Healthy Home Office

Many of us have now been working from home for months, some just starting to work from home now. And, it seems as though a return to our actual workplaces is somewhere in the distant future. It is becoming increasingly clear that we need to set up a proper home office environment. Or, at the very least, a desk space that doesn't double up as a sofa.

Being able to separate home and work is essential, both to your mental and your physical health. Your concentration will be better, your posture will improve, and you won't feel as stressed. Understandably, having a separate home office is a luxury that not all of us can have. But, there are certainly ways in which we can implement healthy habits when working from home. 

Location

The most important thing is where you choose to work. Sitting on our sofas all day will have majorly detrimental effects on our backs and posture. And, you will struggle to draw the line between working and relaxing. Find a place in your home that you can use in which is separate from a common area. Even if you turn your back to the TV, or use a specific seat of the dining table as a desk, you will associate that place with work and work alone. 

Set-up

Having a decent desk chair is imperative. You don't have to spend a fortune. Still, the chair must be comfortable and supportive. A report by Herman Miller explains that 'slouching and similar seated postures can cause backaches, headaches, fatigue and poor concentration. A healthy posture–when the spine is properly aligned–promotes greater overall comfort, including improved concentration and endurance through long hours of seated task work'[1]. And, it all comes down to how you sit. 'A good chair provides proper lumbar and pelvic support which results in your back muscles being less stressed' [1]. It would be best if you also place your laptop on a stand. Doing so will raise your screen to eye level, and therefore prevent eye, neck and back strain. They're very inexpensive but make a huge difference. 

Move Around 

Staying sat down, staring at a screen all day, is mind-numbing. Not to mention, terrible for your physical health. According to Nuffield Health, 'physical inactivity is now the fourth-largest cause of death and disability in the UK. And people with high levels of sedentary time have been found to have a 112% increased risk of diabetes, 147% increased risk of cardiovascular death, and 49% increased risk of all-cause mortality' [2]. Staying seated for too long 'adds to the static load on our musculoskeletal system and prevents effective circulation of blood through your body' [2]. The physical risks that stem from inactivity are 'increased if your desk isn't set up correctly, with your seat putting additional pressure on the backs of your legs' [2]. You can implement the below suggestions to improve your physical health when working from home: 

• Stand up from your desk and walk around every 30 minutes.

• Walk to your kitchen to get yourself a drink. 

• Eat your lunch away from your desk, maybe even go for a walk outside. 

• Stand up during a meeting/call. 

• Move your bin away from your desk, every time you have to use it, you will have to get up and walk around. 

• Move your phone away from your desk, if possible. You'll have to walk to it if you need to make a call. 

Though these seem like minuscule and somewhat ineffective solutions, even small breaks from sitting can make a crucial difference to your physical health. 

Structure

When working from home, having a lie-in during your what-would-be-commute time is far too tempting. And, occasionally, it is hard to stop working if you are on a roll with a project. Try to maintain some sort of routine or schedule when working from home. Working from home is our new standard for now, but the adjustment back to an office will be almost impossible with the new habits we are building. A good routine is fundamental to having a healthy home office. If you usually get up at 7am because you have an hour-long commute, then try to get up at 7am still. You can use your 'travel time' to sit down and have a good breakfast, do some exercise, or even spend a bit longer getting ready. And, the same applies to the end of the day. Finish work when you usually would, don't try to duck out early and don't stay too late. Have your daily routine, it will make you more productive and less stressed. 

Take Time For You 

Working from home often makes it difficult to split working and relaxing. Many of us are using our dining tables as our desks, which is a great way to combat not having an allocated home-office. But, it does interfere with, say, family dinners, because you will associate that space with work. This means you won't be able to enjoy your time with your family fully, as work will be on your mind. Whilst the above methods will help to separate your workspace and your living space, designate some 'work-free' zones. If you work at your dinner table, pack up your 'office' once every fortnight to have a proper dinner with your family. Or, maybe set up an indoor picnic and eat in the lounge one night. If your desk is in your living room, make a pact that you will never do work on the sofa, or in your bedroom. Work-free zones will help to break that 'at work' mindset and allow you to enjoy your free time. 

With all of the above in mind, we should be able to have functional, healthy home offices by the end of the week. And, if we're lucky, we will feel more productive at home than we ever did in the office. 

References 

[1] Alcaidinho J. The Importance of a Good Office Chair [Internet]. Apartment Therapy. 2011 [cited 2020 Oct 16]. 

[2] Brewer J. The dangers of sitting all day | Nuffield Health [Internet]. www.nuffieldhealth.com. [cited 2020 Oct 16].