Since being under quarantine, many people have been working from home. The home office is free from meetings, interruptions, politics, and distractions, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of other problems! Does your dog think you’ve been fired because you’re taking up their spot on the couch all day? Or are you trying to type with your cat sitting on your keyboard? Is your desk made up of a pillow on your lap in bed? Or is your longest duration of activity your walk to and from the fridge? Aside from the short commute between the bedroom to the living room to the kitchen in your jammies or yoga pants, working from home can be tough on the body.
Many of our homes are not set up for work like an office is. If we’re not working in bed or on the couch or on the floor, we’re either sitting at a kitchen bar or at the dining room table or at a poorly set up office desk. These work stations are not ergonomically friendly and can lead to bad postures. Being in these positions for prolonged/sustained periods of time can lead to pain, most commonly in the neck, back, hips, arms, etc. You should definitely check out my previous post here on how to ergonomically set up your work station. Setting it up such that it is appropriate for you will save your body in the long term!
However, even if your work station is properly set up, there are still many disadvantages to being sedentary all day. I recommend getting up at least once or twice every hour to stand, walk, stretch, or move. Here are some Office Workouts you can do during your day to keep moving. Remember, movement is medicine!
In order to be productive working from home, try to set up some ground rules for yourself:
Move first thing in the morning. Get up at around the same time everyday and avoid laying around in bed. Maybe even consider exercising first thing in the morning to start your day off right.
Set up a schedule and stick to it. Our bodies love structure and routine. Try not to throw it off by having breakfast at 8am one morning and then 1:30pm the next.
Schedule in some breaks. For some of us, once we’re really into our work, we forget to take bathroom breaks or even lunch breaks. Plan it in your schedule and make sure you follow it.
Don’t sit all day. As I mentioned above, try to get up and move every so often to prevent stiffness and tension in your body.
Create a workspace or office that suits you. This is where you will work everyday — free from other humans, animals, and other distractions. Your work stays in here, and it should only be done in here. Once you’re away from this area, focus on your “me” time — shut down and enjoy your personal life.
What are you doing to stay productive while working from home?
