The End of Diabetes: The Eat to Live Plan to Prevent and Reverse Diabetes

For many of us, our lives have been upended by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, many of us have been told to work from home, if possible. This can present some new challenges in and of itself, especially if you’re someone who also has to manage youngsters at home all at the same time.

Here, at Diabetes Daily, we all usually work remotely as it is, so navigating working from home effectively is something that we’re already used to. Here are some of our top staff guidance for making it work when you’re working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic:

Create a Routine

Just like when you’re in the workplace, your day at home should have a structure and flow. Getting up at the same time each day and having a set schedule sounds like such a simple thing to do, but it will go a long way in keeping you on track throughout the day. Set a specific start and end time to your workday, and factor in a designated lunch break, too. And if you have children at home, make sure to create a routine for them, too! Kids tend to thrive with a consistent schedule, so that they know what to expect. Even those as young as three can get involved and assist you structure your days together.

Maria Muccioli, Staff Writer at Diabetes Daily, is currently balancing working from home with a 3-year-old and a 2-month old, at the same time as her husband continues to work outside the home as an essential employee:

“I can’t say it’s been easy and not overwhelming at times. However, routine is gold. It really is. Those first few days were tough, but now, I know exactly when I’m going to get a 1- or 2-hr stretch of work done. My 3-year-old loved helping to put together her schedule, although she tries to convince me that “it’s not nap time, it’s TV time” on a regular basis.”

Get Dressed in the Morning

It can be easy to let your appearance fall to the wayside when you’re not interacting with people in person all day. Fight the temptation to lounge around in your pajamas, though. Getting dressed in real clothes, as you would when you normally go to work, can assist you get into a more productive mindset if you “look the part”. This may sound like a really basic thing to do, but trust us, it works!

Have a Dedicated, Clean, and Relaxing Workspace

Having your workspace organized can help your thoughts stay organized, too, and help keep you on task and on schedule. Furthermore, having a dedicated workspace can help prevent you from getting distracted on other things around the house you could be doing, whether it’s cleaning, or watching TV. Consider ergonomics, too. Having a comfortable chair can help you feel your best physically and in turn improve your focus and productivity.

Maria says,

“Moving my workspace into a designated room last year made a tremendous difference in not getting off track during my workday. I enjoyed dressing it up and feeling like I have my own space.”

Get Up and Move a Little

The health benefits of standing and stretching regularly throughout the workday are well-established. Taking a short break to get up and stretch (or even do a quick exercise session!) can improve blood flow and muscle tone and help you to feel more energized. Consider setting an alarm to remind you to stand up every so often (e.g., every 1-2 hours) or ask your smartwatch to help you remember to break the sedentary pattern!

Allison Caggia, Editorial Director at Diabetes Daily explains,

“It’s important to keep moving. Working from home means you are a lot more sedentary, so make sure to get up and stretch. A worthy investment is one of these lap desk bicycles which allows you to exercise while being productive.”

Go for a Midday Walk

Mental health and taking a break is important to maintaining productivity. Getting outside for some extra vitamin D and exercise is a great idea almost always, and now can be especially useful. Changing up your environment and getting moving can help you re-energize and boost your spirit. The ability to work from home can mean you have more opportunities to get outside. So, go ahead and take your dog or your kids for a short walk around the block (while practicing social distancing, of course)!

What are some ways that you are managing your new work from home experience? Please share this article with anyone who may benefit and leave your tips in the comments below!

Diabetes Daily

The End of Diabetes: The Eat to Live Plan to Prevent and Reverse Diabetes