How to Take Care of Yourself While Working From Home

How to Take Care of Yourself While Working From Home

It seems that as technology improves, more and more people are getting to work from home. From a wellness perspective I have found this to be both a blessing, and a curse. Ideally, I should have the time to meal prep delicious and healthy meals, hit the gym, and have a perfect ergonomic set up.

However, these goals are easier said than done. Because trust me, it is easy to stay in your pjs, eat mac n cheese for lunch every day and work from your bed or couch.

To combat falling into this lazy cycle I have found it best to set your own rhythm and stick to it. 

Get up and start your day with a light breakfast (think fruit, yoghurt or protein shake/bar) and go work out. And lets be real, workout clothes are almost as comfortable as pjs so it won’t be that rude of an awakening.

Or if you don’t feel like hitting the gym or going for a run I like to plan a light body weight circuit to space out my day that I can jump into every two or three hours. For me that means crunches, push ups, planks, air squats etc. Do a little research and find a circuit that works for you - I recommend Pinterest or bodybuilding.com, both are simple to use and have a million ideas for circuit workouts. Another benefit of circuit workouts at home is that way you are not sitting too long. Sitting and staring at a screen for too long can cause muscle cramps and eye fatigue so I try to do all I can to combat those.

Next, to force myself to eat healthy I do crock pot meals on Sundays and keep healthy snacks on hand. By making food in the crock pot all I have to do is heat up small portions when it is meal time, making eating as easy as possible. As far as snacks go I try to have trail mix, cheese sticks and other high protein options to keep me full.

Lastly, an ergonomic desk and chair would be ideal. However, if you are like me and saving up to that set up, then you need a different solution. Do you best to elevate your screen so you are not over extending your neck. By having a raised screen it also gives you the option to stand. Stand whenever you can to improve posture and blood flow.

I hope these tips help!

Instagram @carmynisabella, Freelance page isabellajamesdesigns.com 

The Dangers of Self Appointed Expectations

Wellness can be a very personal topic. Carmyn's first Wellness Wednesday piece is a little bit of an introduction to her, she touches on a topic that many of us have struggled with, and discusses the realization that helped her cope. Many of us get a idea in our head of where our life SHOULD be at a specific time and point. We feel like we are failing at life because real life doesn't match that idea. Don't let those feelings set you back. 

Be sure to check back weekly for Carmyn's Wellness Wednesday feature each week, where she will discuss mental, physical, dietary, and emotional wellness!

I never thought that I would classify myself as mentally unwell. I am generally a happy person. I have a loving family, the best boyfriend and two purry fur babies.

I recently graduated from the University of Tennessee in May and ever since then I have been doing whatever I can for work, making cold calls and cleaning houses included. After receiving the chancellor’s award for “Outstanding Professional Promise” in April this is not where I expected to find myself at all.

Mentally I became somewhat unwell. I experienced a mental barrier between what I thought I deserved and what was offered to me in terms of a career. This caused me to shut down on my job search and to hesitate on going to the gym, which is usually a staple for me.

It all seemed to culminate on a haphazard beach trip that we took to “relax”. While on the trip we managed to lose the one set of keys to our rental, forget all of our clothes in the dresser, and to top it all off, I found out that I was passed up for a job that I thought was certainly going to be offered to me.

The culmination of these things should have made me explode. However, it forced me to mentally let go of thinking that everything was going to be perfect just because that is what I thought it should be. As cliché as it is to say, life happens.

Upon realizing that nothing is going to happen a certain way just because that is what I want is refreshing and freeing. So if you are like me, and are having feelings that things are not going your way, I implore you to take a step back and take a deep breath. Define what is in your control and what is not and let go of what isn’t. I think that you will find that your mental wellbeing will improve exponentially. 

Carmyn is an opinionated keyboard pecker, graphic designer, part time model and bikini enthusiast.