I have been working from home since last 9 months, no thanks to the corona-virus pandemic and it brought some significant changes in terms of how I operate professionally.
Reducing the commute time to 0, having more time for family or the comfort of my own home. These are few of the many benefits I enjoy while working remotely. But at the same time, working from home was a new experience for me and after a few weeks working from the couch, bed and dining table, I ended up with neck and back pain which only got a little severe after a few months.
It made me realize the importance of not only an ergonomic work setup but also things I should do for the well being of my body as a whole. And this brings me to the 5 tried and tested tips that I hope will bring some positive change to your back and overall health. Let's dive in
1. Invest in a good chair
If you can't work from office, bring the office home.
It is important to have an office like work setup at home.
There is a reason buying the office chair was the best gift to my back. The ergonomic design of the chairs supports the back bones and ligaments when working long hours.
And so I can't stress enough on the fact that an ergonomic chair is the fist thing you should buy if you'd be working from home for a few months. Personally, it relieved me of the back pain that used to be the everyday story. Of course having an ergonomic chair is one part of the whole equation but indeed the most important one.
I got this one for INR 5000(~70USD) and it does a pretty good job.
2. Take occasional breaks
There is no two ways about it. You need breaks and more than just one. Move around, take a bite, play with your little ones, exercise or maybe watch a cat video but take a break. It's important for the smooth functioning of your mind, body and soul.
Use a Pomodoro clock which will not only increase your productivity but will also motivate ou to take tiny little breaks every now and then.
3. Improve your posture:
A lot of us ended up working more hours during this WFH period so make sure to give importance on how you sit. In the long run, it will help your back.
Try to sit erect and all the way back on the chair for as much as possible. This will keep the bones aligned, support the muscles and prevent the muscle fatigue and soreness. Additionally keep your feet on the ground or assisted by a footrest. Don't leave them hanging.
4. Stay active
Exercise a little every day or if you are into running, do that. Even 15-20 minutes of dedicated exercise will bring more flexibility to your body.
While you are at it, make sure to include a few stretching exercise for your back and neck. 🙂🙂
5. Don't try these at home
WFH gave us the unwanted freedom of occupying any part of the home to work from. Couch emerged as everyone's favourite but not according to your back and neck. Below are some of the work environment that you should not try at home. It is certainly injurious to your health, says your back.
And that's all for this article folks!
I hope these tips comes handy while we continue to work from home for an indefinite period. Let me know if there any other tips that helped you with dealing with it.
Let me end this article with the usual request: Like, share, subscribe and let me know in the comments your feedback. Would love to take the discussion forward. 😀
Until next time!