This post was sponsored by OttLite, but all thoughts and opinions are my own! Thank you for supporting the brands that keep CWS up and brewing.
Oh, YAY! It’s Friday! Who’s with me on that? I hope you’re still focused and “with me” today because we’ve got some important things to dig into. By now you should know that I’m a full-time blogger, which means that I work from home. I have been full-time for almost a year and a half now and while it’s been a dream come true, it’s also been really difficult for me. To be honest, I could go on and on about how working from home has been just as hard on me as it’s been a dream. But today I want to share about how working from home has affected my health over the past year and a half and how I’m taking steps to keep on becoming more and more healthy.
In February 2017, when I went full-time with my blog, I was already not living that healthy. I wasn’t working out, drinking enough water each day, or eating healthy at all. I thought that being full-time would give me more time to focus on being healthier since I’d be in my home. Well, I was wrong! Being in the comfort of my own home only made me pick up more unhealthy habits… eating sugary snacks when I was bored, still not working out, and so on. I put on a lot more weight and was frustrated with my lack of self-control. Frustration turned into sleeping in too much and falling into depression and major anxiety again. I wasn’t healthy in any sense of the word and I needed to break the cycle. And I did just that.
Right now, I’m healthier than I have been in years. I have dropped 15lbs, started eating better, and overall, have made some huge lifestyle changes so that I can be the best version of myself.
Working from home is tough stuff, my friends. If you’re someone who…
- works from home
- is aspiring to work from home
- is working in an office at a desk all day
… then everything we’re talking about today is just for you! Are you ready to read on? I’m glad to share my journey with you!
10 WAYS TO STAY HEALTHY WHILE WORKING FROM HOME:
1. Establish (And Keep) A Regular Routine // Let me tell you from experience – “winging it” doesn’t work when you work from home. When you wing it, chances are you’ll end up on the couch binge-watching Netflix. Routines are a must when working from home. You need to have a structure to your day because it’s really easy to be distracted by other things that’ll draw you away from work. Schedules look different for everyone and that’s one of the beauties of working from home – you get to craft your very own routine that works best for you. Having a scheduled day helps you to keep on top of your tasks, which will lead you to be productive. When you’re productive, you’ll feel good about your work.
You can schedule your day out and have to-do lists written, but if you don’t actually keep to your routine, you’ll just be a stressed hot mess. You don’t want that! A regular routine = a happy you.
2. Eat Breakfast // For some, this is something you don’t have to think twice about. But if you’re like me, eating breakfast isn’t always easy to do. I have always been “a cup of coffee for breakfast” kind of person. While coffee is all well and good, it can’t be all you rely on to get your day kick started. So, eat breakfast! You don’t need to have some crazy hearty buffet of food, but some cereal, a yogurt, or even a shake can help fuel you up for a better day’s work. When you take time to eat breakfast you’re choosing to give your body what it needs to get going for the day. Don’t neglect that.
This is something I’m still working on getting in the habit of. For me, cereal is typically my go-to!
[bctt tweet=”10 Ways To Stay Healthy While Working From Home” username=”SummerTelban”]
3. Work Out In The Morning // One of my favorite things about working from home is being able to get an extra 30 minutes or so to sleep in the morning. While this is something I still do (I’m a night owl), I have been challenging myself to wake up earlier so that I can work out. I look at it like this: I’ll work out for the duration of the time that I’d be commuting if I didn’t work from home. When I shifted my focus to look at working out like this it became easier for me to do.
Working from home means that you’re not getting as many steps in each day as most people. Staying active is a huge part of maintaining your health, especially if you’re working in the same spot all day. Make working out a priority for you. Get up and get moving, so that you can keep your body happy and healthy.
Pro tip: When you wake up in the morning, put on your work out clothes right away. This will make it easier for you to commit to working out regularly.
4. Create A Healthy Work Environment // Productive workspaces make for healthy work environments. If you work from home or work at a desk all day, you already know how important it is to love the space you work in. A few months back, I shared tips on how to create a productive desk space and still today, all of those tips ring true. You can’t be productive or mentally healthy if you’re trying to work in a cluttered space or one that isn’t inspiring to you.
Some tips…
- Make your workspace separate from your regular living space
- Clutter = anxiety, stress, unproductivity, and overwhelm
- Keep a regular cleaning schedule for your workspace
- Invest in a comfortable chair
- Have proper lighting
5. Get An OttLite Wellness Series Desk Lamp // I have talked about how much of an importance lighting can play into your productivity in the past. It’s still so true but it’s also important to note how lighting can play into your health, as well. While I have good natural light for most of the day in my office, come the afternoon time and on rainy days, I need more healthy light in my space. For the past few weeks, I have been using my new OttLite Wellness Series™ Desk Lamp in my home office. I have their “Revive LED Desk Lamp” and friends, I love this lamp!
As someone who struggles with frequent headaches, most of which are from eyestrain, this lamp has been a lifesaver for me. Three out of four Americans suffer daily from eyestrain, but most don’t realize that the lighting they’re using at work and at home may be part of the problem. Lamps in the OttLite Wellness Series deliver the closest thing to natural daylight available indoors and have also been proven to reduce eye fatigue by 51%! That is huge!
Good light leads to good health which is why the OttLite Wellness Series of desk lamps were created. The OttLite Wellness Series provides the healthiest light you can buy and the only lamps on the market designed specifically with eye health in mind.
[bctt tweet=”If you work from home, you need a desk lamp from the @OttLite Wellness Series!” username=”SummerTelban”]
I have already noticed a difference in my eyes in just the few weeks I’ve been using my lamp and I’m excited to see how much it’ll help in the long run.
Using a lamp from the OttLite Wellness Series makes everything you view more comfortable, the colors are more accurate, and there’s no glare or blue tones. The OttLite Wellness Series includes four stylish lamps. You can adjust the brightness and on some, even charge your other devices with the built-in USB port.
6. Take Regular Breaks // Working at a desk all day can grow uncomfortable after a while, so make sure you take regular breaks throughout your day. Taking breaks not only helps your body to get moving but it also helps you to stay sane. Sitting in one spot all day focused on your work isn’t necessarily healthy. Get up from your desk and take a 10-minutes break here and there to keep your mind active. Heck, even take a few laps around the house just to stretch your legs! One thing I highly recommend here is taking a scheduled lunch break.
7. Have Healthy Snacks On Hand // I have always been a snacker so it’s important for me to have only healthy snacks on hand at home. While I love Oreo’s and other sweets, they’re not the snacks I should be reaching for, especially during work hours. I find that keeping fruit and granola bars on hand have been a huge help to me here!
8. Change Out Of Your Sweats // Just because you work from home doesn’t mean that you should look like you work from home, haha. Change out of your sweats and your pajamas and put some real clothes on. You don’t have to get all dressed up professionally, but it’s amazing what changing into jeans and a tee can do for your productivity. When you look good, you feel good. I don’t know about you but when I feel good, I’m more apt to be motivated to work.
9. Keep A Water Bottle With You // I used to struggle with drinking enough water each day, but after keeping a water bottle or glass with me during the day, it’s been easier for me to consume more water. Get a cute water bottle with a motivational saying if it’ll actually help you to drink more water! Your body needs H20… don’t deprive yourself of it!
10. Know What You Need To Do To Stay Healthy // Overall, there is no one list to follow to get you to stay healthy when working from home. The truth is, you have to know yourself and your own body to determine exactly what you need and when you need it. These things are all needed but it’s up to you to figure out how to implement them into your health and work journey.
[bctt tweet=”Do you work from home and struggle with staying healthy? Here are 10 Ways To Stay Healthy While Working From Home!” username=”SummerTelban”]
Be sure to check out the OttLite Wellness Series for yourself and start seeing healthier today!
Are you someone who works from home? If so, what’s been the most helpful thing for you when it comes to staying healthy? Any tips you’d like to share? Let’s chat!!
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