
If you would like to stay healthy while building a business from home, chances are that you will need to make sure that you are able to look after yourself, as much as you are looking after your clients and your projects. After all, if you are running a startup, the success will depend on how focused and healthy you are. It is important that you control your working hours, learn to take a break from the computer, and spend some quality time doing what you enjoy. It should never be just work and no fun. Have Set Working Hours One of the things you will need to do is set your working hours. It is easy to tell yourself that you are in charge and the entire business rests on your shoulders, but if you overwork yourself and get stressed, your productivity will suffer. If you are just transitioning from a full-time job, you are likely to spend every hour sent to you on your business. Taking a step back will have loads of benefits, so make sure that you don’t work more than you physically can endure. Learn to Switch Off One of the things you need to do is switch off your brain and do something that takes your busy mind off business. You don’t want to be thinking about sales figures and customers’ problems after you have finished work. If you need to, make sure you walk away and do something completely different. From catching up with friends to cooking dinner from scratch, there are plenty of great ways you can teach yourself how to stop being caught up in the rat race. Eye Training Image via Pixabay If you work on the computer most of the time, chances are that you will need to protect your eyesight. There are some great eye exercises you can do in the morning to train your eyes. You will also have to learn to type without looking at the screen, so you can exercise your eyes while working. Set up your screen brightness and your lighting in a way that it is not putting too much pressure on your eyes. If you feel like you are suffering from eye strain, book an eye test and find out if you could benefit from wearing glasses. Stretch In the Morning and At Night If you would like to make your brain more productive and make the most out of your day as a home business owner, you need to support your body. Some morning stretches and yoga routines are great for starting up your metabolism and your circulation while protecting your lower back from strains and injuries. You don’t want to end up having joint issues just because you don’t move from your office chair for hours. Go for a Lunchtime Walk If you would like to improve the performance of your brain, you might want to break up your day and go for a walk during your lunch hour. Even if you are going to the local supermarket or cafe to pick up some snacks and a coffee, you will certainly benefit from the light exercise. Set out with a purpose and learn to notice little things that you would normally miss to practice mindfulness. Improve Your Lighting Image via Flickr To prevent eye strain and headaches, you will also have to focus on improving your office lighting. Use natural light as much as possible, but never sit with your back toward the source of natural light, as the reflection of the sun can cause glare on your screen. Spotlights and small reading lamps are much better than a floor or ceiling lamp when it comes to home offices. Workplace Adjustments It is crucial that you take responsibility for your long-term health when you are running your business from home. Start with your keyboard and mouse as well as your chair. If you have suffered from lower back problems before, you might also want to invest in a back cushion, a seat cushion, and an ergonomic chair. You need to set the height of your screen to the size and height of your chair. Speaking from experience, using the wrong office chair can cause neck, shoulder and back pain which, in turn, can cause headaches and other issues. The right chair can save you a lot of pain, and money in medical bills. I have recently changed my office chair to an ErgoTune Supreme ergonomic chair and my pain is gone. I no longer wake up with a sore back after having spent the previous day at my desk. It has also helped my posture immensely. I no longer slouch over my desk to work as the design of the ErgoTune chair “makes” you sit up properly. ErgoTune is designed to support the critical areas (11 adjustment points and ATLAS lumbar support) where you need to adjust your posture to get a comfortable seating position while working. Experience complete support for your arms and elbows when playing, typing or browsing with the GyroBrace 5D armrests that pivot freely and are adjustable for height across five levels. Additionally, its TriTune 3D headrest provides always-on support for your head and upper spinal columns. The ErgoTune is officially certified by multiple international awarding bodies for strength, durability, and non-toxicity. There isn’t a component that failed the strict guidelines these organisations have set, along with their own demanding requirements. The chair is also made to last at least 12 years and has a 12-year warranty to back it up. They also come in three stylish colours to suit any decor; light blue, coral (pictured) and black. To learn more about ErgoTune, head to their website. Looking After Your Circulation One of the most common problems people working in an office experience is varicose veins and circulation problems. Apart from standing up regularly, you can also decide to work standing up every now and then or stretch your legs every hour. Air Purifiers In case you have known allergies or respiratory illnesses, such as asthma, you will need to invest in an effective air purifier. This will allow you to clear the toxins and the dust from your workspace. Computers and monitors are known for attracting dust, and if you are allergic to dust mites, you might damage your health. Choose an ionic air purifier or an ozone one, so you can breathe freely when you are working from your home office. Healthy Snacks When we are busy working from home, we often try to skip meals and snack on convenience food. This is not only bad for our figures but also for our health. It is crucial that you stock up on fresh fruit and vegetables to snack on and prepare them at night, so you don’t automatically reach for the chocolate, biscuits, and candy, for some ideas you can check out our 10 healthy snack ideas. While it is best to have set healthy meals at regular times, it is not always possible. If you have freshly prepared and frozen meals in your freezer, you can feel less guilty about snacking and stay healthy at the same time. There are several dangers of working from home you might not even be thinking about. From sitting by your desk all day without a break to eye strains and lower back, and circulation issues, you have to address the health risks before they become real concerns.

Looking at statistics on Australian’s sleep habits in the past decade, one realises that improvement is needed. But, the question remains: when is the best time to go to bed? You’re likely struggling with sleep because you go to bed late. Or, you might try to sleep early but then you struggle with waking up early. You’ve got to find the right time to fall asleep to get adequate rest. This quick guide will help you learn how to create the perfect sleep calculator for your needs. Here’s what you should do: Understanding Sleep Cycles The first step is to understand how your sleep cycles work. On average, it takes 90 minutes for a sleep cycle. With each sleep stage, you’ll fall into a deeper sleep. The early sleep stages are when you experience light sleep. This means that you can easily be awoken and you won’t fly into a deep sleep. The next stage is deep sleep and afterwards, you’ll experience REM. The REM stage is when you’ll experience dreams. But how much do you need to ensure a deep sleep that’ll make you feel refreshed in the morning? You can look at this helpful sleep guide to get an idea. Improving Your Sleep Now let’s look at some of the strategies for improving your sleep. You want to consult a doctor to help you decide which are the best options for your particular scenario. You should consider cutting down on caffeine, especially two hours before you decide to fall asleep. Around this time, you should also try to cut down your screen usage. You want to avoid looking at your computer, smartphone, and television around this time. Too much exposure to screens and images can make it harder for you to fall asleep. Throughout your day you should also eat a healthy diet. This includes fruits and vegetables and drinking lots of water. Having a healthy body and immune system makes it easier to fall asleep. Sleep Calculator For Different Ages Let’s end by looking at the ideal sleep hours for different ages. If you fall under this, you might need to consider increasing your sleep. For babies that are under 3 months, they need 14-17 hours Babies 4 months to 1 year need 12-16 hours Babies 1-2 years need 11-14 hours Children 3-5 years need 10-13 hours Children 6-12 years need 9-12 hours Teenagers, until the age of 18 need 8-10 hours Adults, 19-64 years need 7-9 hours Seniors 65+ need 7-8 hours If you get this amount of sleep but still feel tired, you might either need more sleep or you’ll need to make lifestyle changes. Let’s Sleep On It Now that you’ve looked at our sleep calculator you can find ways to improve your sleep and live a healthier life. Make sure you understand the sleep cycles to find a way to ensure a deep sleep after the light sleep period. You’ll also have to make changes to your lifestyle and diet to improve your sleep. Save our sleep calculator so that you have a reference on how many hours of sleep you should get each night. You can find more health tips on our blog.

So, your sex drive isn’t what it was 20 years ago. Don’t worry – you’re most definitely not alone. It’s normal to go through periods of a having a lower sexual libido or even apathy when it comes to sex altogether, especially as you enter your forties. Taking everything into consideration, from everyday stressors to fluctuating hormones, sex might be the last thing on your mind. But it’s important to remember that your forties aren’t the end of your sex life – in fact, you’re just getting warmed up. You’re experienced enough to know what you like, you’ve grown familiar and confident in your skin and body as is, and you’re unafraid to express what you want. In fact, a study conducted at The University of Manchester involving 7,000 retirees concluded that more than half of men and a third of women over the age of 70 are still having sex – so yes, there’s no age limit to pleasure. So, how do you secure your spot in that statistic and make sure that your sexuality doesn’t get put on the backburner in your 40s? We’ve got you covered – let us walk you through a list of 6 things that you can do right now to get that libido right back up. Exercise more Exercising is a great way to stay sexually active, since it boosts your testosterone levels, which helps particularly with menopause-related reduced libido and arousal. It also helps you increase your energy and get more in shape, which in turn helps you feel more confident. In addition to exercising, you should also practice Kegel exercises, which help you strengthen your pelvic floor. What many people don’t know about improving those muscles is that they can give you more control during sex and more intense orgasms. Yes, you heard that right. Try new things With all the responsibility thrust onto you in your 40s – a home, car payments, kids, work, etc. – many couples fall into the trap of being too tired to spice things up in the bedroom, opting instead for the tried and true. It doesn’t help that you may have been having sex with the same person for decades. If you want to go back to having the toe-curling sex you used to tell your girls about, you need to understand that it takes work. You need to make an effort to be intimate with your partner and try new things in the bedroom. Intimacy can mean anything from cuddling, kissing or even giving your partner a sensual massage with oils. With regards to trying out new things, this can be anything from new sex positions, to new fantasies and role plays, to new sex toys. From buying new lingerie to adding new dildos for women to your collection, a fun and sexy activity is to browse your favorite online sex store with your partner to see what speaks to you both – the anticipation will build while you wait for your items to come in the mail, and by the time they do, you’ll be ripping each other’s clothes off in excitement. Eat foods that boost your libido A great way to improve your sex drive is to by eating libido-boosting foods. Herbal supplements like gingko, ginseng, and maca not only have incredible health benefits, but they also work as natural aphrodisiacs. Saffron (the spice) is also frequently said to be good for boosting the female sex drive, and even for increasing vaginal lubrication. Other foods that are rumored to increase sexual libido are apples, watermelon, avocado, pomegranate juice, asparagus, red wine and fenugreek. But even though a glass of red wine can make you feel sexy and loose, you shouldn’t overindulge on the alcohol. Drinking in excess will actually have the opposite effect, and make you less aroused. Another bad habit to quit if you want to improve your sex drive is smoking – it decreases your libido a ton. If you kick the cigarettes to the curb, you might be surprised at how your bedroom life transforms. Relax According to a recent study, a mixture of physical and emotional factors cause about a third of women aged 18-59 to suddenly lose interest in sex. Considering all the responsibility women have traditionally had on their shoulders including everything from childbirth to raising children and balancing their fluctuating hormones, it doesn’t come as a surprise that all they want to do at night is pull a pillow over their heads and fall asleep. Job stress, media influence about women becoming less attractive as they age and personal issues can also lead to women having a decreased sexual libido. Stress and anxiety are two of the biggest libido killers – they increase cortisol, which in turn decreases testosterone levels. If you find yourself feeling less sexual due to stress, try and practice some stress-management techniques, such as tai-chi, yoga, breathing exercises, dancing, listening to music, and meditation. You can even practice any of these with your partner, to de-stress and get in the mood together. Get more sleep Sleep is an important part of your health overall. It’s also crucial to your sexual wellness. Getting enough sleep helps decrease your stress levels, gives you a mood boost and even increases your sexual desire – so, make sure that you’re getting a minimum of 7 hours of sleep per night. If you struggle with falling asleep, remaining asleep or falling back asleep after waking up in the middle of the night, try and dissect what it could be that is disturbing your sleep pattern. Are you on your phone or laptop right before bed? Is there light coming in from a window that is disturbing you? Does your room get uncomfortably hot or cold in the middle of the night? Try and create a personalized, calm and relaxing bedtime routine before slipping in between the sheets. Also, try to fall asleep and wake up at the same time every day. Have open communication with your partner If you feel like you’ve lost your mojo in the bedroom, have a conversation about it with your partner. Be open and honest with them about how you’re feeling, and how they can support you. Maybe there are things they can do to help, such as take stuff off your plate so that you’re less stressed, or try new things in the bedroom that you two haven’t done for a while, or ever. Talking about what you like and don’t like is crucial to a successful relationship, and a successful sex life. Being open and honest might just be the thing you need to take your sex life to the next level in this new decade. Finally, never put therapy off the table – a sex therapist can help you decipher exactly what might be killing your drive, and how to get your needs met, for an overall better sex life for both partners, filled with more pleasure, more enjoyment, and more sex.
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