Taking care of your health and heart by creating a healthy home office environment and sticking to wellness-supporting habits is important if you want to reach your goals. By taking care of you – through such things as exercising, reducing stress, and eating plenty of fresh veggies and fruits – you will have more energy and strength to achieve your plans.
1. Get Enough Exercise and Movement
One of my favorite ways to get in some exercise is to start my day with rebounding. Not only is it fun to do but it is also gentle on the joints. In the afternoon, I enjoy going outside for a walk. Other suggestions for getting in some exercise include going for a run or hike, weight lifting, ice skating, cross-country skiing, and playing tennis.
2. Have Healthy Food and Snacks on Hand
Apples and cheese or almond butter, vegetables and a dip, or a huge, colorful salad for lunch and dinner are all examples of healthy and delicious foods. By filling your pantry and kitchen with food ingredients that are good for you and full of flavor, vitamins, and nutrients, it will keep you fueled to continue writing.
3. Keep the Drinks Going
Staying hydrated is important. Make sure to drink enough glasses of water throughout the day. Some ways to remind yourself to drink enough water are to have a water bottle or glass on your desk to take sips while you work or set a timer that once every half hour or hour you will take a five-minute break to go and drink a glass of water. To change things up, drink tea, smoothies, lemon water, matcha latte, turmeric latte, and healthy – or healthier – versions of hot chocolate and apple cider.
4. Clean and Fresh Air
If your home office has windows, open them on a daily basis to let the fresh air in.
To add a pleasant scent in your work area, consider using an air diffuser. Add one to three drops each of your favorite essential oils. Examples of essential oils you could use include:
- Lavender
- Peppermint
- Orange
- Tea tree
- Eucalyptus
In addition to giving a pleasant scent, the use of essential oils can have other benefits such as being more relaxed or receiving a boost of energy.
If you are located in an area where there is a higher level of pollution outdoors, then you may want to consider acquiring an indoor air cleaner such as an AirDoctor or add indoor plants to purify the air. Some preferred indoor plants are peace lily, spider plant, and Kalanchoe.
5. Rest and Relax
Make sure to take the time to relax and recharge as this is good for your heart, too. Do yoga or stretches, meditate, keep a journal, get a massage, or watch a favorite movie on a regular basis. There are many ways to release stress from your mind and body. By taking the time to unwind, you will return to your home office – and to your writing – with new ideas and ready to do work which will help you reach your goals.
If implementing the above all at once would be overwhelming, then choose one or two items which are of particular interest to you and start with that. To make it more fun to stay on track with creating a heart-healthy space and routine, ask a friend or family member to join you and check in with each other in order to build accountability. In taking steps to help you realize your health objectives, ensure that they are manageable so that you will follow through on them.
Barbori Garnet is a Creative Arts Professional – writer, artist, musician, and gardener – based in Alberta. She enjoys writing non-fiction and writes on remote work, home offices, gardening, and more. Barbori has a BFA and an MA Communications degree.