Staying healthy while working from home

  • Staying healthy while working from homeStaying healthy while working from home
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The alarm clock rings at 6.30 am, you are rushing out of the house by 7 am and reading news on the train. Just before you head up to office, you grabbed your Kopi-O-Kosong from your favourite stall. On a good day, you slot in a short lunch session at the gym and catch a healthy salad bowl before returning to your desk to have a quick banter with your colleagues. Soon, it is 6 pm and it is time to join the commuters heading home to a cosy dinner with your family. You check your step count for the day: 8200 steps!

On 7th April 2020, your perfect routine has to undergo major adjustments when Singapore went into circuit breaker mode. By now, you would have experienced some teething issues related to working from home. Apart from productivity, considering how structured your usual work routine is, you will soon realise that it requires a lot of self-discipline and self-care to maintain physical, mental and emotional health when you are working from home.

We hope that these practical tips will come in useful during this season.

 

Emotional and mental health

  1. Avoid isolation: Consider doing a group video call when you are having your post-lunch coffee to catch up with your colleagues, friends or loved ones. It will be best to schedule a time so that everyone looks forward to it after a busy morning with work and settling the kids.
  2. Be kind to yourself: If you foresee possible distractions due to domestic issues, allow some breathing space between scheduled work calls. If your child suddenly cries in the background during your group call, there is no need to panic because every household with kids deals with this.
  3. Look out for others: This is a challenging time for everyone. Reach out to single working adults who might be worried about their family back home or those who have lost their jobs during this period. You can message or call to check in on them. Sometimes, all they need is just a listening ear and know they are not alone during this trial.
  4. Keep your to-do list realistic: This list should include work, self-care and domestic tasks.

 

Physical health

  1. Stretch: Find a 3-minute stretch routine online to stretch before starting your work in the morning and repeat it after you have spent a long time at the computer.
  2. Home workouts: Depending on your fitness level, find one that is similar to the intensity of your usual regime and make it a weekly affair. If you are short of time, consider a quick warm up and do sets of body weight exercises such as push-ups, squats and lunges.
  3. Clocking in steps by walking around your neighborhood: Head for uncrowded spaces and practise safe distancing when there are more people. You can also plan for a walk at a public park before or after work if your schedule allows. To check how crowded a park is, visit National Parks Board.
  4. Be strict with your grocery shopping list:
    - Diet: Keep to low-carbohydrate meals with good sources of protein (tofu, lean meat, fish and eggs), vegetables and keep portions small.
    - Take away and delivery options: Look for healthier options
    - Cooking at home: Consider planning the menu on a weekly basis. You can have a ‘cheat’ day to eat your favourite food but keep it to a maximum of once a week.

 

How do you maintain a healthy immune system?

  1. Eat the recommended daily portion of fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains
  2. Drink plenty of water: General advice is 2 litres a day but it might vary according to your daily routine
  3. Consider Vitamin C supplements
  4. Aim to sleep 7 hours
  5. Maintain good hand hygiene
  6. Minimise alcohol intake
  7. Smoking: Aim to take this opportunity to start your journey of quitting – check out the ‘I Quit’ campaign
  8. Stress management: Relaxation/breathing/mindfulness exercises, make time for activities you enjoy doing even if it is just for 5 minutes. You can also build a support network of people who you can talk to.

 

This article is contributed by Raffles Medical Group.

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