The current pandemic and lockdown has really affected the daily lives of workers. While some jobs remain open, others are being closed, either to lay off their employees or to let them work from home. If you are a home based employee, there are a few things you need to consider with your work layout.
Is it arranged as optimally as it could be? Are you in a healthy work environment? All of these things are important to ask as they can improve your daily life. Here are some tips on how to create a healthier work environment in your home.
Standing desks
If you work from home, there is a good chance you won't get a lot of exercise. You wake up, sit at your desk for the day, and then go back to bed. Even if you didn't get a lot of exercise at work, you still spent some time traveling to and from work where you had to use your legs.
A great way to create a healthy work environment is to look into a standing desk. Standing desks are fantastic because they are known to improve your health significantly and burn extra calories every day. Using a standing desk is nowhere near as bad as you might think. You may be wondering how high and low the desks can be. For example an EZ Shopper standing desk, which is suitable for almost all heights. Most desks are lowered to about 21 inches and then raised to 56 inches. This means it can accommodate some of the greatest workers and gives you the choice to sit while you work. There are no drawbacks to owning one of these desks, as you can work however you want. Having a healthy work environment in your home is a great thing.
Create an office space
If you work at home, you need to spend some time creating your own space to work in. The reality is that our homes are full of distractions, and if we do nothing to avoid them, we will quickly fall behind in our work and slack off. Find a room and set it up for your work. For best results, try to create an environment similar to that at work. This will remind your brain what to do and it will allow you to keep on working.
Soft lighting
We've all seen the dreaded tall white fluorescent lights that almost every office uses. Long exposure to these lights can cause a headache, and the lights generally look sticky. When you are at home, try to find lighting that allows you to see what you are doing, but that isn't too bright or distracting. One of the best sources of light would be a window. If that isn't available, look for a small lamp. The goal is to use as little light as possible and still give yourself the ability to see and work. It will greatly improve your work experience and give your eyes and brain a break from normal work lighting.
Be careful when choosing foods
At work you have to bring your own food and that is all you have for the day. At home, however, you have constant access to your fridge and cupboards so you can eat as much as you want. This can be harmful to your health and productive for your work. Try to follow your work routine as much as possible and stick to the lunch you normally get. You will stay productive at work while staying healthy at the same time.
Set a time for work
One of the greatest advantages of working from home is that scheduling is often quite flexible. Employers don't mind if you work as long as you give them the hours you owe. While it may be tempting to stay up late and work in the later hours, doing this can quickly throw your life and schedule off balance. Try to stick to standard working hours as much as possible and only make an exception if you absolutely need to. This keeps your work healthy and productive.
These are all great ways to ensure that your home office is as healthy as possible. Working from home can be very distracting and difficult. Hence, you need to take extra measures to ensure that you are always focused. What are you planning to do to create a healthy work environment?
