With the continuing shift towards remote working, health is an ongoing concern. Find out how to stay healthy even when you’re working from home.
The global pandemic resulted in many workplaces implementing work-from-home policies. In doing so, many of these workplaces have discovered that there are benefits to providing employees with the option of doing their work remotely.
And these benefits are pronounced.
According to a survey conducted by CoSo Cloud, 77% of people believe they are more productive when working from home.
Another study, conducted by commercial real estate firm CBRE, suggests that up to 69% of millennials are willing to sacrifice certain workplace benefits to have more flexible working options.
And according to video conferencing company Owl Labs, 74% of people say they’re more likely to stay with a company if they have the option of working from home.
The simple message is that working from home is likely to become the new normal in the coming years.
However, working from home also presents challenges.
No longer faced with the need to commute to the office, people may find that they’re less focused on their health. Some may also find they have limited access to exercise equipment or other resources that help them to stay fit.
In this article, we’ll share six tips on how you can stay healthy when working from home.
TIP #1 – REGULARLY DO SQUATS
A simple exercise, squats involve using your own weight to strengthen your lower body.
The following are the steps for this exercise:
- Stand up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Stretch your arms out in front of you and then sit back as though you’re sitting on a chair. Go as low as you comfortably can while keeping your back straight. Keep your hips parallel to the ground while ensuring your knees stay behind your toes.
- Stand back up into the starting position and repeat nine more times
You can use dumbbells to create further resistance if you’d like to make this exercise more challenging. However, only do so when you’re already confident in your technique without using any additional weights.
TIP #2 – MOVE EVERY HOUR
It’s easy to spend too much time at the computer when you’re working from home. What’s more, you may choose to spend your breaks sitting in front of the television. This leads to long periods of sedation in which your body isn’t moving.
Sitting for several hours at a time is linked to a range of health conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure. And by committing to moving for a few minutes per hour, you reduce your risk of experiencing these conditions.
Consider setting a timer to remind yourself to get up every hour. Spend a little time walking around the house or go for a quick walk around the block before resuming work.
TIP #3 – USE AN ACTIVE SITTING CHAIR
In addition to walking every hour, there are several ways that you can stay active even when working.
For example, sitting on an exercise ball is a great way to keep your body engaged while you’re in front of a computer. The unstable nature of the ball forces you to use your core muscles to stay upright, strengthening your body in the process.
Some take this a step further and choose to work while standing. Keep in mind that while this is an effective technique, it does require you to have a desk with a suitable height that will allow you to stand while working. If your desk is too low, you may cause issues with your posture due to having to stoop constantly.
TIP #4 – CREATE A STRESS-FREE ENVIRONMENT
One of the best things about working from home is that you have complete control over your environment. Use this to your advantage by creating an environment that allows you to tackle stress.
For example, placing scented candles around your desk creates a more relaxed environment. So, too, does ensuring you have plenty of plants in your home office. Working near a window also helps to reduce stress, as having a view of nature can prove soothing.
TIP #5 – DO JUMPING JACKS
IMAGE SOURCE: https://www.pexels.com/photo/people-in-the-fitness-center-doing-jumping-jacks-6339345
An exercise that most people are familiar with thanks to school gym sessions, jumping jacks elevate your heart rate and work your entire body.
The exercise is simple:
- Stand perfectly straight, holding your arms to your side and keeping your knees together.
- Bend your knees slightly before jumping into a stance where your feet are shoulder-width apart and your arms are extended above your head.
- When landing, return to the standing position and repeat the exercise at least nine more times.
Jumping jacks allow you to improve your cardiovascular conditioning without requiring a lot of room. You can also add resistance using free weights, although this should only be done when you’ve mastered the technique.
TIP #6 – STOCK HEALTHY SNACKS IN YOUR KITCHEN
The kitchen is only a short walk away when you’re working from home. Unfortunately, this also means that it’s very easy to access sugary snacks at any point.
The solution is to eliminate unhealthy snacks from the kitchen. Instead, stock the kitchen with fruits and healthy snacks.
Make these healthier options visible by placing them on the counter while hiding the unhealthy snacks in the cupboards. This ensures your healthy snacks act as a visual reminder to stick with the foods that are good for your body.
YOUR HEALTH IS A PRIORITY
While working from home offers a range of benefits in terms of flexibility, productivity, and work/life balance, it can also lead to a more sedentary working environment. Overcoming this requires you to come up with ways to keep your body active, even when you’re spending long hours sitting in front of a computer.
The six tips shared in this article will help you do just that. And best of all, none of them require you to buy expensive exercise equipment.
Now, there are many more challenges related to remote work that both employees and businesses need to stay on top of. If you need any help creating the most effective remote work environments possible, schedule a 15-minute no-obligation conversation with our team today.