Congratulations, you’ve just landed your first work-from-home job, or maybe you’ve been working from home since the beginning of the pandemic. Either way, it soon becomes obvious when working from home that there can be a few cons to working from home. Firstly, you’re not getting out of your house. This can be a great way to save money and time on commuting, but it can make you feel a bit more lonely. It’s also not much effort to roll out of bed and switch your computer on, so if you want to maintain your active lifestyle you’re going to have to be a bit more mindful about how you’re spending your day when working from home. If you’d like to stay fit and healthy when working from home, keep reading for some great suggestions as to how you can make that a reality.
- Pick Up a New Hobby
One of the best ways to get fit is by doing something you love. Whether it’s playing around on some stunt scooters outside or joining a gym, this is a great time to start something new. You’ll be saving time hopefully now that you’re not having to commute each day, so you can invest that time into your health and fitness. If you already have some clear hobbies you never had time for before, now is the time to invest in those and make them a priority. It’s easy to feel quite fatigued when working from home because you’re not having the same change of scenery you would usually have when working in an office, so to compensate for that be sure to find a hobby that forces you out of the home.
- Up Your Social Life
Even if you didn’t particularly love your old workplace or your colleagues, the social aspect of working in an office environment is important and it can be quite lonely working from home. One thing I do to combat that is occasionally going to work from coffee shops and/or casually dropping into co-working spaces to just mix things up. Perhaps due to lifestyle situations or finances, those options don’t feel like a good fit for you. So if you’re noticing that your lack of socialization during your work hours is bothering you, why not compensate by making your social life more vibrant? Invite some close friends over for a Game night or head out to the movies and see something different. Just be mindful that while working in your own home is great, it can sometimes feel lonely.
- Get Moving
Be sure to get up at set intervals and move around, whether it’s just to go to the toilet, or maybe even for a quick walk around your garden. Working from home can feel lovely in the beginning, but after a while, you might experience cabin fever. I find breaking my day up regularly helps me stay focused and energized. I find the best system for me is to do a Pomodoro-style workday, and during my breaks, I like to move around whether it’s just getting a hot drink or even a little 5-minute yoga stretch.
If you’re new to the working-from-home lifestyle, welcome! There are so many perks, but you do have to be more mindful of finding a healthier lifestyle balance.
