How to Stay Healthy when Working from Home

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If you have the luxury and convenience of working from home, it is much easier to maintain a steady commitment to your health as opposed to working in an office, which brings with it the stress of gridlocked traffic commutes, fattening vending machine lunches, cramped cubicles limiting movement for exercise, etc. Still, being surrounded by the comforts of home while you work can make staying healthy a challenge as well. Here is how to stay healthy when working from home.

Steps

1. 1

   Create a healthy work environment.

   If possible, your

   home office or designated work area

   should be far away from the kitchen and bedroom to eliminate regular snack breaks or late-night emailing. If you will be working from home long-term, you should invest in a high-quality ergonomic desk chair to help support your posture. And most importantly, keep unhealthy foods and sugary drinks out of reach.

2. 2

   Develop consistent work habits and a daily routine. Establish your office hours, and avoid working too late so as to prevent you from getting enough sleep. If you can, do not stare at your computer monitor for extended periods of time; avert your eyes away from the screen every 20 minutes or so for at least a few seconds to help with eyestrain.

3. 3

   Take advantage of the fact that by working from home, you can get more sleep.

   Just because you can stroll into your home office at 8:59 each morning doesn't justify staying up till after midnight, but keep to a regular 7 or 8 hour

   sleep pattern

   and your energy level will be stabilized throughout the workday.

4. 4

   Exercise!

   This is possibly the greatest benefit you will have when working out of your home. Take regular breaks that involve not switching from your desk chair to the sofa for a sip of soda, but getting up and walking such as to the mailbox or up and down a flight of stairs. Better yet, hit the gym or the pavement for a full workout before work begins each morning or after work ends every evening. If your company is like-minded about the importance of keeping in shape, see if obtaining a stationary bike for under your chair or even a treadmill desk are possibilities.

5. 5

   Commit to a healthy diet. Fortunately, this is much easier to do at home where you have complete control over the food at your disposal. Stock up on fresh fruits and vegetables for snacking throughout the workday, and drink lots of water when you're feeling thirsty. Plus, not only will you have access to healthier lunches, but you'll save money not getting takeout every day instead.

Tips

• Getting your work done timely and effectively should be your top priority in addition to these steps.
• Consult a nutritionist or fitness adviser for professional advice geared toward your specific needs.

Warnings

• Write down a plan of your routine that includes all the things you plan to do to keep healthy while working from home. Otherwise, it will become easy to neglect this.

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