if you want to work from home and be productive without breaking your mental health here are five things you must [Music] do number one turn on your camera you sit before a screen all day without meeting people see your prefrontal cortex needs f facial cues Expressions eye contact to feel connected without them your brain produces less oxytocin the bonding hormone less oxytocin means you start feeling distant from people in general conversations feel empty you feel disconnected unmotivated maybe even socially anxious and this will affect your motivation and even simple task will start to feel overwhelming over time this can lead to burn out emotional numbness and even mild depression so always opt for video meetings it might feel awkward but seeing faces making eye contact and noticing Expressions help your brain stay socially engaged your brain needs real connection even in a remote setup number two be mindful about your energy slouching isn't just bad for your back it's bad for your brain your body and and mind are deeply connected when you slouch your lungs compress reducing oxygen flow to your brain less oxygen means lower dopamine and serotonin the very chemicals that keep you motivated focused and happy and over time poor posture can lead to chronic fatigue lack of concentration and even anxiety sit like your energy depends on it because it does keep your feet flat on the ground uh sit straight shoulders relaxed and adjust your screen to eye level small changes like these can completely shift your energy and mood number three give your brain an on and off switch at home work and life blend into one you wake up open your laptop reply to emails in bed take calls from your couch and by the time it's night you realize you never really clocked out since there is no real start or stop your brain is always in work mode you feel mentally exhausted irritable and trapped because your stress hormones are always high the constant stress makes it harder to focus during work hours and harder to relax afterwards you either procrastinate endlessly or overwork to the point of burnout create a start and stop ritual dress up for work and have a dedicated work space even if it's just one corner of your room or when your work hours end physically shut your laptop step away away and signal to your brain that your work is done your brain needs transitions give it a clear on and off switch and you'll feel more productive during work and more present in your personal life number four mimic your office when you're in an office movement happens naturally walking to meetings or stepping out for lunch taking the stairs but at home you barely move sitting for hours uh slows your blood circulation and reduces oxygen into your brain and signals your body to conserve energy and over time this creates brain fog glow energy and sluggish thinking this affects everything like your focus mood creativity and even stress levels so change how you work make movement part of your workspace take calls while walking set up a standing desk or switch between work spots to encourage movement and every 30 to 60 Minutes stand up stretch and reset even even 2 minutes of movement is enough to re-energize your brain and keep you productive number five the non-negotiable 20 minutes see when you work from home it's easy to spend the whole day indoors staring at screens under artificial lights you wake up move from your bed to your desk and before you know it the day is over and you haven't stepped outside even once but your brain needs sunlight a natural light it regulates your body clock improves focus and directly affects your mood and without it your Mela level stays High making you feel sluggish all day no sunlight means less serotonin secretion and when serotonin stays low your motivation will drop you'll experience brain fog and even small task will feel draining make 20 minutes of morning sunlight non-negotiable step outside sit near a window or take a short walk in natural light it resets your body's rhythm lifts your energy and keeps your brain sharp Comfort is great but it shouldn't come at the cost of your health small changes like these will keep you productive and protect your mental well-being while working from home [Music]