3 Simple Ways to Keep Sane While WFH

Like most others in the corporate world, I have been working from home for a little over a year now. It was a joy at first, exciting even to think that I wouldn't have to get up a half hour early to put on makeup and drive 25 minutes in southern California traffic each morning to my office. Once in my home office, it wasn't too much of an adjustment. Since all my work is done either on a computer or phone, I didn't have to adjust to Several months in, my husband started a new job that was in-office. I didn't have my at home coworker anymore and felt lonely. Some days I would bring my laptop into bed with me and trade off with working, napping, and watching TikToks on my phone. Sometimes I would be eating out five days a week because I just wanted to something to do and driving to pick up Chipotle was something I looked forward to in my mornings. I wasn't exercising, and just felt my days were mundane and the same as the day before. Recently, I got a gym membership and have been working out 6 days a week. This has motivated me to reevaluate not only my physical health but my mental health too. Here are three things I try to do everyday to keep my sanity and better my health while working at home alone.

Go on a walk!

I got a FitBit a couple years ago and started getting addicted to the feeling of accomplishment from reaching 10,000 steps everyday. This doesn't happen every day, but after work I try to go on a 2 mile walk in the area and park around my apartment building. I happen to live in a hilly area too, so my heart rate is always up and it's a great time for me to go outside and listen to music or a podcast. Feeling the sun or even wind makes me feel more alive for lack of a better term. I sometimes feel like a robot rolling out of bed to my desk 10 feet away from me and only getting up to eat or go back to bed. If you aren't up for a 2 mile walk, at least walk for 30 minutes even if it's just in your neighborhood. Being outside is so good for the body and mind and I feel much more accomplished about my day after going for a walk.

Take Reading Breaks

If you want to make your day more purposeful, I recommend you get off your phone and enjoy a book like you used to in 7th grade. I have been trying to read one book a week this year (have already failed miserably but I keep picking long books) and when I take a break during my work day to pick up with a book I've been reading for several days, I feel like I'm enjoying a hobby but also working towards something that is beneficial to my health. It allows me to wind down when I am stressed and jump into a different world. Right now I am reading A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas, which was recommended to me by TikTok teens and is apparently part of a rather spicy YA novel series. So far it's not the greatest novel in the world but it's entertaining.

Clean Your Apartment

Hear me out---clean your apartment (or home)! Home cleanliness has become such a huge topic of interest in the last year most likely because being stuck at home gives us more time to nit-pick at the things we want to fix around us. I generally hate cleaning but feel more accomplished than ever when my apartment is spotless and everything is folded and put away in its own place. Just standing up and being active and cleaning while listening to music helps me feel energized and like I have a purpose and goal for the day. Pinterest has a lot of different tips for cleaning obscure and small things you wouldn't normally think about cleaning unless you were at home staring at it all day. Go Clean Go has had a boom in popularity from its simple yet effective formula of powder Tide detergent, hot water, and bleach.

These simple ideas will increase your motivation for the day, sense of accomplishment, and will restore the sense of routine I think we all sorely miss. Not having the separation of work and home spaces has caused me to spiral a bit, and organizing and planning out my weekdays completely sets me in the best mindset.