Across the country and right in northeastern and central Pennsylvania, the coronavirus has forced employees to get their work done from home. Many viewers even shared your new norm on Ryan Leckey's Facebook page, which for some, also involves juggling work with the kids in tow.
To help you navigate this new remote gig, Newswatch 16 turned to a pro, the owner and CEO of Stronger U Nutrition. Mike Doehla built a multimillion-dollar online nutrition coaching company from his house!
For his first tip, he said, "Have a dedicated workplace at home. Try not to make the kitchen table your office or couch your office. Because then, when you see these things, you're always going to associated it with work. So, find a place in your house where you can get away from everything and be focused."
Doehla said to have headphones, so people know when not to bother you.
"What I like to do is set blocks of work time, 25 to 30 minutes, uninterrupted. Then, take five minutes after that to check the internet, grab a glass of water or have a quick conversation," added Doehla.
When asked how he is not constantly emailing and feeling like you're working around the clock, Doehla explained, "That's a hard thing for a lot of people who work at home because this is now work. I just have a rule where I put my phone down and make sure I don't touch it, that's it!"
Although it's a turbulent time right now, when life gets back to normal for many of us, some companies may realize giving their staff remote working option might have its benefits.
Doehla said, "I think it's showing employers it's possible to have many employees work remote, and it can save companies a lot money in overhead because they don't need the office space like they used to."
Doehla also wrote a blog about working from home. Click here to check it out and for more tips.
Since Doehla runs an online nutrition coaching company, Ryan Leckey had to ask one of his pros, "how do we game our food habits now that many of us are passing by our home refrigerators?"
"I want [you] to ask yourself two questions. Are you eating because you're hungry, which is a reason to eat, or are you eating because you're stressed, you want a break from other frustrations you're experiencing?" said Jessica Bachman, Ph.D., Stronger U Registered Dietitian. "Ask yourself why am I here. So when you stare at the fridge or the pantry, if you say anything other than hungry, then it's not the time to eat. If you are hungry, check in with how hungry you are, on a scale of one to ten. If you're not feeling a 6, 7, 8, or above, take a few minutes to asses whether or not it's the time to have a snack."
Dr. Bachman also offered tips on what food choices to choose to help keep you fuller. They include foods with higher protein, higher fiber, things like fruits and veggies. That'll provide a large amount of food with fewer calories but items to help you feel full, especially while snacking.