In this day and age, more people and companies are transitioning to remote work than ever before, and for many good reasons. After all, remote work has plenty of advantages that can help individuals and companies better manage their time, save money, and eliminate the stress that comes from the traditional 9-to-5.
However, that doesn’t mean that remote work isn’t without its drawbacks. One issue that remote work may cause is the difficulty in maintaining your physical health. Being active can be easier when a job is in person. However, with remote work even when you have more time you might still become overly sedentary.
Below, you can check out some tips from your local family doctors about how to protect your health while working from home!
While you might not be passing by fast-food joints on your morning commute, with apps like UberEats and DoorDash, you may find yourself ordering delivery much more often. Unfortunately, this can make it difficult to avoid unhealthy eating habits. Instead, you should try to prioritize cooking for yourself when possible.
Be sure to incorporate plenty of fruits and veggies, whole grains, and lean proteins like fish or grilled chicken. If you need some energy throughout the day, you can also try some healthy snacks like granolla or dark chocolate!
Getting active is essential for maintaining your health! While you may not have a personal gym at home, you can still get all of the exercise that you need without leaving the house. Try doing sets of jumping jacks or pushups, going on walks or jogs around the block during your breaks, or buying some free weights like dumbbells for at-home workouts.
One advantage of remote work is that, for many jobs, you can essentially work whenever you want. This means you don’t have to set that alarm for at 7:30 am, quickly jump into the shower, scarf down some breakfast, and hit the road. However, while you might not be stressing about getting out the door, sleeping in late and becoming more distracted throughout the day can also be major issues.
That’s why when it comes to remote work, having a well-structured routine is a great idea. Set a schedule, and pretend you’re going to work for a traditional 9-to-5 (or whichever hours work best for you). Even if your office is your kitchen table and your nice office outfit is pajamas, a routine can help you stay on track.
Of course, you don’t always have to follow your schedule exactly, but having a framework can help you work more efficiently, eliminate stress, and maintain healthy sleep patterns.
Setting health goals to aim for is another important part of achieving a healthy lifestyle. These goals may be as simple as deciding to eliminate soda or processed foods from your diet, or might be more extensive goals like deciding to lose several pounds over a set period of time. In either case, setting intermediary steps to meet along your way to an ultimate goal can help you stick with it over time.
Whether you’re working remotely or in person, you’ll still want to have regular checkups with your doctor. A qualified doctor in the RGV area can help you make sure that you’re protecting your health and taking all the right steps to live a long, healthy life. While the choices you make at home on a day to day basis may have the most frequent effects on your body over time, seeking medical treatment when you need it can sometimes mean the difference between nipping an illness in the bud and struggling with a life-long condition.
From choosing your own hours to working from your couch, there’s no denying that remote work has a lot of upsides. Still, it’s important that you take the right steps to protect your health while working from home rather than in an office or store.
Working from home can make it easy to fall into bad health habits, but prioritizing your health is key to living a long happy life. Don’t forget to eat right, set health goals, stay active, maintain a routine, and come in to see your family doctor to make sure you’re on the right track. Come visit the team at Healthy Lifestyles RGV Medical Clinic today!