In the modern entrepreneurial world, most companies are have gone digital. This means employees now get the opportunity to work from home, and the benefits of working at home are uncountable. You wake up, dress casually, take snacks as much as you want, and even lay on the bed with your computer while getting paid. What could be better?
Even before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, many workers were working either fully or partially from home. After the pandemic outbreak, the number of employees working from home has significantly increased as many countries have requested non-essential workers to work from home.
The quick switch to working from home has left many employees without a proper working office, making their beds, dining rooms, and kitchen tables their work stations. These situations aren’t designed for working and can result in severe body pains, forcing you to find a primary care doctor. But by following the tips below, you can improve your body posture to help keep your body healthy:
Keep Your Monitor At An Optimal Height
Whether you’re sitting or you’ve opted to stand, ensure your computer screen is at a healthy height. Keep the monitor at a comfortable viewing position. The height shouldn’t be too high or too low. Your eyes should be straight to the monitor, so you don’t have to twist your neck up or down. The monitor should also be in front of you so that you’re not turning your neck, which can cause pain.
Take A Walk Regularly
No matter how comfortable you’re in your working chair, staying there for long might cause joint and muscle pains. Make sure you periodically take a walk to stretch your body. Movement is the key to keeping pain-free. So, ensure you’re taking regular breaks and walks.
That may mean walking around your working room, walking to make a call, walking to get a cup of coffee. If you’ve to go to the washroom, try to walk to the furthest washroom from you.
You can also use your lunch break to walk, jog, or run. Remember, you’ve lost much movement by not commuting to work. Lunch break is when you can compensate to reach the recommended 10,000 steps in a day. Walking will relax your muscles, allowing you to live a pain-free life.
Exercise While You Are At Your Computer
While you might think that you can’t exercise and work simultaneously, there are many exercises you can do while still working on your computer. Doing some exercises such as twisting your wrists or squatting a few times can stimulate blood flow and help relax your muscles.
Both good blood flow and muscle relaxation are some of the key components that help reduce body pains.
Reduce Stress
Managing stress is easier said than done. But it can actually cause your muscles to tighten, leading to neck and back pain. You can manage stress by opting for mind-body relaxation exercises to reduce stress.
For instance, meditation has been shown to reduce stress, anxiety, and pain. You don’t need to sit down to meditate since you can meditate while you walk. Also, yoga has been shown to be one of the most perfect exercises to reduce stress, anxiety, depression, and pain.
Sit Comfortably
You may not have a comfortable chair at home compared to what you have in your office. Even though that’s the case, try to find a comfortable chair. It would help if you found a chair you can adjust to your preferred height.
When sitting, your hips should be higher than your knees. You can also place a pillow on the chair at your back to add extra comfort and reduce back pains. And don’t worry if leaning back is most comfortable, as this is actually good for your back.
Get Enough Sleep
Adequate sleep gives your body a better chance to recover from pain. If you have back pain, sleeping on your side with a pillow on your back and another one under your knees can reduce the discomfort. Working from home means you can easily take a power nap during a lunch break too.
Nutrition
Sometimes, working remotely for long hours can leave your body dehydrated and without enough energy. So, don’t forget to drink a lot of water and follow a good diet. Drinking water throughout the day will help hydrate your body.
Having food on your desk throughout the day will eliminate any temptation to buy and eat unhealthy snacks. Providing your body with proper nutrition helps keep your body healthy throughout the day.
Takeaway
No, not that sort of takeaway! Working from home poses many challenges, but you can feel more comfortable with a little extra care in your working place. Above are the essential tips you can add to your workstation to change your working experience and decrease any associated pains. Following them will also make your work station more ergonomic.