Beat the Binge When Working from Home

Working from home may have a lot of benefits, but if you are not use to it, you might find yourself picking up some unwanted habits. For example, eating when you are bored or unmotivated.

This can lead to eating a lot more then you normally would if you were going into work. There is something about having your kitchen so close by. There is that constant urge to keep checking your fridge/pantry even though it hasn't changed the last 2 times you checked it… or is that just me? Haha.

Below are 5 simple tips to help you stay on track and prevent the procrastination binges that may pop up.

1. Meal prep

We usually associate meal prepping when you are going to be out of the house most of the day. Say if you are going to school or work. What is interesting is the benefits of meal prepping still apply even if you are working from home.

How it helps:

• Portion control – when you take your meals into work, you generally only eat what you bring in, there is no option for a bigger serving. Treat your meal prepped meals the same.

• Making better food choices – if you plan ahead and think about what you want to eat for the week you can pick more nutritious meals which are aligned to your goals. It also makes shopping easier and less food goes to waste. Win-Win.

• Save money – if you are planning your meals and have food prepped in the fridge you are less likely to go out and buy a meal.

• Save time during your workday - instead of cooking on your lunch break you just eat your prepared meal then spend the rest of your break going for a walk or a having gentle stretch. You will find yourself more refreshed and ready smash through the rest of your work.

The easiest way to embed meal prepping into your week is to make it part of your routine. My Sunday afternoons are dedicated to meal prepping. Which leads me into my next tip.

2. Create a routine

Routines help to create structure in your day and can help hold you accountable. When you are working from home it is so easy to keep grazing throughout the day. No one needs 35 snacks haha.

This is where time blocking and creating a routine comes in. Just like you plan your work for the week it is also helpful to look at your calendar and plan out when you should take a break for a snack or lunch.

How it helps:

• Improve productivity - by blocking your time and dedicating time for work and eating it will help you keep going on your task until it is time to take a break. Therefore reducing the procrastination nibbles.

• Awareness - When you set times for your meals it makes you more aware of how often and how much you are eating during the day.

• Provides structure – if you were at work and taking a break every 5 minutes your manager might find it strange. Working from home should be no different, treat it like any other day at work. Having structured break times helps create that accountability

Obviously, you need to be flexible. I am not saying you have to eat at the same time everyday even if you are not hungry. It is about reviewing your calendar and what you need to do, what times makes sense for you and dedicating time to enjoy your meals/breaks which leads me into my next tip.

3. Practice mindfulness

When working from home you might find yourself watching YouTube or scrolling through Instagram while you sit down to eat. What generally happens when you do this is you eat faster and are less aware of what you are eating. You may even find yourself reaching for a second serving that you probably don't need.

What you can do instead is play some soothing music (or sitting in silence once you have a little more practice), put your phone/laptop away and practice mindfulness will you eat. This may sound complicated but all it involves is sitting down at your table and taking the time to enjoy and experience your meal. Use your senses to experience your meal, put your cutlery down between mouthfuls and savour each and every bite.

How it helps:

You will find that you will be much more in check with your hunger cues and will feel more satisfied when you finish eating. Not to mention the range of other benefits of practicing mindfulness.

4. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate

I am sure you have heard this tip many times before, making sure you are drinking enough water is sooooo important.

I prefer to opt for a glass of water instead of large water bottle, as it encourages me to get up from my desk and stretch my legs to get more water. If you need a little more help, there are some great free apps out there. Which helps you track your water intake and set reminders to give you a nudge to drink more.

For those times where you don't feel like water, a great alternative is a cup of tea. Taking the time to brew a cup and sipping is slowly is somewhat therapeutic. If feels like a warm hug for your belly.

How it helps:

It is very common to confuse being hungry with being dehydrated. When in doubt always reach for a glass of water first and then reassess if you still feel hungry. You will usually find that water was all you needed.

5. Be kind to yourself

Most important of all the tips is to be kind to yourself. If you do slip up, just remember it isn’t the end of the world. All your hard work isn’t wasted, it just takes time and practice to embed a new mindset.

Take a deep breath, reflect and start again.

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Would love to hear if you have any other tips you find helpful when working from home.

Comment below 😊.