Your home is your haven, and you spend a considerable amount of your time here each day. This is especially true these days since people are being encouraged to stay at home in compliance with health protocols, and workers have expressed their intent to keep doing remote work even after the pandemic is over.
A recent survey has revealed that the average employee in the US pays as much value to a hybrid work week as they would a 6% increase in salary. The respondents cited 2 or 3 days of remote work each week as their preference, and would actually consider leaving their job if forced to return to the office full time.
But spending most of your time inside the house does not guarantee that you will always stay healthy. After all, physical, emotional, and mental challenges are associated with being cooped up inside a closed space for a long time. Here are simple steps you can take to keep yourself and your family healthy even in the comfort of your own home:
1. Maintain A Balanced Diet
It can be tempting to let yourself go and eat whatever you want when you know that you won’t be socializing in the near future, but this will soon take its toll on your health. Resist the temptation, discipline yourself, and strive to keep a balanced diet for most of your meals at home.
This means that you have to be conscious of the food in your pantry and plan accordingly during your trips to the grocery. Nutritionists recommend a full meal with a mix of starch, protein, fresh fruits and vegetables. You should also try to minimize your consumption of food with a high percentage of preservatives liked canned goods, but if unavoidable, choose those that are low in saturated fat, salt, and sugar.
2. Stay Active
The limited space and equipment inside the house should not stop you from keeping yourself active. You just need to be more creative and make do with alternative items such as wine bottles as weights, dish towels as sliders, or a stable chair for step ups.
Aside from these, you can try other exercise options like burpees, squats, push-ups, or planks that do not require space or equipment. Walking or biking around your block is also a good opportunity to work out your body while getting some fresh air, as long as you keep a safe distance from the crowd.
3. Get Quality Sleep
Lack of enough sleep can affect the body negatively in many ways, resulting in physical and mental health issues such as anxiety, loss of concentration, heart problems, or diabetes. Thus, even though you can afford to wake up later than you used to, now that you are working from home, you still need to maintain a regular sleeping pattern and have at least 8 hours of quality sleep each day.
Make your bedroom conducive to sleep by dimming all lights during your bedtime, removing items that remind you of work or stressful thoughts, and blocking off any sources of noise that may disturb your sleep. Minimize your intake of coffee, tea, or alcohol during the day, then stay away from gadgets a few hours before bedtime in order to condition your mind and body for a good quality sleep.
4. Be Conscious Of Your Body
It is easy to ignore warning signs from your body when you are just staying at home all the time. But many of these signs could be a precursor to something more serious, so it is always best to consult with a doctor when you feel any discomfort or notice something unusual in your body.
If you feel uncomfortable with a physical trip to the clinic or hospital, you can book your medical consultation through a Telehealth App. This connects you to a specialist who can assist you with your health concern via chat or video call while you stay at home.
5. Keep The House Clean
One obvious benefit of regular house cleaning is the removal of bacteria, viruses, molds, and allergens that could bring you all sorts of diseases. There would also be fewer chances of getting into an accident if you keep the surfaces dry and clutter-free.
On top of these, though, are other physical and mental benefits that you can get from cleaning the house. It is actually a great way to de-stress and boost your mood, because seeing the clean surroundings can give you a sense of accomplishment while the absence of clutter can motivate you to work harder. The actual activity also serves as a quick work out and will help you sleep better at the end of the day.