Month: March 2020

Do you work from home at least a few days of the week? If so, it’s probably something you enjoy, but there are certain challenges that come with working remotely.

It’s easier to get distracted and it’s harder to stay motivated to get the work knocked out.

With those thoughts firmly in mind, here are a few tips that will help you stay healthy while you’re working from home.

It Starts With Your Workspace

Stress is a major cause of health-related issues. One of the major drivers of stress for people who work at home is that feeling of being torn between work life and home life. Your workspace and the way it is organized can really help keep your stress levels down. A well-designed workspace is all business, with few, or no home life distractions.

When you sit down at your workspace, the message is clear: You’re there to get stuff done. If possible, dedicate a home office around the task of working from home and close the door to keep the distractions at an absolute minimum.

Take Frequent Breaks

Unlike working from the office, there’s no one to scold you or to look down their nose at you for taking frequent breaks. Take advantage of that. Every hour or so, get up and stretch. Move around the house. Check in. Not only is it good for your blood flow and your aching back, but it will help keep your stress level under control because you’re able to stay plugged into your daily life.

Eat Well (and Often!)

Is there a rule against eating at your desk at work? If so, then you’ll probably enjoy keeping snacks at your desk at home. It’s a good way to flaunt that rule, which also helps reduce stress. Also, eating well and staying hydrated is obviously an essential component of staying healthy.

Naturally, there are plenty of other things you can to do stay healthy while working from home. Even if you stop here, you’ll be miles ahead of the game, and that’s great news indeed.

If your state or city has closed your local gyms, you should keep reading for when they open up again.  If you’re reluctant to give the gym up because of the virus, here are a few tips about gym etiquette and hygiene that will help keep you and everybody else safer and healthier:

Keep Your Hands Clean

It’s amazing how many people forget to wash their hands before and after a workout. It’s often the simplest and most straightforward thing that gets overlooked. The simple truth is that you’re handling gear that’s been touched by hundreds of different people. Washing your hands is always important, but these days it’s more important than ever!

Keep The Equipment Clean

In a vein very similar to the one we just talked about above, it pays to be considerate and wipe the equipment you’re using down when you’ve finished with it. Fully 74 percent of gym members reported in a recent survey that they’ve witnessed people using the equipment and then not wiping it down when they’re finished. Be in the proud minority that thinks more of others!

Shower Right After Your Workout

No matter how careful you are, you should still shower after. Any time you’re in a place with lots of other people, and especially when you’re in close proximity and handling lots of the same equipment, it’s easy to get germs on your body. Don’t risk taking them home with you. Grab a hot, soothing, relaxing shower right after your workout and let the germs get washed down the drain.

There are plenty of other things you can do. Even if all you do is stick to the basics outlined above, you’ll be miles ahead of the game. The world is never going to be done with viruses and harmful germs. Stay healthy out there!

When you work out, you get hungry and should eat. Whether you’ve purchased a gym membership and go there 3-4 times a week or you’ve simply committed to working out on a regular basis at home, you’ve probably noticed more than a few hunger pangs after your workouts.

That’s perfectly natural. It’s simply your body’s way of letting you know that it needs a resupply of nutrients. Of course, some foods are better than others. If you’re looking for some guidance about what kinds of things to eat after your workout, here are some helpful suggestions:

Quality Protein – You’ve got lots of great options here and you don’t have to be shy about the quantity you consume, as long as the quality is there. Your best options on the protein front are:

• Chicken
• Fish
• Eggs
• Nuts

Don’t Skimp On Carbs – Even if you’re dieting along with your exercise routine, don’t fall into a diet that requires you to drastically cut, or even eliminate carbs. Your body needs them because they provide a near-instant source of energy. Stay away from processed and sugar filled carbs. Stick with whole grains and healthy choices.

Something To Wash It Down With – Staying hydrated is every bit as important as eating quality carbs and proteins after a workout. Water is, of course, an excellent choice here. However, depending on how much you sweat during your workout, you may want to consider coconut water to help replace lost electrolytes. Perhaps try some some vegetable juice to give you an infusion of a broad range of vitamins and minerals.

If you’re looking for specific food recommendations, here are a few excellent post workout choices:

• Grilled chicken with steamed or sautéed vegetables
• A veggie omelet with some avocado on the side
• A slab of grilled salmon paired with a baked sweet potato
• A bean burrito, brown rice, guacamole and some salsa

Any of these will give your body what it needs after a vigorous workout and make your taste buds happy too!

Traveling can be a risky business that opens you up to a broad range of potential accidents, hazards, and the pain that can accompany them. Your back and neck are especially at risk, which is a fact that makes travel a daunting challenge for people who suffer from chronic pain in those areas.

One of the most common causes of back and neck pain while traveling relates to the luggage you bring with you and how often you have to handle it. This includes loading it and unloading it, moving it to baggage areas, picking it up from baggage claim areas, etc. Given all of that, it’s actually a wonder that more people aren’t hurt while traveling.

Fortunately, there are a few simple things you can do to minimize your risk of pain and injury while traveling. These include:

Get Assistance – Let’s start with the obvious. Most bus lines, airlines and other transportation hubs have assistants standing by who will, for a nominal fee, be more than happy to provide help. If you’re worried about the possibility of injury, this is a great, low-cost way of avoiding the issue completely. It’s honestly well worth the money spent. After all, it could mean the difference between a trip spent in agony and an enjoyable experience.

Pack Light – If you’re reluctant or unable to make use of paid assistants, then the other simple way to minimize your risk is to get in the habit of packing light. Less “stuff” brought with you translates to less weight, which means less stress and strain on your body.

Mindfulness – In addition to packing light, it also pays to be mindful any time you have to move your luggage from one place to another. Use proper lifting techniques, lift with the legs not with the back, and don’t try to move all of it at once. Just take your time, moving first one bag and then another.

While following the tips above won’t guarantee a pain free trip, it will go a long way toward minimizing your risk. Try it for yourself and see!

The question “do computers cause shoulder pain? is one we get quite frequently, and the short answer is yes, maybe.

The unfortunate truth is that most people don’t have great sitting habits, especially when they’re parked in front of their computers.

Most people have poor sitting posture and it can definitely cause or contribute to shoulder pain.

The good news is that there are a number of simple things you can do to improve your posture while working or playing on your computer. Taking the time to do so will almost certainly reduce the amount of shoulder pain you may be experiencing, and it could eliminate it outright.

Here are a few things to do differently:

• Buy An Ergonomic Chair

This is the first, best and simplest thing you can do. While it’s easy to spend a ton of money on a great office chair, you can get a decent chair with well-implemented ergonomic features and it will make a big, immediate difference.

• Make Sure Your Seat Height Is Optimal

Most office chairs offer a height adjustment feature, and you want to make sure that your arms aren’t above shoulder level while working. It’s also important to ensure that your monitor is at an optimal height so that you’re not spending most of the day with your neck turned up or down as you look at your monitor. It should be at a height that keeps your head level.

• Buy An Ergonomic Wrist Rest

Believe it or not, if you rest your wrists on a hard surface (like the edge of your desk) while you’re typing, it can, longer term contribute to shoulder pain. These are typically inexpensive additions to your home office or office setup.

• Try A Posture Strap

You can purchase straps to wear on your back and shoulders that will hold your posture the way it should be. This would be a low cost alternative to the chair mentioned above.

If you follow the advice outlined above, you may see relief. You may not completely eliminate chronic shoulder pain, as there may be other factors contributing to it. However, you’ll certainly go a long way toward minimizing it.