7 Steps You Can Take to Lead a Healthier Lifestyle Whilst Working from Home
Health and wellbeing is fundamental to everyone’s life. A positive wellbeing and living a healthy lifestyle has both physical and mental benefits. By making small and simple changes, you improve your health, lessen the risk of disease and add years onto your life.
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Introducing more exercise into your daily routine
Nobody becomes a marathon runner overnight, but there are many ways we can incorporate exercise into our daily routines. For example, you could do sit ups or jog on the spot during the advert breaks whilst you’re watching TV or jogging for 5 minutes during your daily walk. Taking small steps like running for 5 minutes longer in your workout, can improve your fitness and energy levels.
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More sleep
There’s nothing a good night’s sleep can’t solve! Sleep is proven to be as important as a balanced diet and exercise for your health. If you have poor sleep, you’re likely to have less energy to exercise or perform well the next day. If you’re stressed or anxious, instead of sitting up all night, try and do something relaxing like reading a book or listening to relaxing music. Avoid using your phone or watching TV, according to the Sleep Foundation, electronic screens emit a blue light that interferes with your body’s production of melatonin, a sleep-inducing hormone that induces sleep.
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Drink Plenty of Water
Staying hydrated is vital in maximising physical performance and boosting energy. Drinking water will improve your mood, as dehydration can cause fatigue and anxiety. According to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, the recommended daily water intake for men is 3 litres and 2.2 litres for women. However, when exercising or in hot weather, it is recommended to drink more to avoid dehydration.
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Set Yourself Goals
Through setting both life and fitness goals, you can maintain the motivation to get yourself to where you want to be. A short term goal may be running 5k without stopping or clearing out a cupboard full of clutter, but a long term goal may be buying a house or getting your dream job. Make sure the goals you set are achievable, so breaking down larger goals into small achievable tasks. It is important to make goals for you and nobody else, as everyone is different. The great feeling of achieving your goals will encourage you to challenge yourself as well as appreciate yourself, after showing yourself you can reach your full potential.
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Eat a healthy breakfast
Eating a meal full of fibre and protein first thing in the morning will improve your energy levels. Breakfast gives you the fuel to start your day and allow you to feel full, as well as burning it off throughout the day. Starting your day on a full stomach also increases productivity and concentration levels.
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Take a break
With all that is happening in the world at the moment, it’s important to take a break from the stresses of everyday life, whether that be anxiety due to negative news stories or work. Allowing time to reflect on what you have achieved and relax your mind and body gives you a chance to refresh and rejuvenate away from all responsibilities. Moreover, spending some time away from work in the fresh air may result in returning with increased energy levels and more motivation to achieve your goals when normality returns!
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Try New Healthy Recipes!
Through preparing your lunch from scratch, it gives you the opportunity to learn new recipes and make healthier eating choices. This can help if you are trying to reach a fitness goal, as it allows you to keep track on what you are eating. Also, through experimenting with new recipes you can expand your cooking skills and creativity with trying new ingredients. This can also result in more time away from laptop, tablets and phone screens, therefore leaving you energised.
