{"id":12765,"date":"2020-12-15T18:14:05","date_gmt":"2020-12-15T18:14:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hotelsbyday.com\/blog\/?p=12765"},"modified":"2020-12-15T18:14:05","modified_gmt":"2020-12-15T18:14:05","slug":"5-ways-stay-sane-wfh-winter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hotelsbyday.com\/blog\/5-ways-stay-sane-wfh-winter\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Ways to Stay Sane While WFH This Winter"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Stretches of long winter months lie ahead. Beyond cold weather and shorter days, this year, we also have to deal with continually changing social distancing mandates and health protocols. All while a record number<\/a> of Americans continue to work from home. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m a veteran remote worker with a partner who also WFH. I recently relocated to the east coast for my first full winter in a while\u2014during a pandemic no less. As such, I\u2019ve acquired my fair share of tips. But these aren\u2019t your old and tired WFH hacks, like \u201cclear off your desk.\u201d These are actionable and specific tactics that I\u2019ve honed (and borrowed from my remote colleagues as well) to keep my sanity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Plan Your Day to Prioritize Exercise <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Exercise and activity are essential when working from home. A scientific study<\/a> compared workers who exercised during the day to those who didn\u2019t and concluded that working out improved both mood and productivity. Another study<\/a> confirmed this, reporting that active and fit individuals experience better overall job performance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, winter can be a brutal time to get motivated. Depending on your location, outdoor workouts may be out of the question. You\u2019re so far from the need for a \u201cbeach bod\u201d that it doesn\u2019t seem worth the effort. Plus, it\u2019s cold and dark. While I understand all of that, moving your body will make a massive difference in your day-to-day effectiveness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The thing is, if you just tell yourself you\u2019ll work out, you won’t. You won\u2019t stay consistent or accountable. You\u2019ve got to schedule it like you would a Zoom team meeting. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To ensure I get enough exercise in, I plan my entire day around it, from when I\u2019m going to wash my hair to what I\u2019m wearing to the projects I tackle, and especially how I eat. It may seem like overkill, but those small intentional decisions allow me to keep a steady routine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To get started, simply plan your meals\/eating and schedule the optimal time to squeeze in a workout. I typically opt for late morning or late afternoon, so I can eat a few hours before I exercise. But test out times and figure out what works best for your body.

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Greek
Greek yogurt (\u00be cup) with granola (1 tablespoon) and berries (\u00bd cup): just one of the many pre- or post-workout meals to stockpile your complex carbs. <\/em>

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Make the most of your schedule and workouts by eating the right foods. For pre-workout, the experts at HealthMarkets<\/a> advise, \u201cload up on healthy carbohydrates one to four hours before your exercise session. This means choosing whole grains (complex carbohydrates) when you can and selecting foods low in fat that also have low or moderate protein content.\u201d When it comes to post-workout, they recommend eating a meal with light, lean protein as soon as possible, \u201cProtein helps repair the small tears in muscle fibers that have been damaged during exercise.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Work Intuitively <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Working from home can get monotonous, especially if you’re confined to the same space to work, live, play, eat, and sleep. What\u2019s more, blips of seasonal depression can further decrease your motivation and drive. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So while there are a zillion articles and advice out there with WFH tips\u2014one important factor is to do what feels right for you in the moment. For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n