5 Work From Home Hacks

Even as parts of the country begin to open up, working from home continues to be a big part of most of our lives – and will likely continue to be in the future.  It has its advantages and its stresses. Here are 5 ways I hack my work at home stress – and why research says they work. I’d love to know how you handle your work from home stress in the comments. 

There’s a good reason that it’s almost impossible to find yeast in the stores these days.  Everyone has gone back to baking bread to relieve their stress.  I myself have given a go at French Bread, Egg Bread and Rice Banana Bread. Next up my first sourdough. Keep your fingers crossed for me. Have you been baking? And if so, what?  In 2015 a survey conducted by the baking company Cake Angels found that one in three people asked said they felt more stressed than five years previously. 80% of them said they had started baking to help relieve this pressure. 

Every other day a friend calls me and tells me their latest cleaning conquest.  A drawer here, a closet there. Cleaning can be its own kind of meditation. And if you are like me, you have been discovering that you have way more stuff than you need or even want.  There is something to be said for getting rid of the clutter as a stress reliever. According to a survey of 2,000 adults released by OfferUp a full 70% of Americans say tidying their home offers them a feeling of accomplishment, 61% say it makes them feel "destressed," and 54% say they experience "relaxation." 

On days when it all just seems too much for me, I will often take an art break. I’ve been a photographer for years and I find that an hour or so of creating photo transfer art collages brings me back to my creative soul and a sense of peace. Besides, all my friends have really been enjoying those handmade original cards they have been receiving in the mail from me. Professor Donna Pincus, associate professor of psychological and brain sciences at Boston University, told The Huffington Post baking can allow people to express themselves creatively. "There's a lot of literature for connection between creative expression and overall well-being," she told the publication. "Whether it's painting or it's making music [or baking], there is a stress relief that people get from having some kind of an outlet and a way to express themselves."

If there was ever a time I wish I had a dog again in my life – this is it. But sadly, my Papillion mix Penny girl died years ago.  As it turns out I’m not the only one. All the shelters in NYC were ran out of dogs to adopt or even foster, almost as fast as toilet paper came off the shelves.  So, what do I do? I borrow a dog. I take friend’s dogs for walks and stop and ask to pet other people’s pets in the park. Scientists at Washington State University recently showed that, in addition to improving mood, petting animals gets"under the skin" and has stress-relieving physiological benefits. "Just 10 minutes can have a significant impact," said Patricia Pendry, an associate professor in WSU's Department of Human Development. "Students in our study that interacted with cats and dogs had a significant reduction in cortisol, a major stress hormone."