10 Tips for Working Successfully from Home

We are all trying to keep ourselves and our loved ones healthy by limiting our social contacts. Therefore, more of us are working from home than ever before. While some of us work from home regularly, others are doing so temporarily.
During the past several years, remote work has become both more widespread and easier to accomplish, given ready access to high-speed internet, video conferencing software, instant messaging, and a high-quality set of headphones. Below are 10 tips for successful remote work.

1. Establish a dedicated workspace
Working from home does not provide the natural boundaries of time and space that a workplace provides. You don’t leave your work behind by leaving your place of employment.
Therefore, it’s vital to create some sort of physical boundary at home. Although if you are only working from home temporarily you might not have a dedicated home office, it’s important to find a room or a part of a room you can temporarily use as an office space to help you develop a boundary between your work and your home life. It's key to separate the two!
Ideally, it will be a silent space where you won’t be interrupted by family members or other distractions. But, please do not use your bed, that needs to be set aside for sleep. Also an important aspect of finding a dedicated workspace.

2. Develop a morning routine
Even though it’s enticing to roll out of bed and start working right away, or even check your email on your phone while you’re still in bed, it’s highly recommended to develop the same type of routine you would have if you were commuting to work. Wearing PJs and sweatpants all day can be awesome at first, but the novelty wears off pretty fast.
Get up, take a shower, get dressed, put some face cream on, have breakfast, drink a big glass of water, take your supplements, have some coffee, exercise - whatever you would do if you were commuting. Keep your routine or develop a slightly modified version. It needs to work for you.
 
3. Establish time boundaries
According to a 2019 survey, 43% more remote workers than onsite workers say they work more than 40 hours per week. Although this may be because they are enjoying what they are doing, or are caught up in a project they want to finish, or some other grounds, it’s very vital to establish a work routine.
Particularly if you are working with co-workers in different time zones, it’s tempting to want to make yourself available over several time zones, which can result in a 10+ hour day. Although that isn’t the ideal arrangement, if it works best for you and your team, then be sure to build in time in the middle of the day for an exercise break, take care of personal business, go for a walk, hike up the mountain, or just relax and do some meditations.

4. Socialize with co-workers
When you work in an office setting, part of your daily routine involves chatting with co-workers about non-work issues, whether it’s over lunch, brief chats in your office, by the bathroom area, or whatever. But working remotely you can have meetings with co-workers but they may be all business.
Therefore, it’s important to build in a modest chat time - either at the beginning or end of a Skype meeting, via a brief IM chat, or other means. A day shouldn’t go by without a quick, “Hi, how are you doing?” between yourself and another co-worker. Otherwise, the well-known hermit syndrome can result.
 
5. Create a project schedule for yourself
While there are typically less distractions when working from home than in an onsite work setting, it’s still important to make a list of projects you are working on and assign priorities to the projects.
It also helps to share your completion goals with your teammates to remain accountable. Sticking to a plan is easier when working remotely because you are less likely to be pulled into unforeseen meetings.
If you’re working in a team where some are onsite and some are remote, then your strength as a remote worker is being able to complete projects - writing projects, for example - while onsite teammates might be involved in troubleshooting, organizing, and engaging in multi-team meetings.

6. Take a lunch break
Don’t forget to eat. It's important! Stay well nourished. It’s easy to get caught up in what you’re doing and forget to stop for lunch. Take a good half hour away from your computer - and don’t sit and eat while working. If  possible, go outside and have your lunch in the sunshine. Some fresh air can help clear your mind, too.

7. Don’t forget to move
While you’re working onsite it’s more likely you will have occasion to get up and move - to go to a conference room for a meeting, to chat with a co-worker in another office, walk upstairs to chat with another department member and so on.
But when working alone at home, it’s easy to sit for hours and forget to get up and move. Try to get up and move for at least a minute or two every 30-45 minutes. If necessary, set a timer to remind yourself. Walk up and down the stairs, walk around the house, chase the cat, or play with the dog, do 20 push-ups, squat 40 times, throw in 10 jumping jacks, add 20 lunges, you get the picture!

8. Drink water
Just like any other time, it’s important to drink plenty of water. Keep a bottle of water next to you to sip on throughout the day. This will also cause you to get up and move once in a while. Ideally, you drink half of your body weight in ounces every day. YES, every day. So for example, if you're 200lbs, you should drink at least 100 ounces of water. Just in case you don't like water, squeeze a little bit of lemon juice in your water and add a pinch of clean, unrefined, unfiltered, unprocessed sea salt. This will also help you add vital trace minerals back into your system along with natural electrolytes.
 
9. Remote doesn’t mean less than
Even though remote work has become the format of choice for some large companies, the stereotype image of the remote worker as a slacker in PJs lounging on the couch still exists.
It’s easy to feel inferior, less than, that you’re missing out on important information, etc. In fact, there is even a syndrome - impostor syndrome - that describes the insecurities associated with remote workers. Remember, you are still a valuable member of your team. If you feel out of the loop, schedule a meeting with someone who can bring you into the loop.

10. Create a hard stop
When you’re done for the day, be done - shut down your computer, turn off the lights, leave your work area and close the door. Unless there’s a good reason, don’t continue to check your email on your smart phone throughout the evening. There is always tomorrow. Establishing good remote work hygiene is just as important as developing good sleep hygiene and will go a long way toward making it a successful endeavor, whether temporarily or long-term.

Below are 10 super easy exercise options you can do at home, at your local park or pretty much anywhere you are, even the hotel room.
All you need is a little bit of dedication, a little dash of will-power and you're on your way.

Enjoy. If you like what you see, please subscribe to my YouTube Channel - click here.

Here the YouTube Link to the Playlist - click here.

Here a few simple yet very effective full-body workouts you can incorporate into your daily routine.
Enjoy!

Coronavirus: Symptoms & Natural Solutions
The coronavirus, aka COVID-19,  is all over the news and social media. It is a new strain of coronaviruses that first started in Wuhan, China in December 2019. It causes fever, coughs, shortness of breath, and upper-respiratory symptoms.

In this article (original source link below), you will learn what the coronavirus is, how it spreads, what are its symptoms, and who is at risk of the infection. You will learn about some major lifestyle factors that can cripple your immune system and put you at greater risk of any virus or respiratory infection. This article will also show some natural solutions that can help to prevent viruses, respiratory infections, and illness this season and help you recover quickly if you do get sick.
 
What Is the Coronavirus
Coronaviruses (CoV) are a large group of viruses. Different strains may cause different illnesses ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases, such as the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV, or SARS) or the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV, or MERS). Coronaviruses tend to be zoonotic viruses, which means that they can be transmitted between people and animals. For example, SARS was transmitted from civet cats to humans, whereas the MERS originally spread from camels to humans. There are various strains of coronaviruses that are circulating between animals but have not infected humans so far.
If you check the news and read about the coronavirus, they are referring to the novel coronavirus (nCoV) or Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), a new strain of coronaviruses that haven't been previously seen in humans and has been spreading since late 2019.

Symptoms
Symptoms are similar to the flu and the common cold, however, may become severe and lead to complications in those with chronic health issues or in older people. The mortality rate is at 2 percent in Hubei providence in China where the outbreak started and less elsewhere. This is much better than SARS, which had an over 10 percent mortality rate or MERS which killed about 35 percent of those infected.

The CDC currently believes that the incubation period of the virus can be up to 2 weeks, and symptoms may appear within as few as 2 and as long as 14 days after exposure to the virus. This is very similar to what we’ve seen in the Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) back in 2012.

Symptoms of the coronavirus infection are very similar to symptoms of the flu (influenza) virus. Based on what we know, symptoms may include:

• Fever
• Cough
• Shortness of breath
• Runny nose
• Sore throat
• Headache
• Not feeling well

Symptoms may range from mild symptoms to severe. In some cases, people may develop a more severe illness, such as bronchitis or pneumonia, and in severe situations, it may result in death.

Who Needs to Watch Out?
According to the current understanding, the coronavirus spreads very similarly to other coronaviruses and other upper-respiratory infections. The virus mainly spreads person to person between people who are in close contact, or within 6 feet, of each other.
It spread via respiratory droplets coming from an infected individual's coughs or sneezes. When a healthy person nearby inhales these droplets into their lungs, they may get infected. While this is not the main way to get sick, the virus may also spread by touching one's own mouth, nose, or eyes after touching an object or surface with the virus on it.
Based on what we know, the coronavirus is the most contagious when someone is the most symptomatic, however, it may also spread before someone shows any symptoms. However, at this point, we don't know enough how contagious the coronavirus is.
 
How Do You Get Infected by Coronavirus?
What we know for certain is that in order to get infected by the coronavirus, you have to be in contact with someone who is sick or perhaps with an object a sick person has touched recently. According to February 26, 2020, there are 14 confirmed cases in the United States, 12 of these are travel-related and 2 are person-to-person spread. Out of the 80,239 cases, 77,780 are in China and most other cases are in the Western Pacific Region of Asia, including South-Korea and Japan, as well as Italy.
If you are in the United States, at this point, there is little reason for you to be worried. However, since the virus is spreading, experts speculate that we may be facing a pandemic situation soon, it is important to be up to date and educated.
For up-to-date information, including travel warnings, you can check the CDC's and the WHO's website.

 
The BIG questions....So What Can I Do?

 
5 Lifestyle Activities That Cripple the Immune System
Your immune system's job is to protect you from infections and illnesses. Your immune system is the one that helps you recover if you get sick. Having a strong immune system is absolutely critical to protect your body against viral infections, including the coronavirus.

The problem is that there are several lifestyle activities that many people engage in that can cripple your immune system and make you more vulnerable to illness.

The top 5 lifestyle factors that may prevent your immune system from functioning optimally.

Here the short list - details below:

1. Too Much Sugar & Carbs
2. Sleep Deprivation or Poor Quality Sleep
3. Drinking Unfiltered Tap Water
4. Staying Indoors All Day
5. Chronic Dehydration

 

1. Sugar and Your Immune System
   It's not the first time you've heard about the negative effects of sugar on your health. Sugar not only causes blood sugar fluctuations and weight gain, but it can also cripple your immune system. Sugar can deplete your body from critical immune-supporting nutrients, such as zinc, vitamin C, and glutathione. It also feeds parasites in your body and may lead to abnormal tissue and cancerous growth.
   
   When we are talking about sugar and your immune system, we must discuss the link between sugar, vitamin C, and immune function. In the 1970s, Dr. John Ely discovered the Glucose-Ascorbate-Antagonism (GAA) theory, which found that glucose (sugar) and ascorbate (vitamin C) have a very similar chemical make-up. The problem is that both of them depend on the pancreatic hormone, insulin's signaling to get into your cells. Sugar and vitamin C basically end up competing for the same spot in your immune system.
   
   If there is too much sugar, vitamin C will likely lose this race as too much sugar can restrict vitamin C from entering your cells. When this happens, your body needs to pump more insulin to get enough oxygen to your cells. Vitamin C is critical to handle oxidative stress and fight pathogens, such as viruses, bacteria, and other microorganisms in your body. If sugar prohibits vitamin C to support your body, your system weakens and becomes more vulnerable to illness and disease, including the coronavirus infection.
   
   
2. Sleep Deprivation
   Your body needs regular sleep to rest, repair, and rejuvenate. Regular sleep deprivation will surely lead to fatigue, exhaustion, and low concentration. However, sleep deprivation also leads to heightened stress response, reduced immune coordination, and increased inflammatory processes. This can lead to compromised immune function and higher vulnerability to infections and illness, including the coronavirus. 
   
   
3. Chronic Dehydration
   Drinking plenty of water and proper hydration is critical for your immune system, circulation, nervous system, and all organ function. Chronic dehydration can result in too much histamine in your body.
   All that histamine will aim to ensure that your organs get enough fluids even when you are dehydrated, however, elevated histamine may also increase inflammation, allergies, headaches, chronic pain, digestive issues, and immune system problems. The consequence of chronic dehydration may also increase your risk of infections, illness, and disease.
   
   
4. Drinking Tap Water
   You already know how critical hydration and water is to your immune system. However, it is crucial that instead of simply tracking your water intake, you also pay attention to the kind of water you are drinking.
   Municipal water can be toxic loaded with environmental chemicals, such as chlorine, DBP's, arsenic, fluoride, and heavy metals. These toxins can destroy your immune system. Drinking clean water using a high-quality reverse osmosis system or high-quality mineral or spring water is much better for your immune health. 
   
   
5. Staying Indoors
   Historically, our ancestors spent most of their lives outdoors. We do the exact opposite by spending 90 percent of our time inside. Our jobs and schools are indoors. We go to indoor grocery stores and shopping malls or shop online from our couch. We attend indoor events or simply hang out inside of our homes. Of course, staying indoors protects us from certain weather conditions, such as rain, snow, or even heat. However, unfortunately, too much indoor time also increases your exposure to indoor pollutants.
   By spending so much time indoors, you are also missing out on the protective factors you may receive in nature, including vitamin D from the sun, fresh air, and electrons from the ground when walking or standing barefoot from on the ground. To protect your immune system, it is critical to find balance and create some time to be outdoors regularly.

 
Top 10 Natural Solutions For Coronavirus
There are currently no vaccines to prevent the coronavirus and there are no anti-viral or other medications to treat the illness.
Supporting your immune system is absolutely critical when it comes to the prevention and treatment of the coronavirus and other respiratory viral infections.
Below are 10 natural solutions to boost your immune system and protect your body from illness and infections.

Remember, these are great tips not only when it comes to the coronavirus, but for the common cold and the flu as well.
 
1. Eight Foods to Support Immune Health
Eating a nutrient-dense diet is one of the best and non-negotiable ways to support your immune health. It is important that you eliminate refined sugar, refined oils, artificial ingredients, processed foods, and junk food, and instead, focus on a diet that’s rich in greens, vegetables, herbs, spices, fermented foods, fruits, and healthy fats.
Certain foods are particularly beneficial for your immune health because they have higher immune-boosting properties than others. It is important that you add them to your nutrient-dense diet.

These foods include:

• Lemons and limes: Lemons and limes are some of the best sources of vitamin C and antioxidants, and help to alkalize and cleanse your body
• Bone broth: Bone broth is rich in vitamins and minerals and is soothing for respiratory conditions
• Garlic: Garlic may reduce inflammation, support your immune system, and effectively fight infections
• Onions: Similarly to garlic, onions are powerful infection fighters that boost your immune system and reduce inflammation
• Apple cider vinegar: Apple cider vinegar provides great disinfectant support against even the most resistant bacterial strains and viruses and offers antioxidant support
• Olive oil: Olive oil is a great source of monosaturated healthy fats which is incredible for your immune system
  
• Ginger: Ginger is one of the most potent medicinal spices that help to reduce inflammation, boost your immune health, improve sore throat, and lower pain levels
• Mushrooms: Medicinal mushrooms are fantastic immune-boosting and inflammation-fighting superfoods 

2. Good Hydration
If any way possible drink half of your body weight in ounces of clean water minimum a day. For example, if you're 200lbs you should drink 100 ounces of clean water every day! If you are exercising or doing physical labor, spending time out on the hot sun, sweating a lot in a sauna or hot tub, recovering from an illness or infection, or otherwise feeling dehydrated, make sure to drink more.
To ensure that you drink high-quality, clean water, use a high-quality reverse osmosis system that purifies your water by removing all the toxins.
Make sure to use a stainless steel or glass bottle to avoid toxic chemical residue from plastic bottles. It is also important that you eat plenty of hydrating vegetables and fruits and drink green juices, bone broth, or herbal teas in addition to your water intake. Avoid sugar, sugary drinks, energy drinks, and too much coffee that may dehydrate your body. 


3. Good Sleep, Fresh Air & Daily Movement
Keeping your body healthy is more than just food and water. Getting good sleep, fresh air, and daily movement are all crucial for a healthy immune system. Get 7 to 9 hours of quality sleep on a regular basis. If you are feeling sick, make sure to honor your body, and rest plenty. Get some fresh air on a daily basis.
Go for a walk, do some grounding by standing or walking barefoot on grass or dirt, or just simply open your windows and air out the rooms. Do some daily movement. Exercise for 20 to 30 minutes 5 days a week, and keep an active lifestyle through nature walks, stretching, yoga, dancing, walking your dog, and playing with your kids. Even if you are feeling sick, it is important to stretch or do some small movement as much as you can handle. 


4. Keep Stress Down & Practice Gratitude
Keeping your stress levels down is key to your immune health. Practice gratitude daily. Upon waking, think about the things that you are grateful for. Stop and appreciate the small things throughout the day. Keep an evening gratitude journal. Say a daily prayer or engage in the spiritual practices that uplift you.  Journal regularly.
Try meditation and breathwork. Say daily affirmations. Practice positive thinking. Talk things out with your friends, family, or therapist. Make sure to have some 'me-time' regularly. Surround yourself with positive people and uplifting activities as much as possible.

 
5. Diffuse Essential Oils
Diffusing essential oils may be beneficial for both the prevention and treatment of infections. They may help to open up your airways, reduce mucous, improve coughs, calm sore throats, and reduce sinus issues. Essential oils that may benefit coronavirus, cold, and flu symptoms include eucalyptus, rosemary, peppermint, frankincense, oregano, thyme, geranium, cinnamon, nutmeg, bergamot, cypress, and tea tree essential oil. These essential oils may offer antioxidants and immune-protective qualities.
It is important to mention that some people may be sensitive to certain essential oils. Start out with a small amount, preferably, when you are feeling well. Pay attention to your body and reactions.
 

6. Garlic Salve For Coronavirus
Whether you have the coronavirus, the flu, the common cold, or other upper-respiratory issues, if you are symptomatic, try homemade garlic salve for coughs and colds. It's simple to make and easy to use.
Use:

• 8 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1/3 cup coconut oil
• 10 drops lavender oil (it’s incredibly calming and soothing)

How to use it:

• Rub it onto the soles of feet. Apply generously. Put socks on to help hold the salve in place
• Rub it on your chest
• Repeat every 2 to 3 hours until your condition improves

 

7. Take Vitamin C for Coronavirus
There is a reason mothers give vitamin C supplements and orange juice when you were sick as a child. Vitamin C is one of the best vitamins when it comes to illness. Research has shown that it has incredible benefits for lung infections and it is one of the most important vitamins for your immune system.
Vitamin C rich foods include lemon, lime, oranges, mandarins, grapefruits, guava, strawberries, papaya, pineapples, kiwi, sweet green pepper, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts. Remember that sugar is the enemy of vitamin C, so make sure to eliminate any food with refined sugar and reduce your overall natural sugar (carb) intake as well.
Try Thorne's "Buffered Vitamin C" supplement (Amazon link).
 

8. Optimize Vitamin D & Zinc
Vitamin C is awesome, but let's not forget about Vitamin D and zinc either. They are both essential to support your immune system, yet most people are not getting enough. Sunshine is the best way to improve your vitamin D needs, however, with our indoor lifestyle or colder seasons, it is impossible to meet all your needs. To boost your vitamin D levels, try a daily Vitamin D/K2 supplement for both prevention and treatment.
Zinc is another nutrient that people seem to not get enough through diet alone, especially when not eating a nutrient-dense, immune-boosting diet. This can lead to immune dysfunction and more infections and illness. To improve your zinc levels and keep illness way, eat lots of zinc-rich foods, including pumpkin seeds, asparagus, chicken, salmon, and grass-fed beef regularly.

 
9. Use Elderberry & Astragalus
Elderberry and astragalus are fantastic for coughs, congestion, and other respiratory illness symptoms. Use them to strengthen immune defenses that defend against colds, the flu, the coronavirus, and other infections and to aid recovery if you get sick

 
10. Use Specific Herbal Support Formula
Herbs are the best friends of your immune system. However, it is important that you are strategic when you are using herbal support and use a specific herbal support formula that’s created to support your immune system, lungs, and respiratory tracts.
Find natural respiratory support formulas that use powerful blends of herbs and essential oils, including lovage root, eucalyptus leaf, peppermint left, lemon balm leaf, lungwort leaf, orange leaf, plantain leaf, chapparal leaf, menthol, elecampane root, lobelia flower, and peppermint essential oil, to encourage lung, sinus, and respiratory tract health.
 
Source - click here.