With the spread of the novel coronavirus, many companies employees have resorted to working from home. Ideally the concept might seem healthier because you create time for preparing a healthy meal. However, working remotely is a double-edged sword, especially when it comes to individual  health. SANDRA WEKESA gives tips on how you can stay healthy while working from home.

Staying active

Since you are working from home, you don’t have the privilege of walking to the bus stop or even going out for lunch with your colleagues.However, ensuring that you set a reminder for walking everyday can be beneficial to your overall health

Just 30 minutes every day can increase your cardiovascular fitness strengthen your bones, and boost muscle power and endurance.

It can also reduce the risk of developing diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Studies also show that getting off your chair to walk around your compound reduces the risks of getting Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT), which is a condition that occurs when a blood clot forms in a vein and once it lodges in your lungs can be fatal. 

Protect your back, use a good chair

Invest in an adjustable seat. A bad sitting position will make you suffer from back pains, muscle tenderness and aches.

Reports show that wrong sitting position leads to vericose veins and numbness in the legs. It may cause blood to pool in the leg veins, hence increase the pressure within the veins or cause clotting.

A good adjustable chair provides more than a place to rest and lean back between tasks.

Putting a priority on easing your body will, therefore, help with steadying the nerves as you focus on meeting office deadline.

Do not forget to drink water

One thing you might have noticed is that you are taking less water than before, or even go hours or days without hydrating.

Water makes 60 per cent of our body functions, therefore, it is important to ensure that you drink sufficient water to stay hydrated.

One way you can do so is by ensuring that you set a goal of finishing two litre in a day, and you can even spice it with lemon. 

Go easy on caffeine

The fact that you are indoors will automatically have you taking more coffee to increase your productivity or so you might be tempted to think.

Studies show that taking more cups of coffee will lead to anxiety, headaches, digestive issues, and fatigue.

With that in mind, it is best to keep off coffee and making sure you substitute it with walks.

Stock your kitchen with healthy snacks

If you often snack to keep yourself busy or to pass time, it can be easy to wander into the kitchen when you know it’s packed with treats.

So, you might actually want to consider stocking up on healthy snacks during this time.

Having healthy snacks lsuch as apples, dark chocolate, plain yogurt and fruits will help reduce those calories.

Eat only when necessary

Temptation to eat other foods between meals, while working from home can be enormous. With that said, it is important to make sure you eat when you are hungry and actually observe lunch breaks.

Don’t eat your lunch in front of the computer. Close down your computer and take your usual lunch break.

Getting distracted during a meal can lead to over eating and insatiable moments, hence increasing your weight. It’s also healthier because you’re able to focus on what you’re eating.

Plan your meal

During a crisis like this, it is okay to find yourself stress eating and snacking more than normal.

Especially if you have a history of eating disorders you will often find yourself eating more than usual during this quarantine period.

That being said is it important to ensure that you are planning your meals. Just like working days, ensure  you know what to eat and when and also just find time to fix in snacks for you to have a sane way of eating. 

Check in on people

While working from home, mental health is important. Being fixed at a machine for long hours without your colleagues around might affect your mental health.

It is important to ensure that you check in on people to strengthen your way of thinking by making video calls, for example with your friends, colleagues at work and family. 

Stick to your daily routine

This might seem to be difficult because you will want to sleep in late and work for longer hours to feel productive.

But while at it, remember that not sticking to your routine might contribute to anxiety, fatigue and constant migraines; it will also make your brain to produce cortisol, the body’s main stress hormone, and this eventually leads to weight gain.

With this in mind, make sure that you switch off from your computer the moment when your scheduled time for worling clocks in.

Give your eyes a rest

Don’t strain your eyes on a computer the whole day, just because you are working from home; ensure that you give them a rest at least for a few minutes.

Eye straining can lead to headaches, discomforts and blurry vision. You can do this by blocking off set times for lunch, movement, housework and personal calls.