There are more people than ever working from home right now, whether that is due to the coronavirus pandemic or simply because the way that businesses work is changing. Many people are also starting their own businesses from home instead of working from an office.
Working from home and especially running your own business from home brings a lot of specific challenges with it. It’s tough to stay motivated and many people feel that they lack direction when they are not in a traditional office environment. Adjusting to a new way of working takes time, but eventually, you will overcome those challenges and figure out how to work productively. However, there are also a lot of health challenges associated with working from home, and many people are unaware of these dangers. If you are working from home long term, it’s important that you understand the possible health implications and take steps to deal with them. These are some of the ways that working from home could be damaging your health.
Bad Posture
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Posture is so much more important than people realize. When you have bad posture, it can lead to a lot of serious back and neck pain. It has also been linked to digestive issues and even mental health problems because you feel less confident and accomplished if you are constantly hunched over. But if you stand tall and your posture is confident, this will have a positive impact on your mental state as well. Unfortunately, many people that work from home have issues with their posture because they don’t have the right furniture. In an office, you have a nice ergonomic chair with adjustable back support, but when working from home, a lot of people sit on a standard dining chair at the kitchen table or, even worse, slouch on the sofa all day long. Without the right support, you will soon develop posture issues and all of the health problems that they cause. If you are working from home long term, it’s important that you invest in a good quality office chair so you have the support that you need. You should also consider a standing desk because sitting down all day long is bad for your health, even if you have the right chair.
If bad posture is a big issue for you, it’s important that you think about your mattress as well. The right mattress will give you the support that you need while you sleep and help to correct a lot of the negative effects of sitting down all day long. But if you have an old mattress that offers no support, it will just make things worse. Memory foam mattresses are one of the best options for correcting poor posture, just read this review of Puffy Lux mattress to see how much difference it can make. With the right furniture and a new mattress, you will notice a massive improvement in your posture in no time at all.
Weight Gain
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Sitting down at a desk all day long, whether you are in an office or working at home, increases the risk of weight gain because you are not moving around that much. But the situation is a lot worse for people working at home because there is more temptation to snack. It’s so easy to get up and start looking in the cupboards for snacks when you’re at home on your own all day, so many people find that they gain weight when they are at home.
If the transition to working from home is difficult, this extra stress can also lead to an increase in snacking, so it’s important that you are careful about what you eat. If you find that you are prone to snacking, you need to choose healthy alternatives so you can manage your weight. You should try to be more conscious of your eating as well, so if you find yourself looking in the fridge for snacks, stop for a second to consider whether you are really hungry or if you are just bored or stressed out. People often use snacking as a way to give themselves a break for 5 minutes, but you can still do this without eating. Regular exercise is important as well because it helps you to relieve stress and manage your weight more effectively. Even if you just take a half an hour walk at the end of the work day, that will make a big difference.
Burnout And Mental Health Issues
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If you work in an office 9 to 5, it’s a lot easier to switch off in the evening once you leave. Even though a lot of people take their work home with them, they still have that clear divide between work and home life. But when your home is your office, that divide isn’t there. It’s a lot easier to keep working late into the night and you never really remove yourself from the work environment, which often leads to burnout and excess stress.
Feelings of loneliness and isolation can also factor into mental health issues when people are working at home. You don’t have the social interaction that you would normally have in an office and some people really struggle with this. Having regular video meetings and meeting in person as often as possible is a good way to counteract this. You should also try to get out and see people at lunchtime and make sure that you have an active social life outside of work as well.
If you do feel that your mental health is suffering because you are very stressed, it’s important that you find ways to relax and forget about work in the evenings. Even though you are working from home, you still need to take time off to recharge your batteries from time to time, so you can manage stress. If things get particularly bad, speak with your employer about managing your workload and consider talking to a doctor as well.
People often think that working from home is easy and relaxing because you’re in your own environment, but that isn’t always the case. There is a distinct risk of developing these health issues and it’s important that you take steps to prevent them if you are working from home for the foreseeable future.
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