Maintaining Your Mind And Body’s Health While Stuck At Home
If working from home is new to you, or if your position does not allow for a work from home transition, it can be a difficult adjustment for many. Days seem to blend together, schedules are abandoned, quarantine snacks become the highlight of your day, and you may find yourself in a rut before you know it.
Many of you may find it difficult to resist the temptation to binge on that Netflix show you’ve been missing for months or to curl up in bed to avoid social distancing. However, for those of you looking to maintain some semblance of normalcy during these turbulent times, here are three ways to monitor your mental and physical health while at home:
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Maintaining A Schedule
One of the habits of highly successful people is to get up early.
While getting up with the sun may be the last thing some of you want to do, it is recognized as one of the habits shared by the majority of successful people. According to a Vanderkam poll, 90% of executives get up before 6 a.m. on weekdays. Getting up early can provide a peaceful time to set intentions, organize your schedule, exercise, or meditate before beginning your day.
Getting up when the sun comes up may also have mental health benefits. Evidence suggests that early morning sunlight exposure can alleviate depression symptoms and combat seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
Read it as a bonus! Take a look at one of our recent favorites: Laura Vanderkam’s What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast: And Two Other Short Guides to Achieving More at Work and at Home
Working During Your Most Productive Periods
You’re not a morning person? No worries; it’s important to recognize when you’re most productive and plan your day around those times. If your coworkers aren’t on the same schedule, you can use features like email scheduling to have your messages arrive early in the morning, keeping your communication and productivity on track.
At Night, Plan Your Day.
Cleaning out your email box is a simple and mindless task that you can do at night to alleviate morning email anxiety. Some people find that evening habits like bullet journaling can help them set intentions for the next day and reduce morning stress. Whatever it is that makes you feel organized and calm at work, it is critical to remember to keep it up at home so that working from home does not become stressful.
You don’t have any weights at home? In a pinch, a baby can come in handy.
2.Remain Active
Staying active is good for your mind as well as your body. Indeed, studies show that as little as 30 minutes of physical activity can have a significant impact on stress and anxiety.
Staying active at home can be difficult, but there are some great free resources available that do not require any equipment. Adriene of Yoga with Adriene, a YouTube yoga instructor, has some really great quick routines that you can do with just a mat. She recently released a new series called Yoga for Uncertain Times, which uses movements to help address the impact of the loneliness that many of us experience during social distancing.
I shared a few moves on Instagram that you can do from anywhere in your house to keep your heart pumping and your blood flowing.
Not a Fitness Fanatic? Play some games!
Remember when Nintendo released the Wii over a decade ago and everyone became a home bowler? It could be a good time to bring out your old gaming system. No Wii? Not to worry. Basketball, gardening, yardwork, and even carrying laundry up and down the stairs are all excellent ways to keep your body active.
Create a standing desk.
You don’t need to buy an expensive stand-up desk to keep your blood flowing during the workday. A stand-up workstation can be made in a variety of ways. Is there a laptop-sized island in your kitchen? Maybe some books and an ironing board? Be inventive! Standing up can help you focus while working, increase your productivity, and keep your blood flowing, which can improve your energy levels and mood.
Do you have a handyman in the house? Try out a couple of these standing work station tutorials.
This Weekend, Make Yourself a Standing Desk. Life Hacker
Six DIY Standing Desks by Bob Villa
3.Remain Connected
Staying in touch with friends and family, no matter where they are in the world, has never been easier thanks to modern technology. To stay in touch with coworkers and friends, use tools like Skype, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Hangouts, WhatsApp, Facebook Workplace, and Trello. Positive social support can boost our resilience to stress. Maintain regular contact with your friends, family, and neighbors.
Send handmade gifts or letters.
If technology isn’t your thing, you can send small handmade gifts in the mail.
If you’re not into technology, you can send small handmade gifts, treats, or notes to loved ones to show them you care. Small acts of kindness can help us stay connected and keep our hearts and minds healthy. Do you want to send Hemp Life to a friend or family member who is stressed out?
