Ergonomics, exercise, and routine aids working at home

FROM osteo and psychological perspectives, mindfully creating a designated, ergonomic workstation at home is beneficial for the body and mind.

Osteopath, Dr Megan May said it doesn’t matter whether that’s based at the kitchen table or in the study, just try to avoid working on the couch or in your bed.

“Firstly, have a look at what equipment you’ve got. You might be able to ask your employer for some specific equipment like a separate keyboard and mouse if you’re working on a laptop, a chair, or a screen,” she said.

“But if you can’t get access to any proper equipment, that’s when we start getting creative with different props to get your set up as ideal as possible.”

Dr May said it’s important to maintain an elbow angle of about 90 degrees, and to have your eyes level, straight ahead, so the neck, shoulders and back are relaxed.

A screen shouldn’t be too high or low. This may mean a cushion is needed between you and a dining chair, you could raise your monitor with a phonebook, or prop up your laptop on an angle with a lever arch file.

You may need to place a box, books or something similar under your feet to ensure they also stay flat and grounded.

Psychologist, Ellen Jackson said this dedicated area is positive for the brain’s relaxation.

“You can mentally arrange that as your workspace so you’re not having to pack it up. It’s where I go to work, even if it’s in the same room as other things,” she said.

Sitting in a reasonably traditional working position, the body can hold stress and tension in a few specific places, which we can identify and regularly address.

“Some of us will find our shoulders creep up, or we’ve got a clenched jaw, sore neck, headaches, leg muscle tension,” Ms Jackson said.

“Noticing that and taking four or five deep belly breaths activates our parasympathetic nervous system, or our relaxation response, which calms the whole body and brain.”

Away from your usual workday distractions and tasks, like heading to the photocopier or out to pick up lunch, Dr May said it’s crucial to create prompts to ensure you do mindfully breathe like this, and regularly get up and move.

“That might be a post-it note or a reminder on your computer… That might mean that when you make phone calls, you’re walking around the house and getting your steps up.

“Give yourself a proper lunch break. Do some desk stretches,” she said.

Ms Jackson added that punctuating your day with moments as simple as making a cuppa and taking it to sit on the porch outside, or walking to the letterbox, is valuable.

“All of those things will help give us a mental break,” she said. “Our brains are like a battery, and we need these breaks to recharge it, sit back down, stay focussed and productive.”

Parts of the day usually allocated to getting dressed in your work clothes, or to your morning or afternoon commute can be repurposed.

“Think about the time you’re saving. Try and dedicate that to exercise. Get outside and see some sunlight. Have a walk or run in the morning… Follow an exercise video,” Dr May said.

“We don’t want people to roll out of bed and sit at their home office all day because it’s not good for anyone’s physical or mental health.”

Being disciplined and keeping this kind of routine is more important than ever within this ‘new normal’ for Ms Jackson.

“In a lot of jobs, we can be reactive to things that just keep happening. Someone asks us a question, or we have a customer… But we don’t have that at home,” she said.

“We can create a routine that allows us to still get up, get dressed, have a set start time, have set break and finish times, so that we can clock on and off, as we would at work.

“This structure means we have a mental demarcation between when we’re working, and when we’re not, otherwise it all tends to bleed, which might make us less productive at work, and less able to focus on relaxing when we’re not,” Ms Jackson said.

Basic jobs around the house can also send the brain signals that we’ve finished for the workday, once it’s time to stop.

“Close the laptop lid and get outside, or get up and go to do a household activity like you would coming home from work,” she said.

“Particularly critical” is the presence of a good sleep routine. The average seven-and-a-half to eight hours a night is especially important now with many people “wound-up” and feeling stressed.

“We need our sleep to rest and recuperate our energy, to regulate our moods and emotions, and it’s when we release proteins that help to build our immunity, when we embed memory and refresh our brain to deal with what the next day throws at us,” Ms Jackson said.

“Checking our phone is disruptive to sleep too, so keep it out of the bedroom.”