Amidst this uncertain period where a Shelter-In-Place is set in most states to staunch the spread of Covid-19, I hope everybody is staying safe and is following protocols to help flatten the curve. Stay home. Wash your hands. Call and video-chat loved ones. Support small businesses and try to donate if you can. Be generous and help those in need. Also, be appreciative of all you have: a roof on your head, your health, your income, your family and friends. 
Besides working from my laptop and calling my mom all the time, I have also been checking out workout videos and trying new recipes. Below is a little tour of my home and the decorations, as well as exercise equipment I use at home and fitness videos and classes I enjoy.
Work from home tip #1: It is best to do work at a place that is not where you relax and unwind, like the bedroom. However, I know that many folks live in apartments or have roommates, like me. Therefore, instead of avoiding my bedroom altogether, I like to divide up my space and set strict boundaries. For instance, this nook is where I take work-related video calls, read, or sip-tea and eat snacks. My bed is off limits unless I am relaxing or sleeping. On the other side of the room, I put a desk and an armchair where I blog or do more creative work.
Besides working from my laptop and calling my mom all the time, I have also been checking out workout videos and trying new recipes. Below is a little tour of my home and the decorations, as well as exercise equipment I use at home and fitness videos and classes I enjoy.
Home Decor
Before the Shelter-In-Place, I have never spent so many consecutive hours at home. I now fully appreciate how home furnishing and decor can impact my mood, productivity, and well-being. Even though my living space is pretty large, I find myself gravitating to only two rooms.
Outfit: Dress – Reformation Rocki Floral Print Shirtdress Shoes – Stuart Weitzman Mira Mules (reviews from this post)
The first room being the corner of the master bedroom. Sandwiched between two large windows, I get abundant sunlight with a view of Bernal Heights Hill. I put this beautiful white Wyatt Large Dining table (it used to be my dining table at my previous, much-smaller apartment!) in this corner with four matching farmhouse style chairs. I laid out a colorful Safavieh area rug underneath to add some liveliness. Having this furniture for a couple of years now, I can honestly say that, while not totally un-sturdy, the surfaces of the table and chairs easily scratch and stain. However, for the low price, they definitely are functional and stylish provided that you baby them a bit.Work from home tip #1: It is best to do work at a place that is not where you relax and unwind, like the bedroom. However, I know that many folks live in apartments or have roommates, like me. Therefore, instead of avoiding my bedroom altogether, I like to divide up my space and set strict boundaries. For instance, this nook is where I take work-related video calls, read, or sip-tea and eat snacks. My bed is off limits unless I am relaxing or sleeping. On the other side of the room, I put a desk and an armchair where I blog or do more creative work.
Outfit: TOP – Anthropologie Ingrid Cocoon Cardigan in cedar TANK – Socialite lace tank in white BOTTOMS – Madewell demi-cali jeans in Bellspring wash
The second room I love hanging out in is the open, spacious living room right when you walk into the house. It is designed to look like a cabin with the wooden ceilings and high windows. The decor is especially unique: full of antique furniture, floral armchairs, and large shaggy carpets. The sheepskin rugs create a lovely aesthetic draped across chairs, and they are very cozy to sit on. Work from home tip #2: I like these rooms because they both let in a ton of sunlight. I recommend finding a work-place at home with lots of natural light to elevate mood and happiness in general. Work from home tip #3: Do NOT copy what I am doing in the pictures, sitting and lying on the floor with my laptop 🙂 Make sure that you are using your computer from an upright position, with a monitor, keyboard, and mouse, if possible. Be mindful of your ergonomics and take breaks often.
Home fitness
After my gym closed, I’ve been looking for creative solutions to keep up with my strength training. Here are some equipment I have been using:BOWFLEX ADJUSTABLE WEIGHTS
As the name implies, these weights are adjustable in 2.5 LB increments, ranging from 5 IB to 52.5 LB. They are easy to use, sturdy, and do not take a ton of space. Yes, these are pricey, but mine have lasted for over 6 years and provide me with a wide range of weights similar to a well-stocked gym. One thing I dislike about these weights is that they are very bulky and long, making some moves really awkward if you have shorter arms like I do.FAVORITE FREE ARMWORKOUTS
- I really enjoy Rebecca Louise’s arm workouts for 10 minute, fast and lightweight moves meant for toning up. Below are some of my top choices (I do 3x reps for each video):
- PopSugar also has some really challenging and good ones (3x reps):
RESISTANCE BANDS
Luckily, if you do not feel like dropping a ton of dough on weights, resistance bands are also good alternatives for weight training. I recommend these from Amazon – they are the ones I have at home and they have held up really well with no wear and tear despite frequent use. Each band ranges from “extra-light” to “extra heavy” resistance, correlating with 2 LB to 30 LB weights.FAVORITE RESISTANT BAND WORKOUTS
- ARMS (3x reps)
- GLUTES*
YOGA MAT
A sturdy mat is essential for a good workout. I use this one from Amazon, it is very thick and cushion-y, providing excellent support. It does, however, slide around a lot on wooden floors. For a non-slip yoga mat, I recommend getting this thinner one on Amazon which is also easier to transport. Of course, you can’t go wrong with the Reversible Mat 5mm from Lululemon, which provides both cushion and grip. However, it has a strong rubber smell when first opened and does stain easily with sweat, which is disappointing given the steep price.FAVORITE FREE YOGA WORKOUT
- Corepower Yoga is offering free online classes that they update weekly.
- Total body yoga with Yoga With Adriene on YouTube
These are all super good tiPs! Im definitely STRUGGLING with spending so much time at hOme. Part of me is enjoying It, but i Know im not exactly taking care of myself like before – working out, eatiNg well, bedtime routine, Not spending So much time on my laptop, etc. But im Trying to go easy On myself as these are tough times. I’m sure I’ll get out of this fuNk in no tIme!
I’m still working but my hubby is stuck inside, i’ll have to share this with him. Thanks so much for sharing this with all of us!
Love your place….the sunlight is so good….these are really wonderful tips to work from home…thank you for sharing…
What a Beautiful Home! My home stays that clean for about 5 minutes because I have 4 boys, lol.
And for exercise we have been walking every day. And I have a program that works with my metabolism. It works well when I use it! Hopefully this week I will be getting back into that routine.
I need to get into home fitness because staying inside has interfered with my diet and workout routine!
I love the decor in your house and the fact that it’s so bright! I know light helps me a lot. I have been working on working out more.
I LOVE YOU DECOR STYLE AND HOW YOUR HOME IS DECORATED. SUCH A LOVELY HOME WITH WHAT SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF NATURAL LIGHT. Luckily we had purchased a Bowflex off of FB marketplace a while back so we can continue to work out at home.
My husband and i keep re-organizing, cleaning and redecorating… We just have so much more time to do these things now. I really do like where everything is GOING as well. Our house is looking classier and classier by the day!
I Need to try the arm workouts. My goal during this time is too improve my health
I like your work from home tips. They are very useful. These are great to-do activities during this quarantine period.
YOUR HOUSE IS REALLY BEAUTIFUL. IT’S MINIMALIST, RELAXING AND VERY CONDUCIVE FOR WORKING. <3 I LOVE ALL YOUR TIPS HERE. <3
I do arm and chest workouts daily and spend some time reading articles and writing blog posts. weLL, you really have a lovely house and thanks for the tips
I’ll admit that I am getting a little stir crazy staying home. I have also found that I am drawn to specific parts of the home that are sunny and cozy. Your home looks so cheerful!
LOve your tips! And your home decor is so dreamy! I love it. I reCently started using resistance bands so i will definitely have to check out those workouts!
Great tips! I always love ideas like these.
I will definitely check back to your site again soon for these ideas.
GREAT TIPS! I ALWAYS LOVE IDEAS LIKE THESE.
I WILL DEFINITELY CHECK BACK TO YOUR SITE AGAIN SOON for my home redecoration.
First of all your home is amazing second of all your outfits are to die for thank you for this post
I really need to get flowers to make my home nicer to be in at the moment. I’m trying my best but it’s difficult when you have a cat who eats everything!
Great work from home tip. I have been working from home for 3 years and the best thing that I did was to set myself up somewhere where I could ‘leave work’. When I didn’t have a separate room, I would set i up either behind a divider or in a way that I could ‘put it away’. I had a rolltop desk for a while that as great for this. Now I have a home office that allows me to close the door and ‘leave the office’ when it’s time to go home. It’s great for helping me to maintain those important boundaries between work and home.
Your home decor is so cute! It looks so cozy and clean and I love it so much.
I love all of these tips. we have been doing a lot of cleaning and refreshing our rooms and these tips will be so helpful!