AnitaB.org also has local community chapters and I had a chance to connect with the local community at GHCI last year(2019). I am a part of the Delhi-NCR chapter and we conducted our second Virtual meetup on July 4, 2020(Saturday) successfully. The Virtual meetup is a 2 hour meetup, usually on a Saturday afternoon, this time we had two main sessions, “Quality is never an accident! ” by Kathita Goel, Google and a panel discussion on ‘Upskilling during COVID-19 Situation’. We have been following a pattern of scheduling quick 10 minutes talk in between the two main sessions and this time it was on ‘Working from Home and Health‘ by me and another community member(Anupam Singh).
Our session on ‘Working from Home and Health’ received a lot of claps, so I thought of putting together a few points in this blog.
Working from Home and Health:
- They say the way you start your day makes a difference! Creating a morning routine is helpful. I undestand we have household chores to take care of in the morning but it’s possible to take out 15 minutes everyday to exercise or meditate(whichever works for you), I recommend 6-8 sets of Surya Namaskars and Pranayama(breathing exercises).
- Dress up if you like, if not try pairing up your pyjamas with shoes, it will keep you active through the day and you won’t be working from your bed at all. 😉
- It’s important to have a designated workspace in your house. Investing in an ergonomic chair is absolutely worth it! To avoid sitting for long hours, try an adhoc sit-stand table arrangement. Here is the hack: if you keep a smaller table(bed table) on top of a regular table, it gives you the perfect height to stand and work. I ‘d be happy to know if you tried this hack and it worked for you. 😉
- Creating a work schedule is recommended but don’t forget to schedule your breaks too. It’s important to take regular breaks to refresh yourself mentally, physically, and emotionally. You can also read about ‘Pomodoro technique‘ and see if it works for you.
- Don’t stretch your day, but stretch your body! You can exercise two hours post any meal. If you are unable to find time to exercise, TRY(if you can) skipping your evening tea/coffee but exercise. You will clearly have that one productive thing at the end of the day.
- Exercise and meditation have long term benefits and it keeps you happy. If you are new to meditation, I ‘d recommend ‘headspace.com‘ to get started.
- 30-40 minutes of activity with your body and mind will bring magical difference to your body. Exercise boosts your blood circulation, calms your mind and brings you satisfaction.
- Start your day with positivity and relaxation, reconnecting with nature rejuvenates you. Pause your mind and listen to what our body is saying.
- Simple exercises that you can try at home: running in place, high jumps, skipping, dancing, sit ups, squats, planks, leg raises. etc.
- I suggest eating wholesome food everyday, include fruits and nuts in your diet. Avoid cooking unhealthy meals at home 😉 you know what I mean!
- Don’t stress and be thankful for all that you have, not everyone has the luxury of working from home in the current pandemic situation.
I hope the above points help you in someway, I ‘d be happy to know your feedback or comments. Thank you 🙂
Anisha Narang 