VirtualVocations

Take Time to Care for Yourself

I am sure you may have seen a magazine article that talk about how to avoid gaining weight in an office around times of celebration. They advise you to bring in your own snacks, if the health gurus think working in an office around the holidays is bad, they should look at what it is like to work at home. I hate to break it to you, but by working at home, you may actually put on weight. It is not because the job is less demanding or that you have more free time, it is because you are so close to the kitchen, and remembers it is not only “a” kitchen, but also “your” kitchen.

However, it is not to say, that you do not have healthy options inside your refrigerator or cabinets, but sometimes we grab whatever we can instead of what is best for us. For me the routine is simple; I open my refrigerator, and bend down to take a look. I pass the lettuce, cucumbers, and tomatoes, and the deli meat. Then, I remember the bag of potato chips in the cupboard. Well, I do not have to tell you what happens next. After a while of this sauntering into the kitchen, and grazing like an animal, I decided I needed to change my ways.

My first baby steps of change were to set my alarm earlier than usual so I could sit down and eat a balanced breakfast. I made myself an egg white omelet with vegetables, and a strip of bacon. Next, I did not bring anything with me into my office. The omelet kept me full until around 1:30pm. I took a break for lunch. I think this was the most important part –that I forced myself to take a break during the middle of the day. For lunch, I took the time to make a turkey and cheese sandwich, and cut up the vegetables that were in the refrigerator. Once again, I did not bring any food into the office. By the time my day was done, I was not starving and I was happy that I had not filled my body with fatty foods. It was the beginning of taking better care of me, while working at home. I was able to be more productive and happier. What I learned is that you have to make time to take care of yourself.

Posted:Monday, April 21, 2008