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This post covers the best work from home self care tips that you can incorporate daily to look and feel your absolute best while working from home!
Working from home used to be something only the elite few had the privilege of doing. But over the years, with technology developments, it started to be normalized.
In 2020 however, things changed dramatically when COVID-19 spread across the country like wildfire. A large percentage of the population converted from corporate, cubicle life to working in the safety (and for some, chaotic-ness) of their own home.
Changes That Arose as More People Started Working From Home
For many, working from home unquestionably has benefits a mile long. But what people often forget to talk about is the fact that working from home meant making many adjustments and changes.
One of these changes hinges on the fact that people no longer felt the need to spend time preparing for their workday, both mentally and physically. This is because the lines between work time and leisure time were blurred.
I would even argue that working from home has had a negative impact on people’s self care. Many people have even stopped taking the time to get themselves ready for the day because of the switch in mindset to “no one will even notice.”
It doesn’t have to be that way though!
As someone who has worked from home for many years now, I would love to offer some intangible advice and tips on keeping your self care intact and looking and feeling your best while working from home.
Why is Self Care So Important When You Work From Home?
For myself personally, and I can’t be alone on this: working from home has made it easier for work time to flow into personal time. In turn, the decrease in personal time leads to less time to indulge in self care activities.
Not to mention, when you don’t see other living-breathing-humans every day, you could start to adopt the mentality of “what’s the point?”
Sure, at first it might feel fabulous to not dedicate any time to getting ready in the morning. But realistically, a daily routine void of taking pride in what you look like could eventually lead to low self confidence, depression, and so on.
But, if you do master the art of incorporating self care into your day while working from home, the benefits are endless.
Some of these might include:
- increased productivity in both work and household tasks
- boost in self confidence
- improved physical appearance
- improved mental health
- sense of a more fulfilling life overall
Who should use these work from home self care tips?
A lot of my content and tips are catered to women who work from home around the same age as myself (shout out, millennials).
However, these work from home self care tips can apply to people of all ages, genders, and job titles. Including moms because, after all, mommy-ing could also be considered a full time work from home job too!
Work From Home Self Care Tips
I’m going to break these tips down into two categories: how to look good physically and how to feel good mentally when working from home.
Remember, these tips are meant to coincide with each other. Caring for yourself solely physically will not give you maximum results if you are neglecting to care for yourself mentally. And vice versa!
How to look your best while working from home
Spoiler alert; most of these tips involve getting out of your robe and/or PJs. 🙂
1. Have a morning skincare routine
Practice self care by beginning your day taking care of your skin, your body’s largest organ. As an eczema sufferer, I am extremely intentional about the products I put on my skin. Consequently, developing a good daily skincare routine has been great for me – not only for self care overall, but for managing my skin condition.
If you have dry skin like me, here’s the best way I have found to keep my dry, eczematic skin flawless. But generally speaking, developing a daily skincare routine that works for your skin type is phenomenal for self care.
Let’s also not forget, working from home also gives you the ability to throw on a hydrating face mask while you work.
2. Pick out your clothes for the next day the night before
Just because you are working from home does not mean you should neglect getting dressed for your day.
In fact, if you are anything like me, you should be happy about the fact that this is an opportunity to transition your wardrobe to the cutest comfiest clothes.
But for real, picking your clothes out the night before and having them already laid out for you takes away the decision making process in the morning.
This means you are less likely to talk yourself out of getting dressed because you have made getting dressed easy to do. I’ve found that taking the brain work out of any task can help immensely!
Expert hack: dress yourself cute from the torso upwards – that way you can still look super professional on the zoom meetings 🙂
3. Figure out a daily makeup routine that works for you personally
Now, this tip will obviously only apply to some people. If you’re not a makeup person – more power to you! I prefer to go without makeup most days; besides mascara– because who even looks awake without it?
Regardless of where you lie on the maintenance scale, do what makes you feel the prettiest! This could mean putting on a full face of makeup everyday or simply developing a minimalist makeup routine.
4. Utilize a break or lunch for a workout session
This is something that working from home has made particularly easy to do. You can’t keep a set of dumbbells and a workout mat next to your desk in the office but you sure as heck can at home!
Another option is to run out the door real quick on a 15 minute break to walk your dog and get some fresh air. It’s a win-win for both you and your fur baby!
5. Style your hair
Aim to style your hair daily. Keep it fun by trying something new or alternating styles each day.
I use working from home as an opportunity to get a little experimental with my hairstyles (ex: learn a new braid, updo/etc). Who’s going to judge if it goes badly anyways?!
6. Wear sexy undergarments
After a while, working from home can make all your days feel the same which can lead to boredom. One way to switch it up and keep it exciting is to wear a sexy bra and undies.
Even if you’re the only one who knows it, there is something so empowering and erotic about it! A huge part of self-care for some can mean keeping that part of you present as well.
I’ve found Boohoo and Asos to have the cutest and most affordable lingerie and lounge attire!
7. Nail Upkeep
I don’t know about you, but if my nails aren’t looking well maintained, it makes me feel overall blah. That could be a me-thing; but I have a feeling it’s not.
So, take the time to keep your nails looking fresh. That way, when you accidentally glance down as you’re typing, you aren’t constantly reminded of your lack of self care in the nail department.
I hated the amount of money I was spending on getting my nails done at the salon so I purchased one of these UV LED Nail Lamps and gel polish. It has made keeping my nails cute so easy without having to spend any money at all!
How to feel your best while working from home
1. Don’t eat out
As tempting as it may be to order some fast food via Door Dash, you are way better off preparing your meals at home. I mean, hello, you’re already here!
Try to stick with real foods. The healthier you’re eating, the longer you will stay full and the better you will feel. Let’s not leave out the added perk of saving money!
2. Get a good morning routine down
Personal development influencers are constantly stressing the importance of a good morning routine and I can’t say I disagree.
The thing is, one person’s ideal morning routine can vary greatly from person to person. That’s why it’s crucial to be honest with yourself about what’s really attainable for you personally and what will make you feel your best.
For me, I know I’m not a morning person and I use this information to my advantage. My peak productivity time has always been in the evenings. So for my morning routine, I stick with the bare minimum (ex: Wake up, make bed, get ready, drink water, start work).
This is more than enough for me. But for someone who typically already wakes easily and is productive in the morning, you might want to throw in walking the dog, commuting to the gym, doing a load of laundry, or journaling.
At the end of the day you have to do what works best for YOU. This way it’s doable every day and you are more likely to stick with it.
3. Tweak your office space so that you LOVE it
You are going to be more productive and feel better overall if you working in a space that you love.
And, since you will be spending a good portion of your days in this room, why not use that as an excuse to really re-vamp your at home work space to your liking?
4. Get enough Vitamin D
Take a break to go sit outside in the sun or in front of a sunny window.
According to TriCityMed.org, getting some sun increases your serotonin and helps you stave off Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and sun exposure can also help people with anxiety and depression.
Side note, if you also happen to suffer from anxiety like I do, here’s how I overcame crippling anxiety.
5. Meditate 10 minutes per day
Meditation is a proven way to reduce stress and a crucial self care practice for many! Start out with guided meditations through an app like Headspace.
Youtube also has great guided meditation videos to take advantage of. I did this one the other day by Boho Beautiful Yoga and after completing, it immediately set the pace for me to have a great day.
6. Practice gratitude
This might sound cheesy but think about how lucky are you to have the opportunity to spend your days working in your own space, enjoying all the luxuries that come with that privilege.
When I used to work in the office full time, I dreamed of the days when I would have all the freedom that comes with working from home.
Reminding myself of this always helps me take a step back and fall back in love with my life.
7. Take breaks as needed
Pushing yourself to your limits and stretching yourself too thin has negative consequences on not only your mood but your health overall. So be sure to take advantage of your breaks as a time to decompress.
8. Set boundaries
Similar to the previous tip, try your best to walk away for the day when your shift has ended and to not take on more than you can handle.
It’s no secret many companies are short-staffed right now and they have a tendency to expect more from fewer people due to high task loads and overall work.
The way I look at it is: if you are showing up daily and being productive during your shift, what more is there to ask for? You are only one person and you can only do what you can do.
And after all, the things that matter most in life take place outside the workplace!
9. Set goals and reward yourself
By setting goals for yourself and rewarding yourself when you meet them, you are using positive reinforcement as motivation to keep crushing it.
Think about that darling Kate Spade bag you’ve been eyeballing at Macy’s for 3 months. How about the new workout clothes that have been sitting in your Amazon cart for weeks on end.
Once you have accomplished a goal, treat yourself because it’s a great way to give yourself incentive to continue to succeed. Contrary to popular belief, retail therapy can be an acceptable form of self care and I’m here to give you permission to indulge every now and then!
Final thoughts on Work From Home Self Care Tips
All of these tips are a great place to start if you work from home and have started to slack on self care.
If you work from home too, I’d love to know what you do to look and feel your best so leave them in a comment!
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