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The pandemic has changed a lot about our daily lives. Adjusting to such a massive shift can be enough to make anyone exhausted. Whatever your situation is, keeping your mental health in check is a top priority. But where do you start? It may seem daunting, but with a few small improvements, you can make a world of difference! To help keep your spirit up and improve your productivity, we’ve compiled a list of home essentials for you.
Keep Your Energy Up
Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids along with leafy greens, fruits, nuts, and lentils are excellent for the brain. Experts recommend maintaining normal mealtimes and avoiding snacking too often. This helps you stay healthy and grounded. Coffee is good for productivity but too much caffeine can make you jittery and less focused. Don’t forget to make sure you are staying hydrated and eating the right foods at the right times. Become best friends with your water bottle and granola bar and start your day off right!
Protect Your Eyes and Improve Your Sleep
Most laptop and smartphone screens have LED lights in them, which can give off a blue light. Blue LED lights to damage your eyesight, tire your eyes, and also reduce melatonin production. Melatonin is a chemical, naturally produced in your body, that helps you sleep better. A good way to bring back your melatonin, without going back to the dark ages, is to wear blue light glasses when you work from your computer. Whether for prescription or style, blue light filtering glasses protect your eyes from the screen and make it easier for you to fall asleep.
Lighting Up Your Space
Whether you’re preparing for a full day of work from home or getting ready for bed, a common mistake people make is not having the right lighting. Your mind is wired to respond to light. If you have the wrong light color, you’re going to have a tough time, whatever the activity. The general rule is, cool light will wake you up and warm light will relax you. So get ready to unscrew a few lightbulbs, or take a trip to IKEA if you want to do things the light way.
Desk, Chair, Action!
Have you been noticing tension in your shoulders or a creak in your neck since you’ve started working from home? We know you have. What you need is a good support system for your back! A quality chair and good table height are a good place to start. But they won’t do you any good if your work-desk-etiquette isn’t right! If you’re not in a position to refurbish your home office completely, that’s okay! You don’t need to! Try using pillows or books to get the heights and angles you need.
Journal for a Clearer Mind
A popular buzzword you might be interested in, if you’re worried about your well-being is journaling. A lot of stress or mental exhaustion comes from having a cluttered mind. A simple solution, that doesn’t involve a therapist, is journaling. It’s a great way to organize your life and to give you a healthy outlet to process your feelings and emotions. Whether you prefer the notes app on your phone or a fancy notebook, jotting down your thoughts is a good idea. Writing down plans, schedules or mantras will keep your mind at ease.
Get That Blood Pumping!
A great way to combat tired muscles and brain fog from those 5 long zoom meetings, is to exercise. Exercise releases endorphins. Endorphins not only improve your mood but give you that extra push to get through that last meeting. A few simple, short exercises or stretches throughout the day and you’re good to go. It might be time to pull out that old yoga mat or those pink dumbbells and set a reminder to give your body a break by exercising. Your mind and body will thank you.
Isolate Yourself
For a lot of people, the hardest part about working from home is finding some peace and quiet to concentrate. Whether you’ve got going on, it can be difficult to focus on your lectures or update report. If you don’t have your own space, consider investing in some noise-canceling earphones, or some really good earplugs. Find yourself a nice podcast, playlist, or peace of mind and get to tackling!
Sometimes complicated problems have simple solutions. When it comes to your well-being when working from home, the essentials boil down to a good night’s sleep, painless working hours, and the right fuel. Working from home can be hard but it doesn’t have to be if you make a few small changes to your environment. And don’t forget, sleep is key to good mental health and productivity throughout the day.
