Stay Healthy While Working From Home

Medically reviewed by Dr. Shunmukha Priya, Ph.D. in Food Science and Nutrition

With the CoVid 19 pandemic being the talk of the world and forcing even countries to lock down, many people are now working from home.

What started off as something that may last for a few days at max, is now stretching beyond a few weeks. And this is quite a long time. More so,  considering that you are expected to stay within confines of your home for most of the time.

Amidst all the noise and uncertainty surrounding, it is easy to put your pursuit of good health on the backseat. This can eventually lead you to end up gaining weight and fall prey to other health issues it brings along with it.

Not helping the cause is the fact that you are virtually locked in the house. So access to places like gyms and parks are out of question. 

How do you approach your health in these times?

How can you stay healthy while working from home?

Here are a few tips! 

1. Create a routine

With no physical difference between home and office now, it is very easy to let the work hours spill into your family time and vice versa. Meanwhile, the time to wake up, get ready, eat, workout and everything tends to go for a toss, because you are working remotely from home. 

Here, creating a routine can be really helpful. Set a schedule for your work. You can set aside fixed time slots for different activities – exercise, cleaning, cooking, work, sleeping, watching television and so on. 

At the same time, please ensure that you get proper sleep and that your meal timings don’t go haywire. Creating and sticking to your routine can be the foundation for other habits to stay healthy while working from home. 

2. Healthy eating

Eat Healthy. Obvious. Isn’t it? 

Unfortunately, it is not that easy to follow. With you at home (and probably on the couch with your laptop and in front of television) it is quite easy to lose count of how many packets of chips and soft drinks (or any junk food for that matter!) you have consumed. 

It is also easy to push your breakfast back by a couple of hours, and then meting the same fate to all subsequent meals – like lunch and dinner. 

Result – Overeating or skipping a meal! Again, not something that is good for your health!

So instead of stocking up unhealthy food, store healthy things – like fruits, dry fruits, healthy snacks – especially for the time when you feel like munching. (Like 4 PM hunger pangs!). 

Follow a proper time table, so that you ensure that you are eating your meals regularly. Eat a balanced diet rich in protein, fiber & vitamins. Ensure that you are not over-eating and controlling your portion sizes. 

You can also use this time to try out some healthy and tasty recipes. You can check out some of them here.

3. Stay hydrated

Drinking water & keeping yourself hydrated has many benefits. We all know that. Yet it is often overlooked while you are staying  home and working remotely.

So, keep an eye on how much water you are drinking. Try to drink at least 2.5 to 3 liters of water daily. Set up a reminder if needed. 

At home, you are more likely to have access to hot water. You can use this opportunity to make drinking hot water a part of your day to day routine. This has a lot  of health benefits including aiding weight loss and boosting metabolism.

4. Get some exercise 

If you are going to a gym or yoga class or a park, in all probability, they will be out of bounds for some time at least. If you are a runner, the chances are very slim that you’ll be able to pursue it for some time. 

What can you do in this case?

The best way is to work out at home. Try some yoga. Do some free hand exercise. If you have access to the staircase, climb up and down. If you are not able to do that (for whatever reasons!), the least you can do is walk around your house. Especially when you are on call. It’s not that difficult.

This is also a good time to add some variety to your workout routines and add some variations. 

5. Keep an eye on your posture

In the office you have a desk and a chair to sit. While working from home there are no such restrictions. You can if you wish, lie down on your couch and work.

You can work from your living room, or lying down on your bed,  positioning your laptop awkwardly for hours altogether. This can be a fertile ground for back pain and many other problems. [1]

Keeping a good posture becomes important and also quite challenging while working from home. 

If  you are working long hours, sit on a good chair. Keep your laptop at a proper height so as to avoid straining your eyes, back of fingers. Take a break once in a while – once every hour at least. Walk around a bit. 

6. Get some sunlight & fresh air

Sitting inside four walls of the house throughout the day can be boring. And it doesn’t do much good to your spirits. More so, if this has to repeat day in and day out for a few weeks altogether. 

What’s the solution?

If you have access to a terrace or balcony, do step out, preferably in the morning. Get some fresh air. Soak in some sunlight. [2]

It will help you get Vitamin D. Better still, it can also help you refresh your mood and also to stay healthy while working from home. If your housing society permits, go outside for a small walk. 

7. Relax!

In times of uncertainty, it is natural to have anxiety. But too much anxiety and stress can have an adverse impact on your health. This can in turn, be a trigger for lifestyle disorders or weakened immunity. 

Keeping your spirits high is extremely important in these cases. 

So, take out some time for yourself and de-stress. Create a healthy work – life balance that helps to stay healthy while working from home. There can be many ways – be it listening to music, or talking to family members or catching up with friends. Even things as small as simple breathing exercises can help. 

You can also utilize this time to pick up new hobbies or skills. So if you wanted to learn a new language, or cooking or know more about the science of nutrition – now can be the time!

In such times, many others will be in the same boat – staying within confines of their homes. Some may be in their hostels or rooms, with almost no space to move around.

Many people may be facing difficulty in procuring even basic food items. It will be a good idea to check on them and be of help wherever possible. 

Working from home once in a while is usually a blessing. But if you have to work from home for several days without stepping out, it can be tedious and mentally draining.

Hence it is important to keep your positivity and take the right steps to ensure that this period of time is utilized in the best possible way. Not just for your work, but also for yourself and your health. These steps can help you keep mentally & physically fit.

They can also help a great deal in determining whether you will be charged up and positive or feeling drained out, once you resume your regular lives. 

Remember – You are not just trying to keep the virus at bay. Most of us are also trying to keep tedium and mental fatigue away,