6 Biggest 'Work from Home' Mistakes
by Annie O'Brien | 24th Sep 2020
Who knew when you packed up your desk and carried your work computer home back in March, you’d still be working from home now? But here we are. While swapping morning commutes for online HIIT classes and attempting to cook more at home has helped many get healthier, the transition also has downsides resulting in letting some healthy habits slide.
Since many of us are working from home for the foreseeable future, it’s important to nip unhealthy habits in the bud. Here are the 6 Biggest ‘Work from Home’ Mistakes.
6 Biggest ‘Work from Home’ Mistakes
Skipping Meals – 6 Biggest ‘Work from Home’ Mistakes
One of the Biggest ‘Work from Home’ Mistakes is skipping meals. When you’re too busy with work and skip a meal, you set yourself up for blood sugar crashes. Therefore being more likely to reach for a less nutritious choice or overeat. This is where a healthy meal delivery can pay off: If you have something well balanced ready to grab, you’re more likely to not make poor food choices. For example, something like Baked Salmon, Brown Rice and Broccoli which is loaded with protein, fibre and dense micronutrition.
Mindless Eating
Another one of the Biggest ‘Work from Home’ Mistakes is grazing. Grazing is mindless eating and often leads to weight gain due to consuming more calories than if you’d eaten three solid meals. So, a handful of crisps or a couple of slices of toast here and there may be tasty, but they will only satisfy you for a short period of time.
No Meal Plan in Place
If you used to bring your lunch to work, you may be in the habit of waiting until you’re starving at 1 p.m. and then searching the fridge for whatever you can find. While meal prepping can resolve this stress, you can save time for more important things by ordering nutritious meals to have at the ready. For instance, a Superfood Salmon Salad for lunch, Cajun Chicken with Taco Sauce as an afternoon snack and Hazelnut Protein Bites for when you’re about to reach for that chocolate bar.
Stress Eating
At the office, you might have access to a kitchen or coffee room, but they’re often away from your desk or workspace. When you’re home, you’re more than likely closer to the fridge, making it easy to reach for the biscuits or crisps if you’ve had a particularly stressful day or if you’re drowning in unread emails.
If possible, set up your WFH space away from the kitchen and take regular walking breaks to minimize stress. If eating is your go-to response to stress, think about other things you can do. A quick walk out in the fresh air, making a cup of tea or even taking a couple of minutes away from the screen just for yourself.
Sitting for Too Long
Now that all meetings are through a webcam, and you no longer stroll the halls with your coworkers, you’re likely spending a considerable amount of time seated. Look for ways to get up and get moving, whether it’s to refill your glass or take a phone meeting while walking.
It’s also helpful to think about the times in your day that provide space and opportunity to get active. Maybe you prefer a lunch-time stroll rather than your afternoon tea break. Alternatively, see if you can fit in a quick 15 min meditation during the day.
Snacking on the Wrong Foods
One of the biggest ‘ work from home’ mistakes for weight loss is lack of preparation. It’s so easy to assume that because you’re working from home, you’ll have more time to prep healthy foods in-the-moment, like cutting up veggies for hummus as a snack. The reality is you’ll probably get too busy, and it’s easy to run out of motivation if you’re weighed down by the stress of the day. Having quick and healthy snacks like Carrot Cake Mini Muffins or a delicious Green Superfood Salad at the ready will prevent poor choices.