Are you working remotely or working from home? A lot of people do it nowadays for one of these reasons – flexible work hours, physical and mental agility, better work-life balance, ditching the day-to-day commuting grind, and just having the means to fit their work around their personal life. While working at home offers all this comfort and convenience, it also comes with not-so inspiring challenges that may eventually hinder your productivity and greatly affect your work performance if not sorted out.
Sitting All Day and Breaking The Cycle
Being stuck at home working means lesser bodily movement and prolonged sitting. Sitting for too many hours each day may have detrimental effects such as poor posture, mental and physical health issues, poor breathing problems, risked productivity, and reduced lifespan.
Most office workers who are working from home or remotely, spend about 75% of their hours sitting down. However, there are various ways to counteract the effects of sitting all day.
Take short breaks.
It may not look like much, but taking a break helps increase your productivity, prevents stress, improves your focus and promotes healthy habits. You can do a quick exercise, go outside, have a quick lunch, grab a cup of coffee, meditate, and a few more creative activities that you can do outside work. It helps reduce your sitting time and gives your brain the rest it needs.
Stand and stretch.
It’s okay to take a pause and give yourself a minute to stand and have a few stretches. You can also try to do some quick exercises to loosen your back, neck and shoulders. Doing these basic exercises will also help prevent burnouts and fatigue. It’s important that you relieve the tension from sitting too long.
Go for a walk.
Having a walk inside or outside your house is one of the best ways to avoid sitting too much. It’s nice to have a movement break where you can take a few walks and have your body our of your chair for a while. You can visit your garden, walk while you’re on a phone call with a colleague or during work meetings, walk around the neighborhood, go up and down the stairs, and go on a light walk during breaks or lunch. Walking can do so much for your body and mind to de-stress and get your blood flowing.
Set up a timer.
Set an alarm for every 30 mins or an hour to get up and move around. Sometimes you could get too focused during work hours and forget to move. It’s important to have movement breaks for at least 3-5 minutes every hour.
Poorly Designed Workspace
We all want a workspace at home where we can be comfortable and focused to do our work activities. But sometimes a poorly designed workspace at home may cause negative effects like discomfort, distraction, poor posture, lower back pains, and headaches that could hinder our productivity.
However, you can change that by setting up a good and healthy workspace that will in turn boost your creativity, improve your work performance, increase your productivity, and keep you motivated.
While it’s cozy and nice to work in the comfort of your home, it can be a struggle to stay focused. To help boost your productivity, you need to establish a dedicated and comfortable workspace. Below are some tips to create an ideal work environment.
While it’s cozy and nice to work in the comfort of your home, it can be a struggle to stay focused. To help boost your productivity, you need to establish a dedicated and comfortable workspace. Below are some tips to create an ideal work environment.
Select the best spot for your workspace.
It’s important to choose a quiet place to limit the distractions. However, some people prefer a place that has some background noise, is near a window, or near the kitchen to easily grab a quick snack or a cup of coffee.
You need to consider the environmental or external factors that may hinder your productivity during work hours. Knowing what could or could not become a distraction would help you identify the best place to set up your workspace. It is best to set up your workspace Where you would feel the most productive, happy, and comfortable throughout the workday.
You need to consider the environmental or external factors that may hinder your productivity during work hours. Knowing what could or could not become a distraction would help you identify the best place to set up your workspace. It is best to set up your workspace Where you would feel the most productive, happy, and comfortable throughout the workday.
Personalize your own space.
You can spice up and decorate your workspace by adding plants, artworks, scented candles, and photos of your loved ones. Surround yourself with things that inspire you, motivate you, and make you happy. Any inspiring element will help maximize your creativity and productivity at the same time. Have a workstation where you could be ready to work and focus better.
Invest in a standing desk.
Standing desks are more popular these days because of the overall health benefits, whether you’re working from your office, or in the comfort of your home.
There are different types of standing desks to choose from. You should consider buying one that best suits your needs.
There are different types of standing desks to choose from. You should consider buying one that best suits your needs.
Sit-Stand Desk
A sit-stand desk allows you to adjust the height of the desk, and you can
Fixed-Height Standing Desk
Just like how it sounds, it is not height-adjustable. It is perfectly made for one that prefers standing more than sitting down while working. Some fixed-height standing desks also come with built-in features, like bookshelves, extra storage, and drawers.
Electric Standing Desk
An electric sit to stand desk is a completely free-standing and height-adjustable desk that raises and lowers with the assistance of one or two electric motors. It suits people who want more convenience with the height adjustment. You can simply push a button to raise or lower the desk. This type of desk is typically more costly.
Manual Crank Standing Desk
It is less expensive than an electric standing desk. It is also more reliable since no electricity is required to adjust the height. Adjusting this type of desk from sitting to standing or vice-versa may not be as effortless as an electric one.
Conclusion
Getting up, moving around, and setting up a good workspace are simple yet a great improvements for better work-life balance. These adjustments can enhance your productivity, contribute to increased commitment and motivation to work, and improve your physical and mental health. It may seem a bit daunting to do, but you can always start with the small changes that eventually make a big difference – in a good way.
