Over the last decade, more and more workers have trickled out of their offices and have opted to work from home instead. Especially software developers and designers who wished they had embraced the concept earlier than now because according to a majority of them, it allows them to work in their productive hours and keeps them focused, they can wear whatever they like to work and definitely no traffic issues, etc.

But in spite of all the benefits of working from home, there are some ways working from home can have a detrimental effect on your health. Thankfully, there are several habits you can form to make sure that you stay healthy when you work from home.

Exercise Regularly

Researchers have found that prolonged sitting increases the risk of developing serious illnesses, like cancer and heart disease. Maybe, you’re probably thinking, I don’t sit as much when I work at home. Sure, when you work at home, there’s no commute. But that also means you aren’t walking to and from the office after a commute on public transportation or even moving to meet a colleague in his office.

One of the advantages of working from home is that, in most cases, you’re in control of your schedule. If you want to have an intense workout in the morning, great. If you want a small workout in the morning and a Yoga session in the afternoon, you can do that, too. Whatever it is, no matter how small, make sure you’re getting some kind of exercise during the day.

Dress for the Office

One best perks of working at home is no dress code. That’s a fact. You don’t have to wear a suit and tie every day when you work from home. If you want, you can wear your favorite footie pajamas every single day. But dressing in PJ’s every day may not set you up for healthy work-from-home success. There is a study on how dress can impact how we feel about ourselves and how others view us. More importantly, the studies have found that how we dress can impact our productivity.

Personally, I feel getting dressed even when you work at home subconsciously tells your brain that you take this job seriously. That you’re a professional and you’re going to treat the job with respect. Getting dressed also helps your mind think, “I’m starting work now,” and helps you get into work mode.

Try to Separate Work from Home

At work, people have the weekend to look forward to. They know that for 48 hours they won’t have to look at their desks and see unfinished work staring back at them but that’s not the case when you work at home.

It’s important to establish and maintain boundaries when you work from home. Otherwise, you may feel trapped by your job or that you always have the feeling that you have to work. 

While changing clothes is one way to establish those boundaries, there are a few other things you can do to establish and maintain healthy boundaries between working at home and living at home. 

• Closing the door – If you’re fortunate enough to have a separate home office, try closing the door on the weekend so you don’t have to look at your desk. This helps maintain a visual and physical boundary between work and home.
• Get out – If at all possible, get out of the house once a day. Run a brief errand, or take a walk around the block. Anything that gets you out of the house for even a few minutes is helpful. If you can’t do that, change your location. Eat lunch on the couch or in the kitchen instead of at your desk.
• Consider a co-working space – It’s not a bad idea visit one once in a while. In-fact, there are some benefits for work-at-home workers who do this. When you join a co-working space, you instantly create a separate work-space for yourself that isn’t your house. It gives your day structure and helps maintain those work-life boundaries, also a great opportunity to meet new people that aren’t in your industry.

In conclusion, working from home has some sneaky ways to impact your life negatively. but with a few easy steps, you can live and work at home in a healthy, productive, and happy way. If you are a senior tech talent interested in working remotely from your home or co-working spaces, visit eWorker to signup today!