Since the emergence of COVID and the resulting lockdowns and closures, more people than ever before have begun working from home.

In fact, by the end of 2020, 71 percent of Americans who could do their jobs remotely were working from their homes. 

But COVID was not the sole reason behind this shift. Over the last few decades as technology has advanced and fewer job responsibilities have required an employee’s physical presence five days per week, the remote worker population has steadily grown.

But this set-up is not necessarily without its issues.

While the idea of working from home can be attractive (not dealing with traffic, lower fuel and parking costs, less pressure or rushing, a quieter environment, and perhaps more company during the day for your 4-legged loved ones), it also presents its share of challenges and traps that you should look out for.

Here are some strategies for creating a successful, productive work-from-home environment that doesn’t take a toll on your health:

Make a daily schedule

Without a schedule for the day, it’s easy to get distracted poking around on Facebook, making personal calls, running errands or doing laundry instead of doing your job.

Make a set plan or task list every day and check off each item as you complete it. That way you’re more likely to stay focused and make the most of your working hours.

And if you want to carve out a 15-minute break to fold those clothes that have been in the dryer for a week or a half-hour for lunch, that’s fine. Just be sure to get back on schedule when the break is over.

Establish boundaries between work and home

It’s easy to blur the work and home environments when your residence serves as both.

Having an actual office in your house (as I do) is ideal because you can close the door and limit distractions. But if that is not possible, try to have a designated work area, even if that is in your guest room or a desk set up in a corner of your living room.

Establish set hours that you will be working and stick to them. Also make sure your family members are aware of your work times and that you shouldn’t be disturbed during those hours.

And when your work hours are done, call it a day and spend time with your loved ones. Don’t allow work to take away from your personal life.

Stay hydrated

Water is critical to all of your body’s systems, and staying hydrated is a must for your cells, tissues, organs, bones, muscles and joints to work like they should.

Believe it or not, dehydration can sneak up on you rather quickly and lead to decreased energy levels and reduced cognitive functioning.

Note that when I say to “hydrate,” that means with water—not coffee, soda or energy drinks. WATER.

And if you are a soda drinker, you will see an enormous difference by switching to water. 

I’m living proof of this.

Many moons ago when I was in my early 20s, I was a Diet Pepsi girl. (Yeah, I know. Hard to imagine now, but I didn’t know any better back then.) Every afternoon I would have one or two DPs to keep me going for the rest of the day.

Well, one day the soda machine was out of Diet Pepsi, so I just rolled my eyes and reluctantly bought a bottle of water instead.

I could not BELIEVE the difference! I felt refreshed, alert and sharp, instead of sluggish, tired and unable to focus.

Aim to drink eight 8-oz. glasses of filtered water a day as a bare minimum.

Resist unhealthy eating and drinking habits

When you’re working from home, it’s easy to fall into bad eating and drinking habits.

So you may find yourself tempted to toss aside the idea of a healthy lunch and instead opt for a candy bar or a bowl of chips and a beer.

Eating junk food and drinking too much alcohol will never lead you down a good road. The empty calories will pack the pounds on your backside faster than the speed of light…and you might not notice right away if you’ve been opting to work in sweats, so look out!

And excessive alcohol consumption can lead to alcoholism, liver damage, UTIs, weakened immune function, high blood pressure, cancer and mental health problems, to name a few.

Stick to a routine of having a healthy breakfast and lunch instead.

And if you want a snack, opt for raw vegetables, a handful of nuts, a cube of cheese or a hard-boiled egg, and try a refreshing drink of sparkling water with a fresh lime or lemon wedge.

Don’t forgo your workouts

Working from home is not a reason (or excuse) to start skipping your gym workouts.

If prior to working from home, you were in a groove of hitting the gym early before work or right after, stick to the same schedule.

Your body and your mind will thank you.

Get enough vitamin D

Vitamin D has historically been a very common deficiency, and that only escalated once the lockdowns occurred, and work-from-home arrangements increased because people were getting out in the sun even less than they were before!

Currently about 75 percent of American adults and teens (three out of four of us) are deficient in vitamin D.

Plus the stresses and challenges of our modern-day world in general take their toll on people’s physical and mental health, and vitamin D is crucial for immune health, heart health and depression prevention, among other things.

So, having adequate levels of vitamin D is not optional—it’s VITAL.

Vitamin D is produced by our skin when we spend time each day (about 20 minutes) in the sun without protection.

But since that’s not an option for many people, to help ensure you have health-supporting levels of this essential nutrient, a top-notch supplement like Optimum DK Formula with FruiteX-B can help ensure your body has what it needs.

Optimum DK Formula provides a therapeutic 5,000 IUs of Vitamin D3, as well as Vitamin K and the mineral boron. This terrific trio helps to support strong mental health as well as heart and bone health, and sharp, strong immune function.

Enjoy making the most out of your work from home days!

And to put a smile on your face, I’ll share this picture of my three “assistants” keeping me company during my workday. 

To your health,

Sherry Brescia