*Wellness Benefits and 10 Tips for the Work From Home Professional
When a slobbery, mangled dog toy is dropped happily at your feet as if it's the best gift EVER, it's hard not to crack a smile, and pause for the unconditional love being bestowed on you. These uplifting encounters can especially be nice in the home office, when you've put in long arduous hours, and are due for a mental and physical break.
Our little rescue, Scooter, (pictured left) became my office buddy organically over time. He is a Terrier Chihuahua mix and is a little manic when it comes to guests and sounds. He has produced all kinds of joy, laughter, accidents, swear words, exasperation, and overall has contributed to increased wellness in our home.
As he merged into my work space I became more familiar with the wonderful health benefits of having him nearby, as well as adjustments I needed to make as a seasoned remote office professional.
* Health Benefits
Interacting with a dog or cat has been reported to lower cortisol levels, reduce stress, improve morale, employee retention, mood, blood pressure and alleviate chronic pain. This is all linked to oxytocin, known as the 'happy hormone' or 'cuddle hormone' that is released when people snuggle or bond socially. This includes interacting with your office buddies, which provides a nice surge of oxytocin which can alleviate aches & pain, as well as headaches.
Last year Washington State University put this to the test by conducting an on-campus study. They found that students who interacted directly with animals had significantly lower levels of cortisol the following day compared to others who only watched from a distance or were presented an animal slide show. It was reported that only 10 minutes of interaction, like petting a dog or cat, could have an impact. Cats in all their quirky glory, are also linked to providing emotional support and easing mental health symptoms.
It's no wonder so many organizations are allowing pets to work these days, and why so many of us gravitate to the cute, cuddly, make you feel good animal postings on social media.
**Moving Your body
It's very typical for remote office workers to stay at their desks all day, grinding through breakfast, lunch, and sometimes even dinner with little movement. I was guilty of that for years before making my health a priority. One of the biggest bonuses of having a dog around is the in your face reminders that they need to be let outside or taken for a walk. This inherently supports daily wellness as you are getting up and moving.
***Social Interaction & Laughter
Animals always seem to know if something is going down, and may feel the need to reach out to you randomly throughout the day. The long stares you receive after they've placed themselves in your way or playful interactions are their way of taking care of you, while they meet their own need for attention.
If you work remotely, this can be helpful if you lack in-person social interaction. Having an office buddy close by offers companionship, lightheartedness, and comic relief, all particularly helpful if you are in a high-stress field.
Now let's take a minute for the most common complaint before I dive into 10 Tips for the Work From Home Professional.
*Guard Dog Interruptions
It can be quite stressful when you are in the middle of a conference call, and your dog jumps from an enviable, cozy & comatose state, to high alert, "THERE IS SOMEONE AT THE DOOR!!! barking mania. You quickly try and mute, and usher them out of your office, while the barking gets louder and more frantic as they run to the door to greet dropped packages, a family member, or a neighbor knocking at the door.
This isn't unique to Scooter. Very frequently when I'm on work-related calls, presentations, or virtual meetings, I hear others apologize for their barking dog(s) in the background because of front door activity.
While most dog owners who work from home easily relate to this highly uncomfortable situation, they may not realize that it can come across a few different ways.
* You may be viewed as more likable and personable
** You may receive sympathy from other canine owners who can SOO relate to your situation, and maybe thinking how grateful they are it's not happening to them at that particular moment.
Or the most dreaded…
***It can come across as highly unprofessional.
Here Are 10 Simple and Proactive Tips:
1. Order a Sign for Your Front Door!
After a particularly busy week of unexpected and disruptive door activity, I reached out to a local business to create a custom wood sign for my front door. I requested a double-sided option, which I thought was particularly brilliant, so I could flip between Welcome and Do Not Disturb. It has enabled me to proactively reduce front door activity, including interruptions from my lovely amazon packages being delivered….except with USPS. They still knock and ring the doorbell regardless of my front and center sign. I sometimes will apply a polite sticky note directly over my doorbell on days I have important calls, and know packages are arriving soon.
This sign was custom made in both white and blue by Tia's Design Studio (@TiasWoodSignStudio). I simply sent Tia pictures of what I had in mind, and she quickly made and shipped both signs to me.
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2. Minimize Front Door Motion Alerts
If you have Ring or something similar, I recommend you adjust your motion notification to something not associated with a doorbell, and change the sound periodically to avoid learned association.
You can find the Ring on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/37UEPqr
*As an Amazon Affiliate I may earn from qualifying purchases*
3. Create a Calm & Peaceful Office Environment.
When you are calm, your pet is more likely to be calm.
I've incorporated a Himalayan Salt Lamp, Plants, Essential Oils, and most importantly a dedicated dog bed location to contribute to a peaceful environment.
The essential oils and salt lamp help create a calming atmosphere and also alleviate allergies whether environmental or pet related.
If you want to learn more about the Essential Oil's I use in my home office on a daily basis, you can send an email, or access my distributor link here: https://www.myyl.com/workfromhomeninja
You can find many options for a Himalayan Salt Lamp on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/2ThK13z
I also reference using Essential Oils and a Himalyan Salt Lamp in my blog,
"Simple Wellness Habits for the Work From Home Professional", where is linked here.
4. Designate 'their spot'.
A designated bed promotes boundaries between your space and theirs and also provides a safe place to go if they are feeling uneasy. If you have a cat, I can't help you there! They do what they want in their independent way and typically go for the sunny & warm spots, or where you are.
Here is a popular bed option: https://amzn.to/35KhDto
5. Prepare in advance for scheduled conference calls, by putting your dog in another part of the house out of earshot. I'll also do this when I know my son will be arriving home from school, and Scooter will want to diligently alert me and greet him.
6. Alpha in the room
If you decide to brave having your dog in the office all day, through all calls and meetings, I recommend channeling your dog whisperer self and asserting yourself as the Alpha in the room. You are in charge, you do not need to be protected, and if disruptive behavior begins, enforce firmly and calmly that everything is OK.
I use the classic mom point, with hard eye contact, along with a verbal cue of "ShhhhhT, with a hard T sound at the end. This has been particularly successful when someone comes through the front door, and Scooter is asleep at my feet. I also incorporate, words of comfort, such as "you are fine buddy, it's just …"
7. Training device
When head-splitting mania sets in and there is no stopping it, I recommend trying a different approach such as using a training device. After doing some research last Fall, I purchased an Infrared Dog Deterrent, Bark Stopper + Good Behavior Dog Trainer as an alternative to a bark collar. This has been helpful when exasperation sets in, and I just want to yell BAD DOG! I knew in my dog's mind, he was just doing his job, so I needed to figure out another way to communicate. There are a few settings on the device including flashing lights and an ultrasonic deterrent.
You can find it on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/3a3Vnyn
8. Walk, Exercise, and Pet Your Furry Friend Regularly.
The cadence of a daily walk will strengthen your bond, and their ability to listen to your non-verbal cues. It will also tire them out, and help maintain your daily wellness goals.
Pointing back to the study at WA State University, also remember that proximity to pets does not necessarily provide the same health benefits as actually petting, and engaging directly. Love on your buddies!
9. Phew…you need a bath!
We've all been there… you've managed to find the right attachment for your faucet, you've coaxed your large beastly dog into the tub, and they are excited or terrified. You manage to get the first layer of water on with lots of soothing affirmation, and then begin the shampoo lathering process. Halfway through, your back is on fire, and here it comes…their instinct to shake! "No, nooo, steadyy…good boy, you're such a good boy"… back again to lathering, rinsing with a few more shake aversions. By the end of it, you are exhausted, soaked along with everything else within 10 feet of the full-scale head to tail shakedown that launches once they get out of the tub. Tossing a towel over the full length of their body minimizes the blast a bit until they escape from your grasp and happily dowse the next room with their fresh wet dog scent.
If this sounds familiar, there are groomer mobile services, and many new pet spa locations popping up to take advantage of. Search your local area and support a local business!
Having a small dog and utility sink makes it very convenient for us to provide Scooter a good weekly scrub. I prefer the oatmeal w/ aloe shampoo options for skin sensitivity or the essential oil brand through Young Living. I also recommend throwing all dog blankets and beds in the wash at the same time as the scrub down.
Bathing your dog regularly is a good idea if you are spending a lot of time in close proximity. It can also help with allergies and the overall cleanliness of your home office.
There are a few great shampoo options found on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/3a10peI
10. Hire a Professional House Cleaner. For anyone who works full-time, this investment is so worth it, especially when you have pets. Having a professional come in bi-weekly to clean your home, is especially worthwhile to maintain the hair, dirt, and overall well-being by not having to spend your R&R weekend days working.
Please let us know in the comments what methods have worked for you! We also invite you to join our Facebook page, and post a picture of your work from home buddy.
Thank you for reading, and we hope these suggestions bless you and contribute to your daily wellness!
Have a beautiful day.
--Work From Home Ninja
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