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This is what we told ourselves: working from home is going to be great, and staying healthy during the workday will be a breeze. We’ll be able to do what we want when we want while wearing what we want, wherever we want. Win, win, win, win all day long. Living · the · dream… until it’s not a dream anymore but a cold reality forced upon the entire world–well, almost the entire world.
Before COVID-19, working from home for many of us was a rarity or something we had to have a good excuse to get away with. But as the times change, giving way to new realities, the continued practice of working remotely is a viable business option, one that might become the new norm for the many, not the few.
But there may be a problem with the idea that working from home is like being on holiday. Why? Two words: work responsibilities. ‘Holiday’ and ‘work’ are two conflicting concepts that are chalk and cheese. They’re a mixed metaphor careening toward disaster. A confusing message. The pressures of work deadlines while in false holiday mode can ultimately lead to stress and anxiety.
So how do we stay relaxed and healthy while maintaining office-like productivity working from home?
Healthy mind
Making sure our heads are in the game and a healthy space means that we need to replicate what we know. The number one piece of advice to stay healthy while working remotely from home is to recreate an office-style routine.
That may not sound like much fun when the whole idea of working from home is that we don’t have to be at the office. But there is wisdom in these words because humans survive the day by practicing routine normality, in fact, we thrive on structure. Why? Because it’s something we can count on. Stability is security and that is comforting.
Mindfulness
Some ways we can achieve a zen-like mind is to be present in the moment and mindful of our body’s responses to our situation. If we notice we’ve been going through the motions, or our mind is wandering, reign our thoughts back into the present. Try some breathing exercises. There are several apps available for tips and instructions on mindfulness.
Scheduling
Setting a schedule for the day’s tasks will help us foster that old ‘office-place’ mentality in our homes even if we’re crunching numbers at the kitchen table. Also, filling our weekly calendar with pre-planned tasks, tele-meetings, and reminders is an essential step into establishing normalcy. We mustn’t forget to set time aside for ourselves either, e.g. the meal break we often work through.
Account for our time, as we are expected to do within the corporate office. That meal break is thirty minutes long, digital filing takes ten minutes, etc. And we must remember this all-important point: work to the clock—nine to five, eight to four, ten to six—whatever the start-to-finish ratio that best fits what we’re used to.
Consistency
The structure is nothing if it isn’t followed. Yes, working from home gives us more freedom from the rigidity of going into the office, but forgetting the fundamentals of our structured lives will only lead to a downward spiral. Consistency is the linchpin to our success.
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But none of these steps, even consistency, will motivate us if we’re not modeling the corporate or workplace image we are used to wearing. In a nutshell, put some pants on. Wear something hanging fresh in the wardrobe, not something tucked into the weekend drawer. The adage, ‘dress for success’, has survived time because it is wise.
Putting on our corporate clothing will ensure we are working from home with a no-nonsense, business mindset.
Healthy environment
Another important step in the puzzle to make working from homework for us is to designate a home office space to do our work. Not the bed, not the couch. And just why not? What would our Occupational Health and Safety Officer say about that?
Functionality
The space you choose must be functional as an office with a sturdy desk, a comfortable and supportive chair that promotes healthy posture, good lighting, adequate ventilation, provides inspiration, and has enough room to move around. A cramped workspace is not suitable, so the nook under the stairs is probably not a good fit. Making enough room for the items we need to have at hand while still having enough elbow room to work freely is essential.
Ergonomics
Setting up our workspace properly is crucial for maintaining health and wellbeing. The measurements of a traditional desk and chair setup, e.g., the height of desk and chair, alignment such as computer height with the line of sight, etc., are formulaic but specific to the individual.
To measure up, getting the right posture for our workstation is imperative. Be mindful of keeping the back upright, neck and chin at a ninety-degree angle, shoulders rolled back and down, etc. Look at these info-graphs for a more in-depth understanding. There’s some great information available on setting up the workspace to benefit our health.
Sometimes, a little modification is necessary to make our existing furniture and tools work for us. Adding a cushion to the dining room chair most likely will not yield the best results for our needs. Ergonomic keyboards, wrist supports, elbow and footrests, screen risers, cushioned feet mats, and more flood the market for choice.
But if a small or quick fix won’t cut it and having to consider new desk and chair purchases is a real concern, we might want to consider a different option to the more traditional model of the sit-down, fixed-height desk.
The up/down desk has been gaining traction for several years now, and with good reason. Not only is it versatile to allow for the changing of the human mind, allowing us the freedom and convenience to sit down and stand up with ease whenever we want, but it also holds a more important factor to simple functionality and adjustability.
It offers us a healthier lifestyle to get us out of the chair to engage our cores and exercise those limbs. Interesting case studies have yielded hopeful statistics which makes the adjustable standing desks worth looking into.
Healthy body
Because we all know that sitting down all day isn’t great for our health. We feel the ache in our various muscle groups, especially in our glutes and lower backs, when we’ve been sitting for too long. We are even reminded that we need to stretch regularly by our annoying smartwatch alerts. So we set aside time to get up from our chairs to relieve our muscles and move our bodies.
But do we really know what sitting down all day does to wreak havoc on our health? An increase in the sedentary lifestyle has been linked to many dangerous health issues, such as obesity, heart disease, and type II diabetes.
Other issues, like sciatic pain and myriad musculoskeletal problems from sitting down too long, or pain from overuse and repetitious actions, can also end up having long-term effects, diminish productivity, even cause irreparable damage to nerves and muscle function.
Making sure that we get up and move regularly, and going outside for some exercise, fresh air and sunshine can make a big impact on thwarting the ill effects of sitting down all day long. But when we’re crunched for time, we neglect ourselves, so having a healthy alternative such as a stand-up or hybrid up/down desk will not only save us time when we have none to spare, it just might save lives.
The bottom line
For a healthier mindset, take the time to replicate the principles and practices of the work office and incorporate them into the home office. It isn’t just about logistics and functionality, it is about creating a healthy environment. Consider trading in the old sit-down desk in for a new up/down hybrid desk for a healthier you, And when it is time to sit down for a little break, forget buying a chair. Grab the neglected swiss ball out of the shed, adjust your desk, and rest on that for the perfect balance.
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This content is brought to you by Alex Thomas.
Photo: Shutterstock