Working from home is becoming more common, due to many different reasons but mostly driven by the new directives following the COVID-19 pandemic. Unlike the office that provides a controlled environment, it is easy to change your behaviours when working from home. You may find yourself adopting habits such as overworking, poor posture, or unhealthy eating which can be negative for your health. The following tips will help you be proactive about your health while working from home.

Get a Separate Work Space

One of the best things to do while working from home is to designate a space for working. The space should be designed to replicate working at the office. This can help prevent you from distractions and may allow you to assume healthy body positions. You are likely to strain yourself when working in unnatural positions such as from your couch or bed.

Your at-home workspace can be anything from turning a spare room into an office, to simply adding a desk to the corner of a room. Coming up with a conducive work environment will be beneficial both physically and mentally, so it is important to work with the options you have.

Use Appropriate Furniture

Once you have identified an area that you would prefer to work from, you then need to think about the furniture that you are going to use. You should aim at getting ergonomically fit furniture that will keep you comfortable throughout the day. However, you may not be able to afford the same standards as in the office.

At the very least, try to invest in a good office chair. This is extremely important as it will help you maintain a good posture and support your back to reduce strain. If this is still not feasible, you may want to place a cushion or rolled-up towel behind your lower back to help with lumbar support. Lumbar supports are also often sold at physiotherapy clinics.

Watch the Placement of the Screen

Apart from the furniture that you are using, the position in which you place your screen while working will also affect your health. This is more so important for your neck as an inappropriate screen position will require you to strain your neck muscles. Your neck may be strained by stretching as you try to view a screen that is too high or too far to the side. It can also be strenuous if you have to bend your neck to view a low screen.

To avoid hurting your neck and back, ensure that your screen view is horizontal to your sightline. If your screen does not adjust, you can adjust it to an appropriate height by placing it on a pile of books or a box. This will only work if you are using a screen separate from your mouse and keyboard. Also, if you have to read from a document, ensure that you place it straight in front of you.

Take a Break

It is not healthy for you to remain seated for the entire day, even if you have the appropriate furniture. You should make a point of getting up and stretching at regular intervals or at least once every hour. Once in a while, you can get away from your desk and take a walk around the house or even outside. This will help to give your body a break as you also stretch your muscles.

You also need to ensure that you maintain a balance between work and home activities. Make sure you set a schedule for the hours you will be working during the day, and stick to it. This is to avoid having your work spill over to your home schedule. Overworking may take a toll on you both physically and mentally.

Eat Healthy

It is hard to maintain focus when you are operating on an empty stomach. While working from home it can be tempting to constantly snack on unhealthy sweets and treats that may be lying around the house. You need to be mindful of what you eat as it will affect your health and productivity during this period.

Ensure that you are snacking on healthy snacks, such as fresh fruits and vegetables. It is also important that you eat and drink at regular intervals. This will not only protect your health but will also help you be more focused and energized as you work.

Working from home might appear to be an ideal situation, however how you go about it can end up being unknowingly detrimental to your health. Above are ways to help protect your health as you work from home.