How do you take care of your health when working from home? This is an important question to ponder if you or a loved one is considering working from home. For most employees, this is the only option available other than being jobless, all thanks to COVID-19.
Sick leaves can cost employers a lot of money in absenteeism, salaries, documentation, temporary replacements, overtime for shared work, and many more. In 2018, it was reported that stress alone cost the US economy a whopping $300 billion. Falling sick on the job can also be life-threatening if there are other underlying conditions.
It is therefore your primary responsibility as an employee to take care of your health while working from home. In this post, I’ll be sharing eight (8) simple ways to take care of your health when working from home.
We would be focusing on two main areas, viz:
- Physical Health, and
- Mental Health
These two are critical to taking care of your health when working from home and can make a huge difference in terms of productivity and efficiency on the job.
Following are 5 Simple Ways to Take Care of Your Health When Working From Home
#1: Protect Your Eyes
Remote work often involves a lot of screen time. Reports say the average adult spends around 11 hours a day staring at screens e.g. smartphone, PC, tablet, TV, and other electronic devices.
For remote workers, the bulk of their screen time is usually spent in front of a PC. For workaholics, this can easily translate to 6-7 hours a day. Most other workers turn off their PC and turn to their smartphones or TV and spend hours binging on digital content.
Not only is this extra recreational screen time bad for the eyes causing eye strain and headaches, it can also lead to:
- computer vision syndrome
- prolonged sitting
- inactivity, sedentary lifestyle (obesity, heart disease)
- insomnia and sleep shortage
- neck and shoulder pain
- tendonitis, carpal tunnel syndrome
If you start noticing headaches, blurry vision, double vision, or irritated eyes that may look red or feel dry, you may be experiencing eye strain (asthenopia) which occurs when your eyes get tired from prolonged use (ocular fatigue).
Protect your eyes by:
- taking intermittent breaks from the visual task
- focusing on a distant object for 20 seconds every 20 minutes
- consciously or intentionally blinking for a few seconds
- shutting your eyes for a few seconds or minutes
- limiting screen time where possible
- adjusting lighting to maximize illumination and minimize glare
- increasing screen resolution and reducing ambient lighting
- increasing text/font size
- adjusting brightness and contrast
- adjusting eye-screen distance
- using blue light protection glasses, etc.
#2: Use Ergonomic Chairs, Desks
A recent NordVPN study found that remote workers in the US are working an extra 3 hours a day during the lockdowns. Imagine working 9 to 8 in a chair that hurts your back, lumbar vertebrae, or spine?
Chiropractors and orthopedic surgeons warn of the side effects of prolonged sitting on non-ergonomic chairs. Even your back and neck often complain, and you should listen to them.
When it comes to ergonomic chairs, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach as every back is unique and may require a little customization to find the best ergonomic chair for you.
You should also try using standing desks, avoid prolonged sitting and sit less, try stretching, take intermittent breaks, walk around, adjust your computer, get a laptop stand, try a smart wearable posture trainer or see a physical therapist.
#3: Avoid Overwork, Stress, and Burnout
After replacing your old office chairs with ergonomic chairs, you should begin to feel better after using them for a while. However, you may begin to feel too comfortable in them and end up working extra hours.
This can also be bad for your health in the long-term and can lead to work-related health issues like stress, overwork, and burnout. Each year, stress costs the US over $300 billion according to reports.
So, even though it feels more comfortable, you should keep an eye on the clock and know when to call it a day. This can be difficult for the workaholic but can save you from lower back pain, neck pain, prolonged sitting, obesity, and even heart disease.
Above all, this can help you to attain work-life balance, eliminate stress, exertion, overwork, and burnout. This can drastically improve your productivity and job satisfaction.
#4: Keep Fit
Keeping fit during COVID-19 can be an extra hurdle for non-fitness buffs. Several online fitness programs have sprung up to help people keep fit during the quarantine.
Others are working long hours, binging on Netflix, and eating a lot. These can lead to prolonged sitting and obesity. For remote employees, any time access to the kitchen can be a problem.
It is essential that remote workers exercise self-discipline when working from home. Don’t overwork, don’t overeat, and don’t sit for too long. If you have a home gym or other workout equipment, you should try to sweat out daily.
This will keep you active and help you burn extra calories that can come back and bite you. You can also include a morning workout session in your daily routine where you can brisk walk, jog, run, play football, basketball, baseball, badminton, lawn tennis, swim, etc.
#5: Pay Attention to Your Mental Health
Mental health issues can go undiagnosed for years and can have far-reaching consequences if left untreated. During quarantine, fears, worries, and uncertainty can push people to their limits, especially people living alone.
In a July KFF Tracking poll, over 53% of US adults said their mental health has been negatively impacted due to stress and worries about the Coronavirus. This is up from 32% in March.
Some turn to drugs and other harmful substances to try to cushion the psychological and economic impacts of COVID-19, but this can only worsen their predicament.
As a remote employee, identify your stressors and triggers. Avoid stress, overwork, and burnout. Take time out to socialize with your family and friends, in-person where possible (while observing social distancing), or using social media, Zoom calls, etc. This can help you clear your head and stay grounded.
