8 tips for staying productive and healthy when working from home
Many of us are entering a new world of working from home. While there are many upsides to avoiding the daily commute, working from home can present its own challenges. There can be many distractions and when working from home we are likely to sit for longer periods and generally move less. If you do not have a good home office set-up you could find yourself sitting in a bad posture which can result in muscular pain and a general lack of energy.
Here are 8 tips for staying productive and healthy when working from home.
Create a separate space for work. Ideally, set up your home office in a separate room. Whatever work space you have, try to keep it organised and make sure that you clear your work away at the end of each day. You might want to create a separate shelf or cupboard space to help you get into the routine.
Get the right equipment. Try to imitate your office set up as much as possible. If possible get a separate keyboard and raise your laptop screen to eye-level. Make sure that your chair supports your back and is at the right height, with your thighs are parallel to the floor and arms pointing slightly down. There are lots of tips around ergonomic home-office set-up.
Communicate more. You are no longer in an environment where you see your boss and colleagues every day, so you need to find ways to stay in the loop and to keep them updated with what is going on with you. Clear communication is particularly important if your home-office situation is making it harder to do your normal work. Find out how they prefer to stay in touch and set something up on a regular basis.
Move often. When working at home, we are no longer moving around the office speaking with colleagues or going to meetings. Sitting for long periods can result is muscle pain or lethargy so try to get up and move every hour. Some simple stretches are suggested at the end of this blog to keep you moving throughout the day.
Get outside. Try to take a short walk at lunchtime, it’s a great way to move your body, clear your mind and re-set your energy levels for the rest of the day.
Eat well. At home it can be so much easier to reach for the biscuit tin along with your cup of tea! At a time when our immune systems need a boost, try to make sure there is lots of fresh fruit, vegetables and healthy snacks in the house and make the most of having the time to prepare healthy home-cooked meals!
Open the windows. When staying inside for long periods, we can forget that there is a world outside. Open the windows and let in the spring air to clear the cobwebs.
Turn off the screen. After looking at a screen all day, make the most of the extra free-time you have when you’re not on your daily commute. Treat yourself to some non-screen time and try some simple exercises and meditations.