Top 10 Ways to Stay Healthy While Working from Home

It's important to separate yourself from the business of your household, especially if there are other people around while you’re working. Set up a home office with a door that you can close if you need to drown out the noise of your pets, kids or TV to keep sane and remain productive and professional.

Good posture is important, and you don't want to have to strain your back or neck while you’re hunched over your computer screen. Choose a chair that's comfortable, but not too comfortable — your living room recliner won't position you correctly for work.

It can be difficult to establish a set schedule when you're working from home, because, if you need to, you can just keep working. However, try thinking of your work-from-home hours the same way you do office hours. Choose a start time, lunch break and finish time that you stick to as closely as possible so you can maintain a healthy work-life balance.

Don’t stay sedentary for too long. Every so often, get up and stretch your body between periods of sitting. Stand up and pace during conference calls if you don’t have to be on camera or take a break occasionally to stroll around the house, stretch or lift some light hand weights. If you need to, set a timer to help you remember.

Read: It's (Exercise) Snack Time! >>

You might be tempted to eat whatever unhealthy foods you have in your kitchen when you're working from home, but resist the temptation. Pack yourself a bag full of healthy snacks as if you're headed into the office, and stick to only eating those. Also, keep a water bottle handy to sip from throughout the day.

It might feel harder to get to the gym or that Pilates class if you’re not out of the house already, but it’s important to keep exercise a priority. Whether it's before work, on your lunch break or after the work day is over, don't forget to get in a good workout.

At home, you don't have to be at the mercy of your boss's ideal office environment — you're in charge. Open your windows to let some fresh air in to reinvigorate yourself, set the thermostat to whatever temperature feels most comfortable to you and rock out to invigorating music or sit in the sweet sound of silence, whichever works better for you.

It's not healthy for your eyes to be glued to a computer screen all day. Follow the 20-20-20 rule for close up tasks: Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. And wear your glasses instead of contacts if you’re going to be looking at a computer all day.

Without regular interaction with co-workers, it can get a little lonely working from home. Develop a support system of co-workers, friends or family you can share funny reels with, chat with online or even talk to on the phone when you need to hear a friendly voice.

You might be tempted to forgo the shower and lounge around in your pajamas all day, but this isn't a good recipe for motivation. Shower before you start working and put on something other than pajamas to get yourself into a productive mindset. Workout clothes are a good option!