Do you work from home a lot and want to stay healthy? Then you've come to the right place! Since the coronavirus pandemic, working from home has become the norm for many of us. While some people work hybrid hours at home and in the office, others earn their entire living through remote work.
I think we can all agree that working from home has a number of advantages. Everyday life is made easier by Home office more sustainable and you gain a lot of time. But have you ever thought about whether working from home might also save you time? health disadvantages can have?
In this article, I'll give you practical tips on how you can improve your Designing a healthy home office can. You will also find out exactly where the dangers to our health lie. Let's go!
Background: Why can working from home cause health problems?
In the meantime, there are actually some studies that indicate that there is a negative influence on our well-being when we spend our working day within our own four walls. The assumption that the Working from home is bad for your health is also confirmed by a comprehensive study by Statista.
Among the most common Health problems in the home office count above all:
- Back pain
- Tension
- Digestive problems
- Social isolation
- Mental imbalance
- Poorer immune system
I've been working from my home office for almost a decade - and many of these symptoms sound familiar to me, which is why I specifically counteract them. However, it is important to know what causes them are.
What typical habits lead to these problems?
Humans are simply creatures of habit. And a comfortable one at that. This means that we quickly fall into certain routinesespecially if they are particularly cozy.
If you suffer from health problems when working from home, this may be due to one or even more of the following reasons.
Too little exercise and poor diet
We now know that sitting for long periods is not good for us - and that a lot of movement is at the heart of a healthy lifestyle is. However, we "screen workers" naturally spend almost all our time working from home.
The result is poor posture and the associated unpleasant symptoms. Tension and pain. Of course, our cardiovascular system is also not at all happy about this lack of exercise.
What's more, working from home also temptedto eat more unhealthily.
Social isolation from working alone
Working from home can get lonely - especially if you have little contact with customers or colleagues. If, on top of that, your path leads straight to the couch in the evening instead of outside, a Feeling of isolation creep in.
Lack of boundaries between work and leisure
Are you constantly available, do you work well beyond your normal weekly working hours or do you hardly ever take breaks? We also need rest periods when working from home, mental regeneration and a clear demarcation between work and leisure time in order to stay healthy. If this is not the case Frustration and the feeling of being overwhelmed pre-programmed.
10 tips: How can I ensure better health in my home office?
Do one or more of the above points apply to you? Don't worry, many home workers feel the same way. Fortunately, I now have valuable tips for youthat will help you stay healthy while working from home.
1. design your workplace ergonomically
Wake up, sit up, switch on your laptop and off you go - No, not like that! What sounds like a tempting time-saver is anything but beneficial for your back health.
Even when working from home, you should of course have a ergonomic workplace set up. These include above all:
- A height-adjustable desk and chair
- Modern screens that you can place at eye level
- Sufficient light through windows or lamps
- Enough space for you and your utensils
It makes perfect sense to Setting up an ergonomic home office. Because through conscious ergonomics you can prevent posture problems and A good way to prevent pain.
2. ensure a quiet working environment
You don't live alone or in a house in a quiet environment? Then there's a good chance that certain ambient noises take you out of your work routine can.
Permanent Noise even has a detrimental effect on your health out. Therefore, use the following tips to ensure Quiet working environment:
- Furnish your office with plants and acoustic panels.
- Use noise-canceling headphones.
- Let family and/or roommates know when you are working and need rest.
- Switch to quiet zones or co-working spaces in case of hardship.
Still can't find peace and quiet? Then at least treat yourself to one after work calm balance. This can be, for example, a leisurely walk be, preferably in nature.
3. eat a balanced diet
A nice lunch in the canteen or with office colleagues is of course not possible when working from home. So it's all the more tempting to simply keep your head above water with (unhealthy) snacks without having a to eat a proper meal.
However, to stay healthy and concentrate on your work, you need to give your body all the nutrients it needs. Avoid hearty and fatty foods and give preference to prefer light, fresh plant-based meals. Wholemeal products, fruit and vegetables and salads, for example - or trail mix as a snack between meals. And don't forget, drink a lot of water.
Speaking of eating at home: Want to cook something fresh but quick for lunch? Then I have my best tips for saving time in the kitchen.
4. establish a fixed work routine
Whether certain things always happen at a certain time naturally depends a lot on your job. However, as creatures of habit, we humans function better in most cases if we know roughly what to do, what happens when.
Attempts, for example to start work at the same timeto schedule breaks and finish work at a certain time.
Above all, the workaholics among us should feel addressed here and take a look at the really treat themselves to a well-deserved rest. So: after work is really after work.
5. separate work from private life
The boundaries between private and business life become very blurred when working from home. This looks like this, for example: You hang up the washing, feed the dog or talk to your flatmates while answering important emails in between.
But if the two areas mix too much, it often feels that way, as if the work was never really over. After all, you can check your emails in the evening, right?
Unfortunately, this does not work with health in the home office. Here, too, a A certain degree of discipline is required, to draw clear boundaries.
6. maintain your social contacts
Continuing to exchange ideas with others is probably one of the most special The challenges of hybrid work. This refers to not only on your work colleagues, but also on your social life in general. Make sure you don't accidentally forget your friends and family in the midst of all this work.
Especially if you are a one-person company, a feeling of loneliness can creep in when working remotely. If there's no team you can interact with, try to meet up regularly after work. meet up with friends or family.
Perhaps you can also meet up with people who offer a similar service - for example at a Network event in a co-working space or on a Trade fair.
Even if you have regular contact with your customers or colleagues through your work: Digital meetings and face-to-face meetings are simply not the same thing. If you have a hybrid working model, you should try to hold business meetings in person from time to time instead of via video conferencing.
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7. celebrate your successes
Praising yourself is a tip that you should always take to heart in your working life anyway. The goals you have achieved and Really celebrating successesis still difficult for many people. After all, the next to-dos are already waiting to be ticked off.
Just as we should be happy in the office when we achieve goals together, you can of course also pat yourself on the back when you're working from home. Tell friends about your sense of achievement or treat yourself to something nice. That is also Good for self-confidence.
It is important that your successes do not simply pass you by. This leads to dissatisfaction and in the end you have the feeling that you haven't really achieved anything. And that's simply not true.
8. keep moving
This tip is particularly important for anyone who sits a lot. Our bodies are built for movement, to be moved regularly! You don't even necessarily have to do sport. It's enough to incorporate exercise into your everyday life. For example, take the stairs instead of the elevator - or the bike instead of the car.
With the following tips, you can easily add a little more Movement in your home office routine integrate:
- Use a height-adjustable table that you can also stand at.
- Use soft sitting balls and other movable seating.
- Always get up and combine this with something useful, for example making coffee, going to the toilet, getting a glass of water, putting away a small item, etc.
- Go for a walk during your lunch break.
Maybe you can also sign up for a weekly sports course, meet up with friends on certain days to go jogging or Plogging or roll out your yoga mat in front of your laptop every Wednesday: Just find something, what you enjoy in the long term.
Do you know the 40-15-5 rule? It stands for 40 minutes sitting, 15 minutes standing and 5 minutes moving. Set yourself a timer and try to organize your hours accordingly.
9. reduce your screen time
The bright screen before going to bed inhibits the Formation of melatonin in the body. However, the hormone is important so that we become tired and can fall asleep well.
So if you suffer from insomnia, you might need something Digital Detox help to Fall asleep and stay asleep better to be able to. At least one hour before bedtime you should therefore no longer look at a screen.
Here are Some suggestionsto help you help yourself to Minimize screen time:
- Read a book
- Go for a leisurely stroll
- Meditate
- Practicing yoga or relaxation exercises
- Keep yourself busy with your pet
- Making something with your hands (e.g. drawing)
10. care for balance
Last but not least, a tip that basically combines all the previous points: make sure you have enough balance to your work. Incidentally, this is best done outside your own four walls.
Go out into natureobserve plants and animals, do something in the garden, move around and just try, clear your head.
When you Self-employed in home office this is even more important. After all, how many times have you checked your emails on a day off? I know that too well myself.
Staying healthy while working from home, made easy!
I hope that my tips will help you to stay healthy in the long term while working at home. One A balanced diet, exercise and social contacts However, apart from working from home, it is of course always important to grow old healthy.
"There are thousands of diseases, but there's only one health."
Ludwig Börne, German literary critic
What's it like for you? Do you regularly work from home? How do you balance mobile working and health? If you have any questions, suggestions or further ideas, please feel free to share them with me in the comments.
Stay healthy,
PS: Do you find it difficult to stay focused on a task when working from home? In the linked blog you will find my Best tips for more focus at work.
