4 Tricks to Thrive While Working from Home

4 Tricks to Thrive While Working from Home

Over the past decade, technological advances have shattered the ball and chain restricting where and how we work. The traditional workstation that included a computer, monitor, plug in mouse, and filing cabinets is close to extinction. Laptops are extremely common if not the only way people work and the majority of our information is stored in the cloud making paper records obsolete. We now have the ability to work from home, on vacation, or at the beach if you can maneuver your screen against the sun’s glare. Social tools keep us connected to our teams and working outside the office is the new perk many companies jump to provide employees.

Working remotely has it perks including skipping the dreadful commute, home cooked meals, and decreased distractions from coworkers. But it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. Waking up without anyone to physically report to can lead to four or five snoozes - sometimes more than our body needs. When you finally pull yourself out of bed, guilt envelops you. To placate, you flip open your computer to get started only to find the rush of morning emails has overtaken your inbox. Before you know it, the clock reads 11:30 am and you’re still in your pj’s, haven’t eaten breakfast or even brushed your teeth for the day.

Of course, a day here and there that starts like this isn’t necessarily a problem. However, to be successful working from home, whether it’s every day or once a week, there are certainly best practices that make it easier. Check out these four quick tips to thrive while working from home.

4 Tips to Identify & Mitigate Common Pains

4 Tips to Identify & Mitigate Common Pains

Pinpointing the origin of many of your aches and pains is no easy task. Whether it be the crick on the side of your neck that just won't go away or the mild tension on your outer hip that annoys you while seated in your chair at work, the reason for these discomforts can’t be easily identified. Many pains that start off as minor discomforts can snowball into full-blown-it’s-time-to-do-something-about-this-right-now-excruciating pain. The source, in many of these circumstances, unveils itself sneakily in the unconscious ways you move or don’t move your bodies throughout the day.

Let’s take a moment to think back on the last 24 hours of your life. How long have you spent seated in a chair, on the couch or even reclined in bed? How was your posture during these periods? Do you cross your ankles throwing off the weight in your hips while seated? Do you lay on one side applying more pressure to one shoulder? How about the shape of your spine? If someone took a picture of you without your awareness, what would you look like typing on your phone/computer or even driving? Add up these minutes and hours. How much time per day do you spend in these precarious shapes?

The reality is most of us sit, stand, and move throughout our days like we are some sort of contortionist, twisted into pretzels without the delightful cinnamon topping, setting ourselves up for a lifetime of pain and injuries. So what can we do about it? By being aware of your posture and integrating mindful habits you can discover the root for your pain and retrain your body to move with you instead of against you. Check out these 4 quick tips to realign your daily movement and identify the culprit of your pain!  

4 Best Practices for Creating a Fall Routine

4 Best Practices for Creating a Fall Routine

With only four months left in 2018, the fall season presents the perfect time to hunker down and refocus on those slightly forgotten, and perhaps dusty, 2018 New Year resolutions and goals. Now that schools are back in session, the weather starts to turn crispier in the morning, and summer vacations are only a memory of the past, this season couldn’t be a better time to set your mind on finishing this year strong.

As fall brings less daylight, our inclination to sleep in, watch a little more television, and rest through the weekend starts to grow. Knowing this, however, we can be strategic in how we spend our waking hours during the fall season. A rainy Saturday every now and then might be a good opportunity to catch up on your favorite TV series,  but eight or ten Saturdays spent catching up might leave you feeling a sense of regret or disappointment come December 31st. So what can you do to make the most of this time of year?

Well, before the hectic holiday season starts, you can prepare yourself for a strong finish in 2018 by developing a healthy fall routine now. So grab your planner, find a comfortable spot, kick up your heels and check out these four awesome tips for setting your routine.

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5 Quick Exercises to Fix Bad Posture at Work

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5 Quick Exercises to Fix Bad Posture at Work

Let’s face it, maintaining good posture within the office setting is a constant struggle. Statistically speaking, eight out of ten Americans will suffer from back pain over the course of their lifetime. With so many people, places and things fighting for our attention every second we’re awake, finding time to be mindful about our body position while going about our work day can be exceptionally difficult. Hours spent commuting, working at our desks, checking our phones, and sitting through meeting roll right into eight plus hours a day. All of this toiling silently takes a toll on our bodies. It’s only when the pain begins that we finally stop and listen to our bodies. Fortunately, there are several exercises to help reduce your risk of pain in the office, and I’m going to share them with you.

7 Natural Ways to Boost Your Energy at Work

The season of sunshine, long days, cool nights, BBQ’s, vacations, and outdoor activities is upon us - finally! With the additional sunshine providing more of that glorious daylight for summertime activities, sleeping in and naps have lost all their shiny luster and allure.

Not only are the summer months filled with more outdoor activities, they also have other naturally occurring phenomena that make sleep more difficult. Take, for example, the light that hits your bedroom in mid-December versus early July. For many of us, this provides a stark difference in sleeping in arrangements. While a quick pillow over your face can help some, the natural light works to awaken your body’s clock, which makes sleeping in a battle set for defeat. Let’s not forget the additional heat a well-lit room provides, fighting the warmth can make you sleepier and you might as well rise with the chickens to embrace the change.

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How to Prevent Neck Pain at Work

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How to Prevent Neck Pain at Work

Do you ever think about the fact that your neck holds the weight of a bowling ball (8-10 lbs.) all day long at work?  So it may not be a surprise to you as to why you might find yourself with sore or tight neck muscles at the end of the workday. Those symptoms might be related to the stress placed on your neck and spine through common, everyday work-related activities, such as working at a desk. To help you stay safe and productive at work, here are 7 quick tips for preventing neck pain in the office.

5 Quick Tips to Avoid Unhealthy Snacking at Work

5 Quick Tips to Avoid Unhealthy Snacking at Work

Do you find yourself sabotaging your desire to eat healthy at work?

Let’s be honest, it's easy to indulge when break rooms are notorious for providing sugary, salty snacks, birthday cakes, pizza parties, and treats sent from clients. Even the anti-snackers can find themselves susceptible to office snacking temptations.

When we consume too many carbohydrates or minimal healthy fats and proteins, our blood sugar levels spike and crash quickly. When this happens, your body starts to crave the fastest fuel it can consume - refined grains and simple sugars - resulting in unhealthy snacking habits.

So how do you avoid the never-ending flow of unhealthy snacks and make healthier choices to maintain high energy levels through your day? Click below to find out.

How To Declutter Your Desk Like Monica Geller

How To Declutter Your Desk Like Monica Geller

Do you ever find yourself playing defense at work? A memo thrown at you here. A proposal tossed over there. A report on this corner. A sticky-note on that corner. It seems that no matter how hard you try to defend your desk, more and more information finds a way to land on whatever clear spots are available.

“There’s only so much space,” you plead, but unfortunately, that doesn’t stop the onslaught. Eventually, you grow weary from the defense and temporarily let down your guard. It’s at that moment when the clutter pile seed gets planted and begins to grow.

Clutter can be everywhere you look, but when clutter comes to your work desk, however, the piles of folders, projects and office swag can do more than create an eyesore for your office’s resident Monica. The clutter can also impact the way you work and how you think.   Fortunately, clutter can be controlled, and when it is, you’ll get to enjoy the amazing benefits of having a completely decluttered desk I’m going to share with you. As a bonus, I’ll also share 6 easy steps for decluttering your desk.

How to Make a Delicious Salad for Your Office Lunch in 6 Steps

How to Make a Delicious Salad for Your Office Lunch in 6 Steps

Contrary to popular belief, salads can be delicious without bacon bits, cheese and ranch dressing. As crazy as this may sound, there are other ingredients out there that can be just as, if not more, tasty. So, if those three ingredients aren't invited to the party, what else could possibly make lettuce palatable? Well fret not, my friend, I'm going to share with you my secret process for building unbelievably delicious salads and give you some hints on extra tasty ingredients that’ll make you forget about bacon.

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3 Quick Tips for Keeping Your Wrists Healthy at Work

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3 Quick Tips for Keeping Your Wrists Healthy at Work

There's no surprise that computers are here to stay.

Not only do many us live on computers throughout the work day, but even when we're home, we find it difficult to get off our devices.  While keyboarding and mousing may not be considered a strenuous activity, when done improperly, they can cause damage to the wrists over time, resulting in painful and sometimes permanent damage.

5 WELLNESS TIPS TO STAY SANE THROUGH THE HOLIDAYS

5 WELLNESS TIPS TO STAY SANE THROUGH THE HOLIDAYS

The holidays are a time of family, friends, fun, laughter, and... stress, am I right? While we're busy shopping, eating homemade cookies and rushing around to all the parties, we can deplete ourselves physically and mentally. Here are 5 ways to focus your energy and enjoy yourself through the holiday season.