Homeoffice
Results of a study on "Physical activity during corona among home office workers "(Source reference below*) clearly show that the corona pandemic and home office activity have had an impact on physical activity behaviour. However, the picture is mixed, as both deteriorations and improvements have become visible.
A new workplace offers new possibilities, opportunities and challenges. Working at home, currently also rather forced due to the ongoing situation, changes their previous work environment for many. It is important to make the new workplace pleasant and practical, to separate work from home and to take advantage of the time saved by working at home.
At the centre is certainly the furnishing of your new workplace. The following points for ergonomic workplace design should be taken into account and implemented as far as possible for your well-being. This way, even prolonged sitting can be made as comfortable as possible.
TREUFIT recommends:
- Avoid reflections (windows to the side of the field of vision, not behind the screen or in the back).
- Place feet on the floor (feet should be comfortable - carpet, warm socks, footstool if chair is too high).
- Right angle at knee and hip joint
- Upright position in the spine
- Right angle at elbow joint. Elbows and palms are in line with keyboard and mouse. Shoulders relaxed.
- When working on a laptop, an additional mouse and keyboard help to keep the arms and hands well aligned. Especially if there is a paper document on the table. Place it between the keyboard and the screen.
- The viewing distance to the monitor should be at least 50 cm.
- The top line of the screen should be slightly below the horizontal visual axis.
- If possible, install a standing desk or similar.
- Use an exercise ball or adequate seat cushion for a change (at the beginning max. 20min at a time).
The home office also offers wonderful opportunities. The kitchen is close by and you can get fresh drinks. Regular hydration is important for many metabolic processes and for the health of all cells and thus for the functioning of the whole system. The "feeling of thirst" is actually already a warning from the body of incipient dehydration. With age, this reflex becomes weaker and memories should be used to help. Concentration in particular suffers if you drink too little. If water becomes too boring, it can easily be spiced up with fresh fruit or herbs. Unsweetened teas are also good - cold or warm.
This is also an opportunity for new eating habits. You don't have to go to the cafeteria or the kebab stand, so what do you do now? You can rediscover your cooking skills and prepare healthy meals with fresh ingredients every day. This promotes well-being and vitality - "You are what you eat". By the way, pre-cooking in larger quantities is a trick that saves a lot of time.
TRUEFIT recommends:
- Drink at least 1.5 litres of fluid daily, preferably in the form of water.
- Make eating habits healthy, with fresh ingredients, give free rein to creativity in colourful cooking
- Another change that catches the eye is the new daily structure.
The commute to work is no longer necessary. You don't necessarily have to dress well or put on long make-up. With the newfound time, you can either extend your rest with extra sleep time or use the time to introduce new morning rituals. If you want more rest, mental clarity and higher stress tolerance, a short meditation sequence is a good idea. If the body feels stiff and tired in the morning, a small exercise programme can help. Depending on personal goals and needs, this can be composed of different exercises. A morning run can also get the circulation and metabolism going. For those who like it a little calmer, QiGong is highly recommended. In our fast-moving, often stressful times, the home office can contribute greatly to deceleration. Time for self-reflection, e.g. with the hand rule, and gratitude even for the small things in life are simple but proven means that make people happier and more content.
Unfortunately, the important psychosocial exchange with colleagues on site is missing. Catching up on this through other social interactions is not only important for team spirit, but also very valuable for your own mental health. So regularly exchange information with your work colleagues about private topics as well.
The study mentioned at the beginning shows that the time spent in a sedentary position increased for the majority of the study participants during the home office. The average sitting time on an ordinary day is 8.9 hours! While working, one should regularly (e.g. every 60min) walk a few steps and move the back through. A short session on the Blackroll can also quickly counteract muscle tension.
Humans are animals that move and our bodies are not designed for long periods of sitting. "Dynamic sitting" not only increases the ability to concentrate, but also prevents musculoskeletal complaints caused by inactivity. The sitting position is changed slightly every 10 minutes. The eyes also thank you when they are allowed to look out into the distance for a change and relax. Headaches are not only caused by tension in the shoulder/neck area, but can also be an indication of eye strain. There are relaxing gymnastics and eye exercises for this.
If a local separation is no longer possible, at least a clear time distinction should be drawn between after work and private time. It is important to make a clear demarcation after the work shift. An after-work ritual can be a walk, a small exercise or stretching sequence, a breathing or relaxation exercise. If it "must" be an after-work beer, an alcohol-free alternative is of course preferable.
TRUEFIT recommends:
- Cultivate a new morning routine - according to your own needs.
- Build in regular moving breaks - walking, stretching, eye exercises, etc.
- Dynamic sitting
- Clearly separate the end of the working day from the end of the working day - exercise sequence, breathing or relaxation exercise.
Home office can have a positive or negative impact on life. We decide for ourselves how we evaluate the situation and what we do with the given circumstances. We at TRUEFIT are happy to help you build a health-promoting daily structure and develop new habits for better health, vitality and enjoyment at home.
* Oliver Walle, 2021, Physical activity during Corona among home office workers German University of Applied Sciences for Prevention and Health Management, Saarbrücken