Physical Health
Remote working is becoming an increasingly popular option for companies. Many employees are finding that it’s a great way to balance their work and life commitments. But what about the impact this has on physical health?
Studies have shown that sedentary jobs can lead to health issues like obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. Working from home can mean that employees are more likely to be sedentary for long periods of time than if they were working in an office with colleagues.
Mental Health
“When you don’t have a lot of human interaction, there can be an increase in depression and anxiety,” said Dr. Michael Freeman, a psychiatrist who runs the Center for Digital Behavior at the University of California, Los Angeles. “It’s not just about how many hours you’re on the computer; it’s about how much human interaction you have.”
Employee Burnout: Causes and Cures, a recent Gallup survey, states that 28% of workers report being burned out at work “very often” or “often,” while 76% of workers report experiencing burnout on the job at least occasionally. Employees who frequently experience work burnout are 23% more likely to visit the emergency room and 63% more likely to take a sick day, according to our data.
Here are some tips to be Healthy while remote working:
Get the right tools
The right tools will depend on what you are doing. It’s best to have a computer, headset/headphones, internet connection, and phone in good working order. If you are going to be working from home or traveling a lot it may also be worth investing in a decent laptop that lasts all day on battery power and has fast charging capabilities (as well as a long-lasting external battery).
Find the right ways to communicate.
When you’re working remotely, communication is key. Having the right tools at your disposal will help you stay in touch with your team members and make it easier to collaborate on projects.
- Video chat. A fast way to communicate is by video chatting with other people who are in another room or even another country! You can record the video so that everyone can watch it later if they need to see something again.
- Phone calls. When you’re sitting next to each other, it’s easy to pick up a phone call if someone needs some quick advice or info from you right away; but when you’re not there in person, phone calls are still possible—and they’re just as effective! You just have to keep track of which messages need responses once someone has left a voice mail message for ya 🙂
- Email/chat/messaging apps (like Slack). These tools allow teams across different time zones or locations around the world to communicate effectively without needing constant face-to-face interaction…
Make time for yourself during your day.
That doesn’t mean you need to take hour-long breaks or go on impromptu vacations every weekend; it just means that you should schedule some downtime into your workdays. To make sure that this time is productive, here are some suggestions:
- Try listening to music or podcasts while working. This can help block out distractions and stay focused on what’s important—you might even find yourself enjoying the music!
- If you don’t have an office with windows, consider opening a window in your home office (if possible), or use natural sounds like rainfall or ocean waves as background noise while working. It’s important not only because it helps us focus on what we’re doing but also because it reduces stress levels by helping us relax naturally through exposure therapy.
Find the right table and office chair.
As the human body is a wonderfully complex system composed of many different parts, it’s important to consider the well-being of each part individually. Good posture is one such component that contributes to overall health and wellness in a number of ways. When you sit with good posture, you allow your joints to function properly at all times. This helps prevent stress on your muscles and ligaments which can lead to pain in the long run. The right office chair and table can help maintain proper alignment by supporting your body weight properly when sitting upright for long periods of time. With good posture comes better focus, productivity, sleep quality (yes!), mood stability, and more!
Exercise regularly.
When you’re working remotely, it’s easy to stay in the same spot all day. You don’t have to commute to the office, so you might as well just sit at your desk and get things done! But that kind of sedentary lifestyle is seriously bad for your body and mind.
Working from home can actually be a great opportunity to get yourself into regular exercise habits—especially if you’re someone who isn’t naturally inclined towards exercise. When we work out regularly, we feel more energized during our waking hours and sleep better at night. We also tend to be happier overall because we feel healthier in body and mind!
Conclusion
We hope that this article has given you some concrete tips on how to make remote work productive, healthy, and enjoyable. We believe that remote work is a great tool for businesses and can help them reach their goals faster and more efficiently. But as we’ve seen, it requires certain strategies in order to be successful, so it’s important not just for companies but also for individuals who want to take advantage of the flexibility and freedom that working remotely offers!
