During the last years, working from home has become more and more popular. Millions of Americans have their work office at home. Now, the COVID-19 pandemic sent many people home. Most of them adopted the work-from-home approach.
This approach has several advantages over the traditional office. However, to make the most out of it, you have to learn to work from home. It is a matter of self-discipline. You have to set and respect work schedules. Moreover, you have to defeat the temptation to go constantly to the kitchen to get a snack. These are but a few of the challenges that you have to overcome.
Additionally, it will be very helpful to get a standing desk and some of its accessories here. This will allow you to work in proper and ergonomic conditions. You won’t be very productive if you do your work in bed, for example. Moreover, you don’t want to have health problems because of improper position during work, do you?
Staying healthy at your home office is the most important thing to achieve. You must pay attention to both your physical and mental health. For example, working from home won’t allow for much social stimulation. This may lead to depression and other negative mental states.
So, in this article, you will find useful tips to stay healthy while working remotely from home. Put them in practice and you’ll enjoy the many benefits of working from home.
Assign a Space of Your Home to Be Your Office
Choose a place at home in which you will set up your office. It doesn’t have to be a big space. However, choose a well-lit place, if possible. Preferably, your home office must have a window to get natural light. Otherwise, install lamps to have a well-lit office.
Your home office, even if small, must be for work only. Don’t use your desk for other activities. This will distract you from your professional obligations. Likewise, your bedroom will be a place for rest and sleeping. Don’t mix your professional and personal lives even if both take place in the same house.
So, even if you live in a small apartment, choose a corner that will be exclusively for work. Decorate your home office and keep it tidy. This will motivate you to work every morning. Don’t ever take work with you to your bedroom. Off-hours are for your personal life only.
Buy a Good Office Chair
If you will spend several hours seated, you better invest in a good office chair. You must get a comfortable and ergonomic chair that will be easy on your back. The chair must keep your spine well-aligned during working hours.
Get a Standing Desk
You can combine some hours of sitting with some hours of standing while working at home. Standing desks are not new. However, their benefits have been “discovered” recently as more people use them. Spending many hours sitting makes you more susceptible to some life-threatening diseases. These include heart disease and diabetes. This susceptibility worsens if you lead a sedentary lifestyle.
This is why a standing desk is a great addition to your home office. Standing for some hours during work will have a positive effect on your health. Some of these effects are:
- Less back pain;
- Lower susceptibility to suffering from heart disease;
- Lower risk to become obese;
- Better mood and positive mind;
- Lower risk of suffering from diabetes or hypertension.
Better health condition translates into much more productivity. The list above may not include all the benefits of using a standing desk. You invest in an automatic standing desk. This will allow you to shift from sitting to standing positions more easily.
Make Regular Breaks
When you concentrate on your work, you can easily spend hours sitting in front of your computer. This is not good. You have to get up and stretch at least once per hour. If necessary, set up an alarm to remind you every hour of your break. Moreover, go out every day. Yes, we know there are movement restrictions because of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, you can walk around the block. Just observe the sanitary precautions to avoid infection.
Set a Schedule for Your Work
While one of the benefits of working from home is flexible working hours, you should not abuse it. It is not a good idea to wake up late and work until very late in the night. This will have a bad impact on your mental health. You have a biological clock that makes you more active during the daytime. Hence, set a schedule for your working hours. Make an effort to stick to it. It takes a lot of self-discipline. However, once you get used to your schedule, it will be easier to stick to it.
Make Your Home Office a Soothing Place
One of the great advantages of having your office at home is that you can decorate it as you wish. You can paint the walls with a color that makes you feel active. Hang paintings or other artwork on the walls if you want. Your home office must invite you to work for the day. Hence, you must keep your place tidy, clean, and well organized. Light is also very important. Make sure you have plenty of light, natural light if possible. This will reduce eye strain and will keep you in a good mood.
Dress Properly for Work
You may be at home, but you should dress properly to work in your office. Take a shower and wear comfortable clothes for your working day. This will have a positive impact on your motivation to do all your tasks. However, if you stay in your pajamas, you will be in a “sleeping” mood.
Stock Your Refrigerator with Healthy Food
It will be difficult to resist the temptation to go to the kitchen to grab a snack during a break. So, you better stock your refrigerator with fruits and fresh vegetables. Stay away from candy and junk food.
