Working from home can be great — until you realize you're also living at work.
Here are five simple ways to stay healthy and sane when plodding to the sofa in pajamas is your daily commute.
1) Take breaks
Moving your body is key. Get up from your desk and walk around. Stretch, step outside, and inhale some fresh air. Ten minutes spent strolling instead of scrolling can make all the difference.
2) Avoid “E-mail Apnea”
Notice if you find yourself holding your breath while reading and responding to email. When we're triggered or terrified, the breath is often the first to go. Focus on keeping it steady and deep, and your body will automatically relax.
3) Connect mindfully throughout the day
Check in on a colleague or friend, or touch base for no reason at all. Feeling seen and valued matters. Human connection — even via Zoom — can be invigorating, calming and hope-inducing.
4) Notice the Mundane
Stay present while drinking your morning coffee, tea, or water; sense the aroma, the temperature, the weight of the mug, the taste. Small, short moments of mindfulness like these — commonly known as "micropractices" — can strengthen our mindfulness musculature in fundamental ways over time.
5) Breathe
It may sound overly simplistic, but taking three deep, intentional breaths can radically change your mindset and state of being. Count to 4 on the inhale and 6 on the exhale, really feeling the beat of stillness at the end of the exhale. This quick practice will help calm your nervous system — and who doesn't need that right now?
Dr. Christine E. Kiesinger is Vice President of Development and Lead Trainer of Emotional Intelligence and Conscious Communication for studio BE.
Feature photo by Impact Photography/Adobe Stock