Many Australian workers have found themselves working in a hybrid situation where they are working from home a few days per week & in the office for the other days.
Here are some useful tips for working from home to help improve your level of comfort, reduce pain & tension, increase productivity, & increase your awareness of office ergonomics.
· Try to build a permanent work-space or have an area of your home from which you can work. This will allow you to distinguish between work-time & leisure time, allowing you to ‘switch-off’ at the end of your working day.
· Gain access to good office equipment & a set-up that finds a balance between comfort, efficiency, & productivity. See below this article for a comprehensive guide to setting up your work-space.
· Don’t sit for too long! A handy recommendation is the 40-15-5 rule. This suggests sitting for 40 mins, standing for 15 mins, & moving/walking for 5 mins. You need regular breaks from prolonged static postures but also the repetitive mouse movements & typing tasks.
· Make your posture task-related! For example, be seated for document-writing, stand with your laptop on the kitchen bench whilst checking emails, stand or walk around whilst making phone-calls.
· Set reminders on your computer, on alarm on your phone, or even a post-it note to move, move, move! Movement promotes better circulation & mental alertness.
· Make time to exercise! Try to get out & exercise daily. We all benefit from stretching & daily cardio work. Quite simply, moving your body is the best therapy for tense muscles, & to mobilise/lubricate stiff, restricted joints.
· Be kind to yourself! Most people are experiencing increased levels of stress & have heightened anxiety under the current restrictions. If you are feeling isolated working from home, speak to your supervisor to discuss ways to reduce your stress-levels & to give you tools to decrease any anxiety.
If you have any questions, of if you are experiencing any pain or discomfort, contact our Osteopath who can provide you with hands-on treatment for pain-relief, give specific ergonomic advice, & prescribe exercises to prevent the pain & discomfort from returning.
Our Osteopath, Dr. Anne-Marie Noble is available every Monday, Wednesday & Thursday at BodyActive Health from 12pm – 7pm.
You can contact her directly on 0417 509 120 or at the clinic on 9427 8848.
Alternatively, you can book online using the form from the link below:
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