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Business Travel, Fitness and Health, Lifestyle talk

10 Ways to Optimize Your Work From Home Space and Schedule

February 6, 2023

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, millions of people around the world are working from home for the first time. Whether you’re working from home part or full-time, there are a few important things you can do to optimize your work from home space and the time dedicated to working.

Bear in mind that these tips are dependent on your personal space and budget. Use what you can and ignore what’s not relevant.

That said, here are the 10 ways to optimize your work-from-home space and schedule:

1. Create a Designated Work Space

One of the most important steps to take, but also one most dependent on your available space, is to have a designated space just for work. This space can really be anywhere in your home, in any room, in whatever corner. But this spot should be used only for working from home. This way, your mind and body know when you are at “work” and when you are at home.

The physical and mental division between work and home will benefit your motivation and mental health greatly. If you are renting through DelSuites, it’s good to check beforehand if there is a desk/chair for working from home.

2. Be Near a Window

If possible, having your desk near a window has numerous benefits. You’ll be receiving Vitamin D from the sunlight, avoiding the possibility of seasonal depression. Also, the sights and sounds outside the window provide good background noise and just the right amount of distraction when brainstorming or zoning out in thought. Natural sunlight will help as a secondary light source as well.

3. Have Multiple Light Sources

Speaking of a secondary light source, it is great to have multiple light sources around your workspace. Ceiling lights can be too dim or too fluorescent and could be casting shadows on your desk. All of this leads to headaches and strain on your eyes. Having a desk lamp, especially if you’re writing, and being near a window will illuminate your desk. This should lessen the chances of getting headaches from poor lighting and straining eyes.

4. Invest in a Comfortable Chair

Spending the money on an actual office chair will do wonders on your back. Being able to adjust the height of the chair will make sure your feet are comfortably on the ground while your arms are the correct height for typing and writing. The armrests will help support your arms as you work to remove the strain on your shoulders. And the support on your back will keep your back in good shape. Your chair doesn’t have to be an office chair though. Just make sure any chair you use is comfortable, at the correct height, and preferably has armrests.

5. Eliminate Clutter

To keep your mind clear and able to focus on work, a workspace without clutter is best. Unnecessary papers, cords, or other knick-knacks will just distract you and get in your way. Have what you need quickly accessible but if there’s anything around you that you don’t use often (or at all), put it away in a designated storage space. For those things that you do use every once in a while, a cabinet or drawers around your desk can provide easy storage and accessibility.

6. Greenery

Even though clutter is bad, there are benefits to having greenery and appealing decor nearby. Easy to care for greenery adds colour and oxygen to your workspace. Humans benefit from being near nature of any type, and studies have even shown that plants in a home can stimulate creativity. If you aren’t near a window, choosing a low-light plant or a succulent will help. For those of us with busy schedules, the less maintenance required from the plant, the better.

7. Use Green and Blue Decor

Other forms of decor can be helpful if they aren’t on your desk and are of the right colour. Interior designers prefer to use greens and blues while decorating to create an atmosphere that is refreshing, motivating, and even nurturing.

8. Set a Schedule

As much as possible, create a daily routine of work time, break time, and after-work time. Also, if you have a flexible schedule, set your work time at your most productive hours. There’s no reason to wake up very early if you’re just not a morning person. Having this schedule creates boundaries in your life, letting your body and mind know when to focus and be productive and when to relax and forget about work.

9. Leave Your Workspace for Breaks

When you do take your scheduled breaks, step away from your desk and your computer. Doing this will keep the physical and mental boundaries you have created between work life and home life. This will also reduce screen time if you’re looking at a computer during your whole workday. Go to another room and really take that break that you deserve.

10. Dress for Success

This might be the most controversial suggestion so far but this can have a big impact on your productivity. Do not stay in your pyjamas when you begin working. You will physically and mentally want to continue snuggling down in bed and will not want to work. Now, it isn’t necessary to put on full office attire but changing into actual clothes before beginning to work lets you know your day has started. And you’ll always be ready for an unexpected video meeting!

DelSuites Is Your New Home Away From Home Space

Looking for a new work-from-home space closer to work, closer to the airport or just a place to focus on your busy lifestyle that has a more convenient location? Let DelSuites be that alternative or option that is your new home away from home.

View available condo rentals around the Greater Toronto Area.

Fitness and Health, Lifestyle talk

2023 Resolutions: Toronto Active Things

January 9, 2023

Resolutions, new year resolutions, Toronto, fitness activities

If your New Year’s goal is to live a more active lifestyle, there are many fun ways to stick to your new habit with Toronto’s active things to do.

Regular physical activity will bring you huge benefits. Not only will it help you to burn calories and maintain a healthy weight, but it will also reduce your blood pressure, build muscle, improve your metabolism and help you to sleep better. Exercise has also been found to release positive chemicals in the brain and help to reduce anxiety and depression.

If your goal is to make a habit of being more active, there are many ways that you can do this. You can go for a run or a walk, join a gym, go for a swim, take dance classes, join a sports team or go hiking – it’s up to you. You might even want to vary your activities so that you exercise different muscle groups and keep yourself from getting bored. Even if you feel like staying indoors, our furnished apartments offer fitness facilities in every building and are always included in the rate!

Here are just a few ways to help get you started with Toronto’s active things to do.

Take Aim at the Archery District

Imagine burning calories and having a blast at the same time while playing an archery tag game involving foam-tipped arrows and paintballs. Players rush to center field to retrieve the arrows, then attempt to knock out all of the five targets on the opposing side. This thrilling game can be played with your family, friends or colleagues and it is a great way to get your heart pumping.

Perfect Your Axe Throwing

Work on your upper body strength and dexterity and unleash your inner lumberjack by learning how to throw an axe. The Backyard Axe Throwing League offers casual walk-in axe-throwing lessons with experienced coaches. (Listen to the coach before attempting your first throw, otherwise, things could get dangerous!) If you find that you have a natural talent for hurling axes, you could join the league and compete.

Spin Around the Pole

Pole dancing is a highly acrobatic and challenging performance art that requires a high level of strength, control and flexibility. It’s also a ton of fun and a great way to feel confident and sexy. Brass Vixens is the largest pole dance studio in Toronto and there you can take classes on how to achieve impressive acrobatic stunts. After your first lesson, you’ll be tired and sore but you’ll want to come back again just to learn how to pull off the amazing moves.

Overcome Obstacles

At Pursuit OCR you can climb, jump, run and clamber your way through a fantastic 10,000-square-foot obstacle course – then leap into Toronto’s only adult-sized ball pit. This thrilling indoor playground will ensure that you are having so much fun that you forget about how many calories you are burning.

These are just a few of the unusual, exciting Toronto active things to do to achieve your goal of being more active this year. Now get out there and go for it!

See more blog articles from DelSuites

Moving to Toronto? Short-term rentals can help.

What Business Travellers Desire The Most When Relocating To Toronto (with stats from GBTA)

DelSuites: A Home for Digital Nomads in Toronto

Entertainment, Events, Fitness and Health, Holiday Events, Lifestyle talk

How to Stay Healthy Over the Holidays

December 2, 2022

Staying healthy over the holidays can be a challenge. The weather outside is cold and we spend most of our day indoors, breathing in recycled air and possible germs. The abundance of alcohol and sugary treats over the holiday season reduces our immune systems, making us more susceptible to illness. The stress and pressure of preparing for New Years’ events can decrease your health even more – making you a target for flu bugs, colds and much more.

However, there are a number of ways that you can keep yourself healthy over the holidays.

Keep Up Your Exercise Routine

It’s tempting to ditch your workouts and let your days fill up with parties, errands and holiday preparations. However, it is important to keep your exercise routine as much as possible. Staying active will give you more energy, help you deal with added stress, boost your immune system and help you manage your weight during the holiday season. Squeeze in a visit to the gym whenever you can and try to enjoy active holiday activities such as going for a walk in the snow with your family. When staying in your furnished rental in Toronto, you can utilize the gym in the downtown Toronto apartments which is included in your rate, so you dont have to pay extra to work out.

Reduce Your Alcohol Consumption

The holidays bring with them a number of situations where alcohol is consumed, from a mug of mulled wine to cocktails and drinks at the New Years’ party. It’s fine to have a few festive drinks but be careful not to go overboard. When you drink too much it will reduce your immune system function, put a strain on your liver, raise your blood pressure and add a lot of empty calories. Try to alternate your alcoholic drinks with non-alcoholic ones at a party or an event so that you can cut back and stay healthy over the holidays.

Fill Up on Healthy Food

If you are going to a holiday get-together where you know there will be a lot of sweets, cookies, candies and other unhealthy treats, make sure that you eat a full meal of healthy, nourishing food first. Then, you will be less likely to eat as many unhealthy treats.

Take Time to De-Stress

The holidays can be a stressful time. There are a lot of commitments to friends and family, a lot of events to attend and plan for as well as the financial stress of gifts. You might find yourself being stretched thin and feeling stressed. Make sure that you give yourself time to take a break and recharge. Allow time for yourself to enjoy activities that reduce stress, such as going for a walk, practicing yoga or listening to some calming music.

Stay Warm

When the weather outside is frightful, make sure that you keep yourself warm and bundled up. A warm coat is important, as well as a hat and gloves to reduce heat loss through your head and hands where you lose the most heat.

Keep these tips in mind so that you can stay healthy and make the most of this holiday season.

Looking for a 30+ day furnished rental in downtown Toronto for your travel program?

Start your search for furnished apartments in downtown Toronto today with DelSuites.

Announcements, Customer Service Experience, Fitness and Health, Medical Stays

DelSuites Partners with AGTA Home Health Care to Take Accessible Travel Farther

May 4, 2022

DelSuites has always been proud to offer a comfortable, private space to call home while recovering from important medical procedures. Because our properties are located near the specialized care units at major Toronto hospitals, we know how medical stays impact every aspect of a family’s life—and we work hard to make that challenge a little warmer, more comfortable, and more livable.

Now you can unlock a 7% discount on the medical supplies you need to make a post-hospital stay easier—and bring a new level of support to the hard work of healing.

DelSuites has partnered with AGTA Home Health Care to add peace of mind, dignity, and professional support for the people who come through our doors to recover. With 22 years’ experience supporting aging, injured, and physically challenged clients—or anyone who just needs a little extra support around the house—AGTA brings proven care and accessibility to the privacy and comfort of a DelSuites furnished rental in Toronto.

Whether you’re coming to Toronto for an important medical stay or planning everyday travel while living with a few extra needs, DelSuites and AGTA let you enjoy Toronto worry-free, in a warm, luxurious space you can happily call home.

Bringing health care to you on your medical stays

AGTA Home Health Care brings the DelSuites ethic of hospitality to health care: letting people stay—or heal—at home, whether home is permanent or temporary.

AGTA’s founder, Vince Agovino, has been caring for people since 1995. His experience of the formidable challenges friends and families face when organizing home care for their loved ones spurred him to found AGTA Home Health Care.

AGTA understands how all the puzzle pieces—personal support, medical expertise, and the right supplies—come together to make the difference between navigating your space and enjoying it. They bring together everything you need to make a positive recovery or live in a truly accessible space.

AGTA’s one-stop, accessible website lets you buy or affordably rent medical supplies and assistive devices for as long as you need the support. With everything from cast protectors for easy showering, easy-grip kitchen knives, wheelchairs, crutches, and ramps, they will ensure you have everything needed, prior to your arrival.

AGTA also works seamlessly with funders like WSIB, ODSP, and the Ontario Assistive Devices Program to help conveniently improve your quality of life.

On the human side, AGTA offers full, 24-hour home health care visits. AGTA’s compassionate, professional staff of personal support workers and in-home nurses are pre-qualified with Toronto’s Home and Community Care Support Services—so you know your care is top-notch. AGTA seamlessly coordinates care with your medical team so you can recover in comfort and privacy—and family members can focus on being there.

A seamless way to plan an accessible stay

Our partnership with AGTA doesn’t just open doors for those recovering from medical procedures. Travelers living with disabilities or chronic health issues frequently work a little harder to get the comfortable, luxurious travel experience everyone expects. AGTA and DelSuites let you consider that work handled.

The open, accessible layouts of DelSuites units are built for everyday living. With full kitchen and laundry facilities, accessible indoor parking, and wide, spacious doors and bathtubs, we’ve got the basics of an accessible stay. But with AGTA, travelers can affordably rent the small modifications that take those basics to a full-fledged accessible solution: bath steps, tub rails, back support, and more.

It’s a way to focus on what you’re in Toronto to do, see, taste, and enjoy, instead of working hard to source the tools you’ll need to overcome barriers. And if you need personal support workers—some days or every day—it’s a way to open Toronto up to you as a warm, welcoming, fun travel destination.

With DelSuites, the everyday costs of living are always included in our rates: WiFi, phone plans, cable TV, linens service, and the use of our buildings’ recreational and fitness amenities. AGTA’s affordable equipment rental rates make Toronto travel not just physically, but financially accessible.

All you have to do is pick up the key to your DelSuites rental. With a pre-trip order to AGTA, all the supplies you need can be waiting for you.

All you need to do is arrive

Both DelSuites and AGTA understand that hospitality is everything. It’s core to a warm travel experience; it catches us after a hard health scare; it’s what lets us age at home. We’re proud to come together to make everything about Toronto travel and medical stays easier—and make much more possible.

To set up an accessible, supported Toronto stay, visit our Medical Stays information page. Our Bookings team and AGTA Home Health Care will help you settle into your home away from home—and make sure it’s a place to feel well and supported.

Downtown Toronto Condos, Fitness and Health, Toronto Condos

Toronto Rental Apartment Safety: The Quick Guide

March 29, 2022

Apartment safety photo by Oluwaseun Duncan from Pexels

Staying safe in a new rental apartment can be daunting—especially if you’re visiting another city or country, and don’t know what to expect. While there are always situations we can’t control, we can be better prepared for them—and know how our spaces are equipped to help us out.

On that note: Here are some quick basics on staying safe in your Toronto furnished rental suite.

Know the safety features in your suite

The great thing about renting a furnished condominium suite is that they’re built for everyday living—and have all the safety features you’d expect from long-term homes. Most Toronto condominium buildings have layers of built-in fire safety features, and DelSuites puts our suites in Tridel buildings, which have fire alarm panels, pressurized elevator shafts to keep the air clean, sprinkler systems, heat sensors, and more.

If you’re concerned about safety, there are a few key things to find: your fuse box, your water shutoff valve, your smoke alarm, your fire extinguisher, and your closest fire exit.

Most Toronto condominiums put the water shutoff valve underneath one of the sinks: either in your kitchen or your main bathroom. Knowing where that is can stop any drainage or flooding trouble before it starts, just by flipping a switch.

The same goes for your fuse box. Fuses will be clearly labelled, so if something doesn’t look right, you can cut the power to just that appliance without worrying about the rest.

All DelSuites units have access to a working and unexpired fire extinguisher — it’s located in the building hallway. Your building also keeps your smoke alarm tested and up to date. Finding both on your first day will help you feel confident in case a late dinner or movie-night popcorn burns a little too much.

But your fire exit might be the most important safety feature to find when you arrive for your stay. Accidents can happen, small or large. Knowing your plan to leave the building safely—which stairwell is closest, what your backup is, and where it lets you out onto the street—can make a difficult situation, or even just a fire drill, much easier. And in better situations: you’ll know exactly how to get in your daily steps.

Know your building’s specific safety features

Buildings are communities, and depending on their situation, they have a variety of safety and security features that can put your mind at ease.

Most Toronto condominiums test their fire alarms once a month, by law—so don’t be alarmed if you wake up to a deep voice telling you it’s testing day.

Many buildings have features that restrict or control who comes in and out of the building. Alongside a professional concierge at the desk, many buildings have buzzer systems, security cameras throughout elevators and hallways, and fob- or card-coded elevators to make sure only residents can access their floor.

DelSuites buildings also have security and anti-theft features in our indoor parking lots: sensors, cameras, and restricted access. You can be confident your car—rental or otherwise—will stay safe.

If you’re facing noise or something that concerns you in your hallway, you can always call down to your concierge desk and they’ll offer you advice—or come check it out.

Dress for the weather

It’s not what most people think when we think “safety”, but in a Toronto winter, having warm enough coats, boots, and clothes is a way to stay safe. On bitterly cold winter days—when temperatures drop to -15 C or below—the city issues Extreme Cold Weather Alerts, and too much time outside without the right protection can mean frostbite.

While Toronto’s adapted for those colder days—the downtown PATH system can get around them entirely—it’s smart to pack for the weather, especially if you’re not visiting from a cold-weather region.

Your concierge—and guest services team—is your resource

We often don’t think about how basic things work—until we travel internationally, and things work entirely differently.

Not sure how one of your appliances works? Or if the hairdryer you brought from home is made for Toronto’s electrical outlets? Can’t find a fire extinguisher, or what the best and safest route to the parking garage would be?

Your concierge and guest services team are your guides, hosts, and resources. Think of them as a friendly, professional tour guide for a new living space: the guest services team for your unit and your neighbourhood (where do I find a pharmacy, again?) and your concierge for the building.

If you’re worried about something in your suite, need a safe route to do something, or just want to double-check your instincts: just ask. They’ll be happy to help.

Safety means different things to all of us, but whatever you need, we can help you find it—or set it up. Call us at 647-370-3504 or email info@delsuites.com to find out how we can help you explore your furnished long-term rental apartment, or find one that fits your lifestyle.

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