Simona Zacharova, Clinical Lead at Vitrue Health
What with juggling endless calls and emails with homeschooling and household chores, it’s hardly surprising that most ‘Work-From-Homers’ struggle to find even a moment to ourselves.
We know that we need to be paying more attention to our physical and mental health, but often this seems like just another time-draining chore that gets pushed to the bottom of to-do lists.
Despite what we see on social media on influencer’s feeds, fitting in that ‘essential’ lunchtime yoga session or whipping up that ‘simple’ detox smoothie are completely unrealistic expectations for the average overburdened home worker.
However, with a flurry of study and surveys suggesting that our sudden switch to makeshift home offices is likely to be threatening our health in a multitude of ways, it’s essential that we take proactive action to keep ourselves safe in our ‘workplaces’.
As an osteopath, I want to dispel the myths that healthier WFH setups demand big financial or time investments. In fact, these five tips prove that the smallest changes can have the biggest positive impact on both short and long term health outcomes.
Send postural problems packing
Hands up if you, like 44% of women and 29% of men (source), have been experiencing worsened back, neck or muscle pain since you started working from home.
Well, knowledge is power when it comes to solving postural problems, so don’t risk turning your niggles into chronic complaints simply by ignoring them.
Free online tools like VIDA will intelligently assess your desk posture via your webcam (including your head angle, shoulder alignment and distance from the computer screen) in minutes, and then automatically produce a personalised report including recommendations for exercises to counteract any issues detected.
Remember, under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, employers still have a duty of care for their employees even when they work from home: so don’t be shy when it comes to asking your boss to pay for an ergonomic chair or laptop stand.
Shed some light on the matter
Making sure that your workplace is correctly lit will not only prevent eye strain, headaches and migraines, but it will also do wonders for your concentration and mental health. Take a minute to look around your workspace, and consider the following points:
- Are you making the most of any natural light sources? Move your desk as close to a window as possible, and set it at a 90 degree angle to reduce screen glare
- If you don’t have a window in your ‘office’, consider ordering a special lamp that replicates natural daylight and can help alleviate tiredness
- Can you switch your lightbulbs to the warm, yellow ones? These are less likely to cause headaches than harsh white or fluorescent bulbs.
- Do you have to squint to read small text or see your keyboard in the evenings? Do your eyes feel tired at the end of the day? This is a sign that you need to order some new light sources.
Hands, face…space
The average home worker spends 8 hours each day in their makeshift office space, so the physical environment is going to have a big impact on your state of mind and wellbeing.
Cutting the clutter is one of the best things you can do to promote calm and focus, but that’s not the only easy trick.
If you have a spare 5 minutes whilst waiting for a call to start, here are some rapid hacks to make your space healthier:
- Fill up a bottle of water to keep by your side at all times
- Pick up 5 things and tidy them away
- Find a footstool (or pile of books) that you can rest your feet on to alleviate leg or back pain
- Light a natural candle to bring some luxury to a dreary day
- Pin up photos of pets, friends or family for an instant mood boost
- Kidnap a plant from another room in the house – you’ll benefit from the greenery!
Shrug off stress and soreness
Regular computer users should try to complete this two-minute stretching exercise at least twice each day. Trust me, you’ll really notice the impact on your neck and shoulders after just one week.
- Gently lift both your shoulders about 2 inches.Slowly relax them down as far as possible
- Hold one arm across your body and use the other arm to push your elbow into your chest for 10 seconds
- Swap arms and repeat the stretch
- Release, let your arms hang down as far as possible
- Gently rotate your shoulders forwards and backwards five times
- Notice the tension melting away
Don’t stop moving
Whether that’s because of a cancelled commute or a busier schedule, 46% of home workers report taking less exercise now than they did when they were office-based.
The good news is that even minor adjustments to some of your everyday tasks could make a big difference to your health.
The key to staying healthy when you’ve got a packed schedule is to use your time effectively and efficiently. This means adding in body-weight exercises and heart-rate-increasing movement whenever you have a spare minute. Why not try:
- Doing a few star jumps whilst waiting for the kettle to boil
- Walking around the block whilst on your next call
- Running around the garden or park with your kids instead of watching from the bench
- Adding a five-minute stretch session to your wake-up or pre-bed routine
