Don't let Your Health Take a Backseat in this New Work from Home Culture: Here are a Few Tips to Stay Active while Working from Home 2020

In 2019, work from home was a concept heard by many but implemented by a few. But, the pandemic in 2020 has changed the definition of almost everything which impacts our lives. Like study from home, pray from home and entertainment from home, work from home remains no niche concept anymore and millions across the globe are forced to adapt to this culture. With no respite in sight in the near future from the pandemic, work from home is one of the most important safety measures one can take to safeguard the health and life of themselves and their family.

Some of the benefits of work from home are – increased productivity, improved performance, less office politics, fewer distractions and excess time in hand due to zero commute time, savings on fuel and vehicle maintenance, no stress due to traffic and flexible schedule leading to better work-life balance.

The disadvantages include – more will power required to fight distractions like TV and sleep due to comfort of home, difficulty sticking to a routine, binge eating or ordering from outside can have adverse health effects, you may miss the coffee machine gossips of office and start feeling boredom, sometimes you may miss the energy of an office which may slow down your work and lastly but most importantly, the Wi-Fi connection not working properly at home can be troublesome at times.

We have researched to collate a to-do list which can be helpful for those who face challenges to stay active while working from home. You can follow these guidelines and make your work from home time more productive and lively.

The biggest challenge while you are working from home is to be disciplined as the environment of home can often distract you from the task in hand. So, keeping a routine and following it properly is very important to keep yourself focused on the work. Have a schedule to wake up, sit on your work desk, meal timings and taking 5 minute breaks etc.

Schedule your exercises in your diary as you would do for your meetings and conference calls. Take a break after every hour and do light exercises to break the monotony, get refreshed, recharged and then get back on track. Keep different exercises and equipments to make the workout interesting and don’t forget to do a proper workout in the morning as you will hardly be indulging in any physical activity or walking etc. due to zero commute.

Instead of wasting your time looking for the exercise equipments in between the breaks, it’s better to keep them handy and nearby your home office desk. You can use them quickly in between those 5 minute breaks and get rid of boredom and sleepiness which may occur frequently as your mind and body are not accustomed to work in a homely environment.

If possible, have a separate room for home office where you can work without any distractions, else try to look for a designated and quiet corner. You can keep a work desk in your bedroom with an office chair and not slouch on a sofa or cozy chair of your house. Take a broadband connection instead of relying on the 4G network of your not so favorite network provider as it may ditch you during any important work.

Take a 5 – 10 minute break after every 1 – 1.5 hours, get up from your desk, take a walk, exercise with some light equipments, have a cup of tea or coffee and stretch your body. This will re-energize you for the next 1.5 hours and also help to focus better when you sit to start your work again.

There are several fitness experts on YouTube teaching easy to do exercises inside your house. You just need a yoga mat, some space where you can stretch your body and little bit of willpower. You can do these exercises early in the morning to feel rejuvenated for the entire day and start your day on a positive and healthy note.

Say no to binge eating on snacks and outside food while you are staying home most of the time because you definitely don’t want to be addressed as a couch potato. Eat less oily, less spicy and less fatty foods and more of green vegetables, nuts, fruits and dairy products to have a balanced and healthy diet.

Inculcate the habit of taking stairs more frequently to give some much needed movement to your legs, knees and ankles and it’s also a good cardio exercise. Moreover, use of lift can be dangerous during this pandemic as doctors have warned that the Covid virus can stay at indoor places for about 45 minutes and you don’t know who has used the lift just before you entered inside it.

Wherever possible, Covid situation allowing, schedule face to face meetings as it gives you a chance to go out for a walk, meet new people and have some fresh air instead of sitting with a cup of coffee in front of your laptop. This way, you can incorporate exercise with work while you discuss the next plan with your client.

While we have mentioned the tips, tricks and ways to stay active while working from home, you may be wondering if you could know about a few gadgets, accessories, tools etc. which can make life easier for you while you are working from home. Hence, we have researched and picked few accessories and equipments which will make your life easier and come in handy while you try to focus on your work from home schedule and try to stay active.

This multi-purpose laptop table with dock stand can be used as a study table or work table and can be easily placed on bed, sofa or any other comfortable place as its foldable and portable. Moreover, the ergonomic design and rounded edges provide comfort and safety while you are working on this table.

The legs are made of powder coated metal tubes with black color anti-slip covers while the top board is crafted from high quality engineered wood. The simplistic design and size of 60 cm x 40 cm x 27 cm (L x W x H) is adequate for resting a 15.6 inch and even a 17 inches laptop while you can fit in your mobile or tablet into the dock provided in the front part. The table is multipurpose and can also be used for serving meals or playing board games and is available in 5 trendy colors. The Smart Multi-Purpose Laptop Table by MemeHo is available for Rs. 899 on www.amazon.in.

Sitting for long hours in front of the computer and typing or using mouse continuously can cause muscle strain / pain in arm. If not addressed timely, it can get worse and you may have to consult a doctor. It’s better to take precaution beforehand so that the problem doesn’t arise at first place. This ergonomically designed adjustable computer arm rest gives support to your arm while you are working on the computer.

The arm rest is made of durable ABS and plastic while it has a padded memory foam layer which provides comfort to your hand. It’s provided with a clamp and screw and the fully adjustable arm rest support can be used by both left and right hand users. The dimensions are 5.5 inch (width) x 11.8 inch (height), while the depth of the memory foam is 2 inches. It’s lightweight at just 366 gm and can be easily carried in your travel or laptop bag. The Adjustable Computer Arm Rest by Rhonnium can be purchased from www.flipkart.com for Rs. 970.

The sleek and beautiful desk stand by Defianz is certainly a gadget which everyone working from home should invest in. This desk stand gives you complete freedom to adjust the height and angle so that you can fine-tune it to the right setting as per the correct posture and your comfort level. It’s 4 ports equipped with USB 2.0 helps you to stay connected with your keyboard, mouse and printer etc. while the 8 inch built in fan on the platform swirls 360 degree cool air and protects your laptop from overheating.

Made from impact resistant tough ABS material, the laptop desk stand is 12.4 inches long and 12 inches wide while it can easily bear a weight of up to 8 kg, so even big laptops (17 inch) can easily fit in the platform. When folded, it’s only 1.56 inches thick hence can be easily stored and carried. The right posture in front of the screen protects you from neck and back pain and this desk stand can be quite helpful in doing so. Available in pearl white and gorgeous black, Defianz Desk Stand is available on www.amazon.in

The back support pillow by Wakefit has a soft and velvety fabric on the outside which makes it feel comfortable while the moulded memory foam inside provides the required ergonomic lower back support which is a must while you are sitting for long hours on your chair. The back support pillow provides couch like comfort even on your home office chair and the elastic band helps to hold the pillow in position. It can even be used on your car seat while you are driving hundreds of kilometers on the go. The Wakefit Back Support Pillow is priced economically at Rs. 888 and can be purchased from www.wakefit.co.

Now let’s check few fitness equipments which should be kept handy while you are working from home. These small equipments will keep you active by stimulating blood circulation and also relaxes your hand, wrist, arm and other muscles.

The soft gel stress relief ball is an amazing article which is filled with high quality gel based material and can ease stress and provides therapeutic relief. You can simply squeeze the soft gel ball alternately with both hands for few minutes after every hour or so during your work from home schedule and it’ll activate the blood circulation of the hand and arm muscles, thus relaxing the stiffness caused due to typing for long minutes. It can also help you to get rid of boredom, focus on task in hand and also in sleep deprivation. The Soft Gel Stress Relief Ball for Sensory Stimulation by Kudize can be purchased for Rs. 229 from www.seniority.in.

The adjustable hand grip by Aurion is a unique exercise equipment which strengthens your forearm, fingers and wrist and also improves dexterity and flexibility. You can use this machine for few minutes in an interval of 1.5 – 2 hours while you are working from home and relax and refresh the muscles of your hand. It’s also a nice stress buster and the resistance can be adjusted between 10 to 40 kgs. The solid steel hinges and enhanced spring avoid accidents while using and makes the hand grip solid and sturdy. The ergonomic design makes it fit for all hand sizes and the adjustable hand grip can be purchased from www.amazon.in for Rs. 225.

The Wooden Foot Roller Acupressure Magnetic Stress Mat Combo Kit can be a complete solution for pain or stress in different body parts and it comes with a stress mat, wooden foot roller, wooden acupressure ball, wooden hand roller, acupressure pointer, sujok finger ring, thumb pressure and a kerala roller combo. Accupressure is quite effective in relieving stress and eases the muscles while regular use can help relieve pain. This acupressure kit by ACS is listed for Rs. 450 on www.amazon.in