Are you taking care of yourself, you determined, beautiful, hard working ninja warrior?
Yes, we are all warriors, with daily challenges, victories, goals, and dreams. We get so busy taking care of what needs to be done, it's often difficult to find time to stop and listen to what our bodies are trying to tell us. This is especially true when the line between home and office can so easily be crossed.
Some may think that if you work from home, you may not be putting in a full 40 hour week. That has never been the case for me, and many hard working remote office professionals out there. If I'm not mindful, I can spend 10+ hours a day at my desk.
Here are some simple wellness habits that I've implemented into my daily and weekly routine, to balance the impact of long stationary hours on the computer. Now it's probably important to note that I work in a field where I'm on the computer and phone most of the day. For some work at home professionals, this may not be the case, but each of these things may inspire you to adapt to what works best for you!
* Stretch Morning and Night
Stretch before you touch that computer! I also recommend scheduling a reminder on your calendar to stand up and stretch your entire body at least once an hour, whenever you get up to use the restroom, or refill your glass of water. Making sure to stop and take breaks consistently, and take care of your sedentary body is so important. You may be able to ignore body warning signs and push forward, until a nasty headache, migraine, ache or pain smack you in the face, and force you to stop and take notice.
If you want to create a dedicated beautiful space to stretch at home, here are a couple simple items that I use daily, and may inspire ideas for you!
The best thing about this rug is that you can throw it in the wash. The bottom layer has a nice non- slip rubber base w/ Velcro to hold the washable top layer. Super soft and wonderful for dedicated daily stretching, meditation or yoga. You can even take it outside and put on a deck, patio, or yard if you want something underneath you.
* Adding a Himalayan Salt Lamp to the room you are stretching, is an easy and low-cost way to help create a peaceful feeling, in addition to purifying the air, raising energy, concentration, and your overall mood.
* Start the Day in Gratitude
Whether it's first thing in the morning or driving to a meeting, think about what you are thankful for, and say thank you to God, the Universe, your Angels, whatever speaks to you. If you are struggling to find something immediately to be thankful for, it can be as simple as the sky is blue, or the birds singing outside your window.
For those of us who work online a lot, you may notice a lot of negativity in how people interact with each other virtually. This is something I'm noticing getting progressively worse on certain social media forums, where anonymity seems to be a license for unkindness. The habit of gratitude and mindfulness is an easy way to help you focus on the positive vs. the negative, and you may notice a significant difference in how you respond to others during the day, and how others respond to you.
If you are open to a journal, including a daily summary of what you are thankful for while setting your intention for the day is a great addition to this routine. There are many articles and free tutorials on the basics of mindfulness, and the benefits of having a positive outlook. Studies have linked positivity and gratitude to many health benefits such as better weight control, lower blood pressure, and overall well being. Yes!
I wanted something to support my daily habits, intentions, and goals, so I researched and located a planner, which I've linked below. It has great content, and I love it. You can find it on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/2ZT2ZPh
* Get Dressed
You do not have to live up to the 1950's perfect hair, clothes, makeup, stay at home persona, but getting out of that robe and pajamas is a must girl! On some days of the week, I do have meetings outside the home office, where business professional or business casual attire is required. However, on typical home office days, I'm not a stickler for full hair, makeup, and business clothes. I love giving my face a break from cosmetics and frequently just use a nourishing moisturizer. The biggest thing I focus on is getting out of the PJ's, and into something that I feel good wearing that supports my work intentions and productivity for that day. Frequently, I'll grab leggings because I'll start my day with meditation and stretching before moving to my office. This works well for me. However, if I know I'm going to have a few important conference calls or a virtual meeting, I may swap that out for something that aligns with the professional feeling I want. What I choose in my closet, and how I feel about my appearance, is just as important as when I meet face to face. People can feel your confidence, tone, and energy when you interact virtually or over the phone. How you feel contributes to that experience, and your clothes are a contributor to how you feel. If you find yourself shuffling to your desk in your bathrobe and slippers with coffee or tea in hand, give yourself a time limit, and then get yourself dressed and ready to tackle your day like a boss!
* Diffuse your Favorite Essential Oil
It's such a simple and effective way to contribute to ease and peace of mind. You can diffuse in your office, home, and even in your car.
Young Living Essential Oils are my daily go-to, and a couple of my favorites are Orange and Peppermint. If you have any questions on Essential Oils, you can email me or visit my distributor page
HERE.
* Schedule weekly time away from the house!
When your work environment is part of your home, you may find yourself taking constant mental note of everything that needs to be done. While being a multi-tasking Ninja has its benefits, the downside is your spare time may be dominated by household tasks vs. taking time for your interests and hobbies. Getting out of the house to explore your creativity and interests is an important way to feed your soul, and contribute to a healthy balance. I found that the Meetup app provides a great way to search topics of interests, and explore what is happening in your area. You can also try local art co-ops for art classes, local college events (I particularly watch for theater and art events), or perhaps commit to one class at the gym a week. This gets you out of the house and keeps your body active. For all you foodie and adventurers out there, Groupon always has a ton of options to try with a friend or your sweetheart. Searching for local nature reserves, wineries, and trails are also a wonderful choice to get out and connect with nature. The key is to schedule this precious time on your calendar and commit to it.
* Walk barefoot in the grass
When you have a break between meetings, calls, or even during lunch, walk outside and put your toes in the grass. There is a lot of great information out there on why taking off your shoes and connecting with the earth every day has health benefits. I live in the PacNW, where going barefoot outside isn't always practical, so I've invested in a couple grounding mats to have at my desk, as well as a grounding sheet for my bed. If you are working on a computer all day, this can be especially beneficial.
Here is a book that I really loved, called, " Earthing: The Most Important Health Discovery Ever".
There is also a documentary called "The Earthing Movie", which has great content and recaps some of the main points in the book.
* Listen to Relaxation or Meditation Music.
It can be difficult to calm the freeway of thoughts in your head at night and listening to calming music vs. watching television is a great way to prepare yourself for a peaceful sleep. Light a candle w/ a particular intention in mind, run a nice hot bath, sprinkle in some Epsom salt, play your favorite music, and let yourself focus on your body and relaxation.
Here is a link to my favorite: (1 hr Reiki Zen Meditation Music)
There are also many Meditation tutorials and classes out there, if you are ready to give it a try. Check out YouTube for something that speaks to you, or look for local classes in your area, and support a local business!
* Ask a Friend to be a Talk & Walk Buddy
Whether you work from home or not, sometimes it's hard to stay committed to exercise. Consider asking a friend to schedule a weekly or bi-weekly time to call each other and walk & talk outside, or walk on your treadmill or use your stationary bike inside depending on what you have available. I block this time out on my calendar and make sure meetings and appointments are scheduled around it if at all possible. If you have a friend who has a similar work from home lifestyle, this can be beneficial to both of you, as you help each other keep this dedicated time to breathe some fresh air, exercise, and connect!
Another Tip: If you have a long conference call or training session where you do not need to speak, I recommend hopping on your stationary bike, desk elliptical, or treadmill. I ordered a stationary bike similar to this, and love it. My husband also purchased the Cubii under desk elliptical for me a few years ago, and I use it sometimes. I found it challenging to use if you have an office chair with wheels.
* Separate your work space from living area.
I know this can be a challenge for some but try and segment your work zone from your family's common living areas. Having the ability to close a door and separate from the noise of household activity is key to keeping productivity up and distraction down. I also recommend making this area your own. Display things that inspire and feed your creativity!
I claimed a spare bedroom for my office space, which also happened to have an amazing view! My thought was if I was going to be home all day, that is where my office needed to be! I positioned my desk looking directly out over our back yard, and thoroughly love the seasonal changes, and nature that I get to enjoy while working. In the past, when I had a smaller window or not much of a view, I would hang a bird feeder or artwork that I really enjoyed. Make it yours!
Another health benefit for computer workers being near a window (beyond the natural light) is that you can reduce eye strain by frequently looking outside at something in the distance for about 20 seconds.
* Create an ergonomic workstation
So often I see people hunched over a laptop and wonder how they sustain long hours. Ensuring your workstation is set up properly can have enormous health benefits. This is true whether you work from home or in an office. If you've ever been bent over a laptop for hours, I'm sure you've felt the neck and shoulder strain at the end of the day. One of the simplest things to do is to raise your monitor to eye level. I've used printer paper sheaths, boxes, storage tubs and anything that will raise my monitor to eye level. If you want a 2nd monitor, there are also monitor stands you can purchase to raise your laptop, so you have a dual-screen setup. The other item I invested in was an adjustable keyboard tray, (which my husband attached to my desk), as well as an ergo keyboard. Of all things, I do not think I would last a day without my ergo keyboard! Lastly, I invested in a nice office chair that I could adjust to the right height and settings for my 6'0 frame. The finishing touch was a sturdy plastic mat so I could easily move my chair.
A recent addition to my daily wellness is ensuring I stand frequently by using an adjustable desk. Last year, I was gifted a big beautiful electric drafting table from a friend that is as large as a full-size desk. It was amazing timing, as I was on the hunt for a standing workstation for my new office space. With a push of a button, I can now raise or lower my entire station. There are many options out there to choose from, and I highly recommend looking into an adjustable station.
**I still go to the chiropractor monthly for a tune-up, but these are must-haves in my office, that contribute significantly to my daily wellness habits.
If you have any questions, please send us a message. Thank you for reading, and I hope these simple suggestions bless you and contribute to your daily wellness! Have a beautiful day, you determined, beautiful, hard-working warriors!
--Work From Home Ninja
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