by Sun Meilan

Created on: September 27, 2010   Last Updated: May 28, 2011

Many people love the idea of working at home and see themselves being able to stay in their pajamas all day if they want to. That is fine if it is just every now and again, but doing it on a regular basis could lead to mental and physical health problems, because of the isolation, lack of routine and lack of exercise. However, provided that you are prepared to work out a sensible routine for yourself, there is no reason why you shouldn't be able to work at home and maintain your health at the same time. The following ways should help you to stay healthy when you work from home. 

*Diet

When you're at home and there's food in the cupboards, you may well find yourself snacking all day rather than eating healthy meals. Make a point of getting up in the morning and eating breakfast, then eat lunch and dinner at the same time. Ensure that you're eating a good mixture of food and avoid over-eating heavy food such as cheese, cream, fatty meat, bread and butter and anything else you know to be highly calorific or unhealthy. Stick to water, tea and coffee for your drinks - sodas and even fruit juices can be very high in sugar and should only be an occasional part of your diet. 

*Exercise

One problem with working at home is that if you don't have to go out occasionally to meet clients, you may find yourself literally indoors the whole day. You may not have been a great exerciser before, but going out to work does usually involve walking quite a bit. To avoid becoming totally unfit, you need to fit some exercise into your routine. If you have the time and money, join a gym. If not, get into the habit of going for regular walks. You can discover or rediscover local walks to vary your route. Getting out into the open air will clear your head and help you to work better on your return.

*Social life

If you're working at home alone, you could find that you go for whole days without seeing another person. Sharing your day with another person is an important part of our lives, so being alone too much can become unhealthy. You may even develop depression if something is bothering you and you can't talk it out of your system. You will therefore need to make a conscious effort to meet up with friends and family on a regular basis - or to make new friends by attending a class or social gathering. If you can't see someone every day, then at least stay in touch by telephone and email. 

*Hygiene and self-care

If you have no plans to see anyone, you may be tempted to leave

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