Stay Healthy When Working Remotely

3 Min

Avoid the negatives of remote work.

Form healthy habits while working from home.

Remote work can breed unhealthy habits, which detract from your productivity away from the office.

Here are five ways to stay healthy while working remotely:

1. Create an ergonomic workspace

If you work from home or an informal office, you might want to work from a couch or bed. Don’t. Work at a table, with a comfortable chair that offers plenty of support. Your body will thank you in the form of good posture, and less pain down the road.

2. Exercise regularly

Don’t fall into the trap of staying indoors all day, sitting in your ergonomically friendly chair. Get up, get out, and move around. Go to the gym, go for a run, or take a walk. Staying active keeps you healthier and can give you more energy, which will help you when you sit back down to work.

3. Lay off the junk food

There might be a cabinet full of snacks just a few feet away from your workspace, but that doesn’t mean you should nosh all day. If you work from home, don’t be tempted by all the unhealthy food choices at your disposal. Take advantage of your kitchen by cooking healthy meals, and do your best to stick to regular meal times.

4. Take a break

Schedule some breaks in your day so you don’t just work for hours on end. A little time to take your mind off work will help you improve the quality of what you’re doing. Plus, a little play is the key to staying sane.

5. Stick to your schedule

Create a start and end time for your work day, then stick to that schedule, breaks and all. Just because you’re working outside an office doesn’t mean work should creep outside of work hours. Sticking to your schedule is key to maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

To recap, stay healthy when working remotely by following these tips:

1. Create an ergonomic workspace

2. Exercise regularly

3. Lay off the junk food

4. Take a break

5. Stick to your schedule

Time for a quiz

Fatima’s new job allows her to work from home full time. She wants to make sure her remote working environment is as healthy as possible. She’s set up her home office and is diligent about cooking healthy meals for herself. What else could Fatima do?

Quiz 1 of 1

What else can Fatima do to ensure her remote work environment is as healthy as possible?

a
Set up time for breaks in her schedule, including an exercise break.
b
Work longer hours than her normal in-office days, to make up for any wasted time at home.
c
Remember to work from her bed or couch every once in a while, so that she’s more comfortable.
d
Snack throughout the day so that her energy level stays up.

Answer: A. Set up time for breaks in her schedule, including an exercise break.

Setting up scheduled breaks throughout the day including an exercise break is the best way for Fatima to make the most out of her remote working situation.

Take the next step:

Next time you work remotely, make sure to schedule in one or two breaks during your day.

Lesson complete