7 Tips To Maintain Health While You Study/Work From Home

Has the coronavirus pandemic made you a remote worker? You may have faced difficulty first in getting accustomed to work from home and now you may think if you will be able to work with the same energy as before. 

After 8 months with stages of unlocking, closed schools, new work approaches and missing social events, we all are eager to return to our regular lifestyle. You must have realized till now that ‘Change is Constant in Life’, but the change should not be at the cost of our health. Health is a state of being free from illness, along with a balanced state of mental and social conditions. Most of the time we underestimate the power of our minds. In fact, the key to leading a healthy life lies with your brain, be it choosing healthier alternatives, achieving goals or determination.

Here are a few tips you can follow to maintain your health:

1. Schedule (Do Not Forget to Count Sleep Time!):

I’m sure this excuse ‘Last night I binge watched my favorite series and just 1 more hour of sleep won’t harm anyone’ have sneaked into our life recently. But what is it to do with health? Let me tell you, having a proper schedule, consistent wake time and bedtime is a crucial aspect of health. It can also prove to be a stress buster because if you stick to schedule, get the work done in time, at the end of the day you won’t have to worry and you’ll even get to enjoy your friday night!

2. Workout Time! :

Ah! Life would have been so easy if there was a pill to keep you fit, but there isn’t :( Exercising doesn’t imply getting those ripped bodies like our favorite superheroes, just don’t adhere to a sedentary lifestyle. Simple stretching and strength exercises increase muscle and bone mass, opening up blood vessels allowing blood to flow more easily which means more oxygen & energy to do your work! I know your next question, ‘When is the best time to exercise?’ 6am (too sleepy), 12 pm (too hungry), 5pm (too full), 8pm (too tired)
, there is no perfect time to exercise, you just have to do it. So reserve a slot in your schedule for workout.

3. Dress Up:

Remember earlier I was talking about power of mind, when you dress up you are simulating your workplace environment. Take a shower, comb your hair, maybe even put shoes on. This simple activity can help you transition into work easier and you’ll be even ready for an unexpected meeting.

4. Set-up a Designated Workspace:

Much like getting dressed, having a designated workspace in your home assists your brain to get ready for work. This might even assist in keeping out distractions like household noises and traffic. How to set up a workspace? Select a well lit room, a comfortable desk and chair and good ventilation. Learn to say bye to your lovely sofas while you work because it not only affects your posture but also hampers working efficiency. While selecting a chair make sure your feet rest flat on the floor or footrest, knees and arms are parallel to the floor, back straight and looking forward without straining the neck and you may use backrest or cushion in the lower back region. Avoid sitting for a long time and take breaks at regular intervals, have a walk or jog. We all are missing small talks with our colleagues over breaks, you may have similar talks virtually during breaks. 

5. Get Yourself a Healthy Helping of Food:

Working from home means munching over snacks all day because no one is seeing you. You must have heard ‘Way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. Well, I must say whatever goes through your stomach affects the entire body. With extra time you save while you work from home, try to replace high sodium processed food with home cooked nutritional food. Try some trending recipes like sourdough bread, dalgona coffee, mug foods, etc. during quality time with your family. Most importantly, Stay Hydrated! Fill and keep a water bottle on your desk, you may also use an app to check your water intake.

6. Set a Clock-out Time:

It is easy to get caught in extra work when you are working from home. To be effective at your work, learn to say ‘No’ at the right moment and call it a day. Change into your PJs and make an appointment for “You Time”. Take up a hobby to spend this special time to relax and refresh. 

7. Relief for Eye-Strain:

Eye strain or Eye fatigue is the common complaint after a tele-work trend. Here are easy steps to make your screen time more comfortable:

• Set proper lighting of the room

• Adjust glare of your screen to match the surrounding brightness

• Blink more often to prevent drying of eyes

• Exercise 20-20-20 Rule i.e. Every 20 minutes look at something at least 20 feet away for 20 seconds

• Adjust your screen 24 to 30 inches away and not more than 15 degrees below eye level for comfortable positioning of head and neck

• Get yourself an appropriate blue light filter glasses or contact lenses

Make sure to follow these simple health tips and explore the world of online courses like at Kids Galaxy. We would love to hear how effective these tips were for you :)