Working from Home Wellbeing Tips

For most of us, our working day has changed drastically and we’re dealing with various pressures, stressors and commitments. Here are my top tips to help you work well from home.

Get some good routines in place 

A great place to start if you're new to working from home is to simply stick to regular meal times. While stress and anxiety can lead to a loss in appetite, sticking to set mealtimes is important for our mental wellbeing.

Skipping meals can trigger a drop in blood sugar and this can really interfere with our mood, increasing anxiety levels (especially if we add coffee and sugar to the mix) - so please do not skip meals.

A nourishing breakfast, lunch and dinner will help you work more efficiently from home and keep you feeling energised and upbeat. ​Keep a jug of water on the table so you stay hydrated, and keep coffees to 1-2 per day. 

Cannot stay away from the fridge while working from home?

​If you’re prone to grazing or boredom snacking while working from home, keep healthy snacks in the house. The quality of the snack really counts so choose something that contains a little protein to help curb your appetite and keep you feeling satisfied for longer. 

​Some examples of healthy snacks could be:

• Oatcakes with almond butter or tahini
• Fruit with natural yoghurt and walnuts
• Hummus and carrots or seeded crackers
• Or try this delicious high protein banana bread.
• If you fancy something sweeter make your own energy balls like these chocolate orange energy bites. 

Try to keep refined sugar (like biscuits, cakes and confectionery bars) to a minimum because sugar suppresses the immune response and drives cravings. 

Back to those good routines:

• Avoid working from the kitchen table as the fridge and cupboards will be a constant reminder of food. Create a working environment with as few distractions as possible.
• If you know you're prone to snacking, set times for a snack. For instance, mid-morning or mid-afternoon. Then when the time comes and you really want the snack, you can get up and get one at break times. 

Wake up feeling hungry, not sluggish

Spending more time at home increases the chances of late nights, and mindless snacking while watching Netflix.

Consider fasting for 12-14 hours overnight. For example, finish dinner by 7pm and eat breakfast between 7am and 9am. 

Structuring your meal times and fasting overnight for 12 hours will:

• Enable your digestive system to rest
• Reduce the risk of bloating and sluggishness
• Increase sleep quality (essential for a well-functioning immune system)
• Reduce the temptation for sugary unhealthy snacks

Fasting overnight has shown to improve blood sugar response, weight loss and reduce risk of cardiovascular disease, including type two diabetes. Why not commit to it for one week and see how you feel?

Want to create healthy habits and routine at home?

​​NOW more than ever is the time to prioritise your health.  With time spared from commuting, why not use this extra half hour for creating a delicious wholesome meal for yourself?

Flick through those recipe books and check out some recipes online. I'd love you to join my free online cookery demos for more inspiration and tips. 

Use this as time to unwind and listen to your favourite podcast or music. Far more uplifting than the news channel!

How to meal plan and save money

To prevent unnecessary trips to the shops now is the perfect time to get back into meal planning. If you’ve not tried meal planning before, I challenge you to trial it for two weeks. I promise you will: 

• Save money
• Save time
• Reduce your food waste.

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You’ll find loads of helpful meal planning tips, templates and ideas, as well as healthy cookery demos in my Facebook group, The Gut Health Club. Come join us here. 

New to meal planning? Start by:

• Checking what you have left in your fridge and cupboards.
• Making a list of the meals you’d like for the week ahead.
• Doubling up the ingredients so you have leftovers to freeze or eat for lunch the following day.

Meals like stews, soups and roasted vegetables make convenient yet deliciously healthy choices that serve multiple portions.

​Take your list with you to the supermarket and stick to it. It’s a great way to limit impulse purchases on multipack buys and treats you don’t really need. 

​Nourish your body with all the right foods

​If you have lots of tinned beans and pulses in your cupboards at the moment look for creative ways to use these. For example:

• Cauliflower and chickpea curry
• Lentil dahl with spinach
• Kidney bean chilli with sweet potato and guacamole
• Lentil and vegetable soup

Focus on injecting these cupboard essentials with flavoursome herbs, spices and vegetables (fresh or frozen). You’ll easily: 

• Hit your five-a-day
• Increase your fibre intake (so important for gut health and many of us don't eat enough)
• Nourish your body with all the right nutrients. 
• Feel so much better! 

If you're looking for more inspiration and help with meal ideas, join my Facebook group The Gut Health Club. I'll be running free cookery demos each month. If you can't make them live you can still receive the recipes and watch the replays here. 

You  may also be interested in my up-coming online nutrition classes. The next one is all about supporting our immune system. Further details of all my online events can be found here.