With so many of us now working from home, it’s more important than ever that our at-home workspace is healthy — both for our mind and body. This post offers some simple and easy ways you can create a healthy workspace at home.
Keep it clean
In the office, we’re usually lucky enough to have cleaners who ensure that the office is clean for us to use every day. Most of us, however, don’t have this at home. While we’re used to cleaning our home on a regular basis, our workspace might be neglected. If you spend all day in your home office, chances are you are touching surfaces and your face — which can lead to sickness as well as being one of many eye stye causes. Keep anti-bacterial wipes in your workspace and wipe down surfaces and your laptop regularly.
Ensure your back and feet are supported
Spending the day on your laptop can wreak havoc on your back and feet. Luckily, there are simple ways you can ensure your posture and body stay in good condition when working from home. The work surface should be at elbow height, so a cushion on your chair to seat you higher or a laptop stand to elevate the screen will help with this. A pillow behind your back will help with lumbar support and a box or stack of books on the floor make a great supportive platform for your feet.
Follow the 20-20-20 rule
Eye strain is a common problem for those of us who work with screens all day. The 20-20-20 rule suggests that every 20 minutes, you should spend 20 seconds looking at something that is 20 feet away. The easiest way to do this is to set a timer for 20 minutes and then to look out of your window for 20 seconds. Figuring out what is 20 feet away isn’t easy, but a lamp post or house across the street is a good estimate.
Keep moving
Spending all day sitting down is bad for your health, but it’s easy to incorporate movement into your working day. If you’re following the above 20-20-20 rule, for example, you could also use this time to spend a few minutes walking around your workspace. Taking a walk in the morning or at lunchtime is great for squeezing in some exercise into your day; you may also do some stretches while waiting for your coffee to brew or for a reply to your email.
Work with plants
Adding some indoor plants to your workplace not only makes it look more visually appealing, but it has also been shown to reduce stress. This is especially important if your home office doesn’t have a view of your garden or green space. Plants such as spider plants, succulents, and lavender are easy to take care of, look beautiful, and will improve your working life.
Remote working means you have control over your workspace, but many of us forget how important it is that this space is healthy and calming. By following these tips, you’ll spend your working days in a cleaner, healthier, and less stressful environment.
