Think of the days when working from home was something we always looked forward to. It gave us the relief of getting away from traffic stress, unproductive meetings at the office. Those days are gone, at least for a few more months. COVID-19 pandemic has hit the industries hard globally and most of us are forced to work from home. There could be two possibilities while working from home, some people might become super productive and more efficient than their usual office routine, whereas, for others, lethargy kicks in and productivity reduces drastically.

With all the negativity going around, you start procrastinating more, and eventually, the motivation level goes down. As a result, mental fatigue rises and that affects productivity. 

It is important to have the right work-life balance and small goals for fighting lockdown stress. A few tips and tricks and changes in your lifestyle will make a lot of difference that could help bring your morale up and get you going.

Physical Activity

1. Exercise every day: Make it a point to incorporate any form of workout in your everyday routine. Wake up early, do minimum 30 minutes of exercise to charge up your mornings. For instance, early morning run reduces the anxiety and jump-starts the metabolism. It improves consistency, eventually.
2. Do not sit for long hours: Sitting at one place for long hours will not only exhaust you physically but also mentally. Set an alarm for every hour, when the alarm goes off, get up and move around for 5 minutes, you could also use your smartwatch to remind you to MOVE!
3. Stretch at work: This does not mean you have to stretch your work hours. Stretch your body or exercise at home during your WTH days. Look out for a few workstation stretches, do them now and then to relax your muscles. Home workout proves to be very effective.

Diet

1. First and foremost, do not munch while working. This is adding up unwanted calories to your body. Have a time set for your meals and make sure you have those meals every day at the same time.
2. Drink lots of water. This is the easiest way to reduce fatigue. Sipping hot water is more beneficial during this time.
3. Stock up on fruits and low-calorie food for off-hour hunger pangs. Pick-up the immunity booster healthy foods and add them to your daily diet.

Mental Health

1. Meditation and breathing exercises are proven to be the best option for improving mental health and focus. Meditate for at least 5 minutes every day. Set up your workstation close to the window or any open space to breathe fresh air.
2. Talk to your family and friends. Stay connected with fellow runners, discuss the run plans, virtual events, and avoid discussing any negative topic. It’s a tried and tested tip for mental health that always works.
3. Prepare a playlist of your favorite music for running, workout and your free time.
4. Pick up any hobby, it might be a new one or the old one that you couldn’t continue due to a hectic schedule. Make some time for your hidden passion during this period to break the monotonous schedule.

Remember, we are all new to this situation. But, we are all in this together! We must help each other move forward.