SOHO 50; the 50 or so pounds most people gain the first year they move from a "regular" job to telecommuting or working from home. The fact that you may not have heard of the SOHO 50 doesn't mean that this phenomenon doesn't exist. It happened to me, and I have seen it happen to many business colleagues.The reasons for this upward weight creep are obvious:
1. You expend less energy. When you work in a "regular" job, you expend extra energy getting ready for work, driving in traffic, even visiting co-workers and milling around the water cooler. By contrast, when you work from home, your commute may involve rolling out of bed and going from your bedroom to your office. Those of you who have your home office in your bedroom may have a 2-step commute.
2. Food is temptingly close. In most offices, your co-workers would give you the "side eye" if you spend all day munching. When you work from home, however, no one is there to see you indulge in treats and inhale last night's leftovers.
Some of you have incredible willpower, and just being aware of the SOHO 50 is enough to help you avoid it.
For the rest of us, however, here are a few tips to avoid the creep.
1. Put on some clothes, for Pete's sake! Yes, I know some of you can't wait for the freedom of walking around the house sans clothing, or spending all day in your pajamas. This is a very dangerous practice. Believe me - you will be shocked one day when you try to wear your regular clothes, only to find that they do not fit. Getting dressed every day not only helps you have a more serious attitude towards your work, it will help you monitor your weight.
2. Limit elastic waistbands to 1 day a week. Repeat after me: I am only allowed to wear pants that have a full elastic waistband one day a week. That means jogging pants are out. Wondering why? Re-read item # 1.
3. Jump around. Do you like music? Good. Every couple of hours, put on a playlist of your favorite high energy music and jump around. Since there's no one at home to see you, it doesn't really matter how you look. If you'd rather grab some fresh air, take a brisk 15 minute walk. These actions help keep your metabolism burning calories.
4. Outlaw most eating at your desk. Mindless eating piles on the pounds. Just as eating in front of the TV will make you fat, eating in front of the computer will do the same. Instead, have your meals in the kitchen. Limit your computer snacking to foods that have close to zero calories (water, raw vegetables, fruit, etc.).
5. Get out of the house. Make a plan to have tea or lunch with someone at least once a week. You can spend time with your former co-workers, potential clients, potential referral sources, and so forth. Getting out the house also forces you to wear "work" clothes, so that you can make sure they still fit.
6. Boost your activity level. Make it tougher for the pounds to latch on by taking exercise to the next level. If you are sedentary, start walking 20 minutes a day. If you are already consistently walking, add weight training, uphill walking or walk faster. The idea here is to find some way to burn the extra calories. Getting an exercise buddy may make sticking to exercising easier.
7. Get out of the house, Part 2: consider renting a co-working space. A co-working space is simply a collaborative space for business professionals. You pay one flat fee a month, and get to inhabit a cubicle or desk on a first-come first-serve basis. To find a space, search online for the term "co-working space" + your city.
About the author: Jackie Kiadii is the owner of Phoenix Computer Consultants, LLC, which specializes in teaching business professionals how to use technology to increase productivity and profitability. Her company provides computer training in Atlanta and online. Her courses include Microsoft software applications, Internet marketing, social media and email marketing. Get free software and Internet marketing tips by clicking here.
