How to practise self care when you work from home

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When you work from home, self-care is vital and it is important to make a clear distinction between your work and personal life, ensuring you take time for yourself.

We have some sensible, but easy ways you can get a better balance when it comes to working from home.

Set Boundaries
When you work from home, it is really easy to slip into bad habits like working late into the evening and at the weekend. To maintain a healthy balance between work and home, set your work hours and stick to them. Maybe it is the traditional 9 to 5 that works for you, 10 until 6 is better for some people, a half day on Friday can be a perk of the job. Decide it, do it and stick to it.

Have a place to work
If you can, create a designated office space with a desk and upright chair that supports your back. If you have a whole room or can renovate the loft or the garage, this will give you a great working area and get you in the zone. Lighting is important as this will help you not to strain your eyes or cause headaches. Having a tidy workspace will help to keep your mind clear, and turning off the computer at the end of the day will help you maintain your working hours.

Start the day the right way
You might not have a team meeting to go to, but starting your day with a new list and set of goals, will keep you on track and motivated. You don’t have to do this at your desk, you can have a walk, a coffee after the school drop off or even speak to your VA and make sure you are both on the same page.

Walk away
Making time for some exercise during your day will boost motivation levels and increase productivity. Whether you go for a park run, walk the dog, do a HIT session, or practise yoga in your living room, doing something will give you a break and more energy.

Take a lunch break
We know many people don’t take have an official lunch break, but if you can make time to walk away from your desk and head outside for fresh air, this will set you up for the afternoon ahead. Packing up a salad with oily fish, filling up on soups and stews or having a pitta with feta and egg is a good way to fuel up and afternoon smoothies or homemade flapjacks are good too.

Do not do chores
Putting on the washing, going to the shops, visiting friends or doing a little DIY might be on your list of jobs at home, but it isn’t your real work that will pay the bills. Find times when you can do this, but stick to your working times as above, or you will end up having a clean house and full fridge, but unhappy clients.

Have healthy snacks
It is easy to go for the biscuit tin or unwrap a chocolate bar when you are working at home, but having fresh fruit in a bowl and nuts and raisins in a pot on your desk means when you are peckish, you don’t overdo the rubbish.

Get Dressed
It might seem like a good idea to work in your PJs or yoga pants, but you wouldn’t go out to work this way, so don’t do it at home. Get up, get showered, put the coffee on and get dressed and this will give you a work ready feel, and save blushes with the postman or unexpected Skype calls from clients.

Meditate
We believe that if you take a little time to meditate during the working day, it will give you headspace to unwind so you will return to your computer feeling refreshed.

You still need to sleep
We all need to aim to get about eight hours of sleep a night, and this is the same when you work from home. Late nights and lie-ins might be tempting, but they won’t do your motivation or productivity levels any good. Get into a routine and if it means scheduling calls at 9am or booking a dance class at 6pm to keep to time, then do it.

Got a working at home tip? Send it our way as we would love to know what it is.

Team Pure Beauty

Top 5 Beauty Bad Habits

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bad habits, beauty, cleansing, spots

It’s no secret that most of us have a bad habit or two when it comes to our beauty regime and whilst most of them are minor indiscretions, there are some which can undermine your whole routine. Below, we’ve listed our top five beauty bad habits, with some handy suggestions on how you can beat them.

Nail biting

One of the most common bad habits on the planet is nail biting. Some people do it as a result of nerves, or feeling the need for comfort, but nails which are bitten down to the quick can look seriously unsightly. Use a bitter nail paint to discourage biting, then once your nails have started to grow, apply Decleor Ongles Nail Oil to help restore vitality and strength, as there’s a good chance your new nails will be weak and brittle.

Spot popping

Although the temptation to deal with spots and blackheads is huge, allowing them to heal by themselves is a much better option and reduces the chance that you’ll leave yourself with scars. Also, according to current wisdom, popping spots can actually cause more; when you apply pressure to the top of a spot, you also push more germs under the skin cause can spread and cause further outbreaks. Opt for dedicated products, such as the Dermalogica MediBac Clearing System which will remove the dirt and soothe the skin.

Not cleansing your face before bed

Everyone knows that removing your make-up before bed is an absolute must to prevent clogged pores, but you should actually be washing your face before bed even if you don’t wear make-up. The pollution and dust in the air can actually cling to skin and can be equally, if not more harmful than make-up. The Decleor Hydra-Radiance Smoothing and Cleansing Mousse with Cloth is a great product which gently cleans skin as well as giving extra moisture, cutting down the time you need to spend on your skin and maximising your sleep time!

Forgetting sunscreen

We live in an information age, which means that EVERYONE knows the harmful effects that the sun’s rays can have, so there’s no excuse for forgetting to wear sunscreen. Dermalogica Pure Light SPF50 is a great all-round lotion for anyone wanting to avoid hyperpigmentation, whilst the Dermalogica Protection 50 Sport SPF50 is water resistant and perfect for anyone wanting to go from pool to lounger without having to reapply.

Neglecting your neck

The vast majority of people seem to think that their beauty regime stops at their chin, but taking care of your neck and décolletage is just as important. The skin around this area often gets the most exposure to sun and the elements and needs restorative care to ensure is stays looking good. Decleor Clay and Herbal Cleansing Mask is a gentle mask which can be used all the way down to your décolletage area and will give you a fresh, purified and softened complexion.