pragmatic, direct approach to pent-up negativity is the fastest and most effective way to feel better, it will also make you easier to live with and more pleasant to be around.
One of the most effective methods for managing stress, anxiety, or general uneasiness is meditation. Meditation comes in various forms, each with its own unique benefits and techniques - chakra meditation, for example, is focused on helping you find your body’s energy centers to help provide targeted relaxation and healing. Guided sleep meditation, on the other hand, is designed to help you clear both mind and body before bedtime. Make sure to carry out plenty of research and find a technique that suits you.
Work Environment and Office
Although it might not strike you as an immediate priority, the environment in which you work can have a profound impact on your mood throughout the working week, and optimizing this space can be simple and low on cost. A good place to start is with lighting - by adjusting frequency and hue (cool for concentration, warm for relaxation), you can create the conditions most conducive to productivity and calm. As far as logistics are concerned, it may also prove worthwhile to build a more formal filing system for important documents and records - there are plenty of guides online to help with this.
When it comes to your work environment, it also helps to think outside of the box - paying attention to factors like air quality and aroma can subconsciously help you throughout the week. Try different flavors of candles, diffusers, incense, and even fresheners to see if any of these spark inspiration. You could also try investing in some house plants to freshen up the local atmosphere.
You may find that it’s time to move on from your current employer. If you’re about to begin a job search, give this a try. An online resume creation tool can help you present yourself to potential employers in the best possible way. You can create a custom resume design that reflects your qualifications with ease.
Working from home allows us to spend more time with our loved ones, cut down on fuel costs, and manage our own environments. This last point is key - now that you have more ownership, make sure that you’re thinking about and taking steps to improve your conditions in and outside of work hours.
