Working from home

24 Mar Working from home

Over the next month most of us are going to be working from home, so what does that mean for our health?

At work our environment is usually controlled and our work station set up for our needs. At home we will possibly be working off a laptop and most likely be at the kitchen bench, dinner table or in an arm chair in the lounge. Even if you kick the kids off their study desks and use that, there will still be areas you can’t replicate from your work set up.

So what can you do to stay healthy while working at home?

1. Laptops were designed to be portable. The original intention was to use them for short periods of time while you were out and about. This issue with them is that if the screen is in a good position the keyboard isn’t. The answer to this is use either an additional keyboard or screen. That way you will be better positioned.

For a screen there is always your TV, either by a HDMI cable or screen mirroring, if you haven’t an old screen lying around that you haven’t tossed out as yet.

2. Keep moving. This may be the easiest thing to do with your kids running round your ankles demanding attention. Having regular breaks is important, especially so if you aren’t in the best of positions for working. Changing your position and having short walks are important in keeping your body from developing regions of tension.

3. Try to keep some form of exercise going. All bodies have limits. Keeping fit and strong is one of the best protectors we have for coping in any situation, both physically and mentally. However if you don’t normally do much exercise remember to build things up gradually, or you will get injured trying to do the right thing.