3 Ways To Keep Your Body in Check While Working from Home
Working from home? Here’s how to keep your body in check.
Our workspaces at home are often not equipped for optimum body posture and movement, so working from home for extended periods of time can start to affect our bodies.You may realize at the end of the day that you are holding a lot of tension in your neck, shoulders, and back. You might feel like your muscles are tight or your joints are aching. These are all signs that your work set-up is not working for you. (Pun intended.)
Thankfully, there’s a lot you can do to keep your body feeling good while working from home, and it doesn’t have to include expensive equipment or a home office remodel!
Set up your workspace
Your computer should be at eye level, so whatever surface you are working on, whether it’s a desk or a table, raise your monitor by placing it on a pile of books. If you only have a laptop, purchasing an inexpensive keyboard and mouse can help you get into an ergonomically correct working position.
Next, make sure your chair is supportive. A couch is not an ideal seat for working, even if your screen is at eye level, because it is next to impossible to maintain correct posture in an overly cushioned seat. If you do not have an office chair, a firm kitchen chair with a light cushion would work. If your chairs are wooden and you don’t have cushions, you can use a fluffy towel instead.
Do not keep everything you need to work within an arm’s reach. This is a great way to add some natural movement into your day. That leads us to our next point!
Move periodically
If you are used to working in an office, you may have had some natural periods of movement during your day—going into the kitchen for coffee, walking to a colleague’s office to ask a question, grabbing a paper from the printer. Make sure you are getting up and walking around at least once every hour. This is so important for your muscle and joint health.
It’s also great if you can be active while you’re working. This can be sitting on a yoga ball to activate your core, or a stationary bicycle with a built-in work desk for a splurge. If you don’t have equipment that can force you to activate your core as you work, you can simply work standing up. Again, make sure your screen is an eye level.
Stretching is essential to your muscles and joints, as well. So when you get up to walk around, take 2 minutes to gently stretch one part of your body. If you’re getting up once every hour, by the end of the day, you’ll have stretched your entire body.
Pay attention to posture
A lot of us know we should work on our posture at our desks, but we don’t actually do it. Now’s the time! Your chin should be level with the floor, your shoulders pulled back and down, your back straight and your core activated.
Good posture is nothing but a good habit, and creating that habit is simply practice. An ideal time to practice maintaining your posture is when you’re reading and responding to emails. Check your posture between each email.
At Integrative Physical Therapy of NYC, we challenge you to follow these tips for one day and see how much better you feel. Posture, movement, and an ergonomic workspace really do make a world of difference. If you are in need of a physical therapist in NYC, give us a call to schedule an appointment at 232-953-6040
