Working from home as a freelance writer, I spend the majority of my day staring at the same four walls for hours at a time. Well, that’s not completely true. I spend the majority of my time staring at my monitor as I mash out articles, update this blog, edit some photos, and surf the web. Whatever the case, a good amount of time is spent indoors sitting in the same chair. This can’t be healthy and I imagine that the situation is much the same for most people who work from home, whether they be professional bloggers, e-commerce gurus, or affiliate marketers.
For the sake of your own health and sanity, it is of paramount importance to try and go outside each day. It could be something as simple as walking down the block to grab a newspaper or heading to the local coffee shop for a vanilla latte. This is also true for people who are stuck working in cubicles all day, because again, you are stuck staring at the same four walls. This is madness in the making.
Grab a Little Human Interaction
While this point isn’t quite as relevant for people who work in an office setting, people who work from home are typically limited in their amount of human interaction. With everyone out of the house, it can be eerily quiet and that’s partly why I try to either keep the television or some music on in the background. Even so, the majority of human interaction comes through the online channels (Twitter, IM, email, etc.), and so you should make an effort to get some real human interaction.
By going outside to grab that cup of coffee, you can at least have a brief conversation with the barista. Maybe when you walk out to grab the newspaper, you’ll bump into your neighbor and say hello. These serve as reminders that there is a real world beyond the Internet. Hard to believe, I know. Even when it comes to mommy (and daddy) bloggers, wouldn’t you love to have an adult conversation once in a while?
Stretch Those Legs with Fresh Air
There’s nothing quite like breathing the same stagnant air over and over again. Working from home, it can get pretty stuffy. By taking a brief stroll around in your neighborhood, you achieve two huge objectives. First, you are able to stretch those legs and get in a little bit of much-needed exercise. Sitting at a desk all day wreaks havoc on your back, your posture, your hips, and pretty much the rest of your body. A little walk never hurt anyone.
Second, you are able to breathe some nice fresh air (assuming that you don’t live in a heavily polluted city). I find that taking a walk in the spring and the fall is particularly helpful, because there is a certain “crispness” to the air. It can be very refreshing.
A Mental Break to Recharge the Batteries
We all need breaks. While you may want to be as productive as possible and just pound away at that keyboard all day, you will actually be more productive if you take well-timed breaks. This lets you recharge the batteries and refresh the mind. It can also present an opportunity to develop some new ideas that can then be implemented in an article, your business, or whatever else that you do online. Fresh ideas come from a fresh mind, not a tired and weary one.
The long and the short of it is… you need to go outside. Make an effort to step away from your home office and breathe in some fresh air. It’ll do you good, I’m sure.
I have always wanted to work from home, but I watch my poor brother and he is now trapped in his home eight hours a day. I may reconsider it if and when I am able to work for myself, but I don’t want to work ‘for the man’ at home. BORING!
Good tips I’ll use them when it is my turn.
I don’t know about you, but I much prefer being “trapped” in my home for eight hours a day than being “trapped” in some downtown office building. 🙂
Yes, I see what you are saying, but at my office there are other people to interact with. I can’t see myself stuck the house talking to the cat all day LOL;)
I’m sure my thoughts would change if I were presented the opportunity though.
That is absolutely true. There are certainly trade-offs with either situation and one of the biggest downfalls to working from home is a lack of human interaction. That’s why get-togethers like Dot Com Pho and various conferences/meetups are so important.
Sadly, I have yet to set foot ‘out there’ today…
I try to make a point of getting exercise daily, but sometimes I don’t even see the light of day while working in front of a screen all the time.
It’s the simple inspiration like going outside that we forget to do. Thanks for the reminder.
I like spring air. I like summer air. I like fall air. I like winter air.
I don’t think I’d really enjoy living someplace where the temperature was largely the same year-round. I like seasonal living.
This is definitely something that we all need to remember to do. I know that there are times when I will “forget” to go outside and just stay home like a hermit, but I have always seen the benefits of getting out and clearing the head 🙂
and what is worse yet is being trapped inside and then having to deal with four kids all under the age of 9. No fresh air and no adult interaction!
If I am at the office or at home I take a walk outside at least once lol. When I am in Vancouver, I head down to English Bay and chill for a while. When I am in Pitt Meadows I take a stroll around the block.
When I am at the office I walk down to the Fraser River and along the shoreline.
I can’t sit at my desk for long periods of time doing what I do its brain numbing at times..that and my legs get stiff and need a good stretch.
My parents live two towns over and have a 1 year old dog who can’t quite make it through the entire day without a trip outside yet. Taking care of him gives me the perfect excuse to get outside, even if only for 15 minutes or so…