Remote work has slowly been on the rise even before the pandemic, thanks to tech developments and more professionals wanting a break from the traditional 9-5. With the pandemic causing thousands of offices to close their doors, remote work has certainly become the new norm — and it looks like it's here to stay too.
After all, remote work provides people with more convenience, control over time, and savings. Of course, working from home comes with its own challenges, such as dealing with body pains from sitting all day. Some mindfulness, exercise, and proper breathing will help prevent and relieve these aches. With that, here are some specific things you can do to address the work-from-home pains:
Make time to exercise
Having a packed schedule might make it hard to stay active. However, exercising can build your core strength and create stability in the muscles that support your spine. Luckily, you don’t need a lot of time to work out, you just need to be sure to schedule it in. One way to motivate you to do this is to use a pilates playlist even with short workouts so you don't feel like you're doing it alone. You can also squeeze in some standing exercises with minimal equipment while you take a short break from work. This can improve your blood circulation after hours of sitting, which can also help you overcome mid-day slumps and give you a jolt of energy.
Invest in ergonomic equipment
Working on your bed or couch may be comfortable at first, but it will eventually lead to aches and pains since it’s not the most ergonomic workspace. Even if you're used to working at your kitchen or dining table, you should still be positioned in a way that would prevent stiffness. Fortunately, ergonomic home and office equipment are now widely accessible — whether you want an orthopaedic cushion, lumbar support, standing mat, or adjustable desk. These pieces of furniture are made especially to promote and support proper posture even during long work hours.
Do some stretching
Staying in the same position for too long will result in headaches, and pain and tightness in the back, neck, and shoulders. Same as with workouts, stretching during work hours will get your blood flowing and give you a quick breather. These short breaks also let your eyes rest to help reduce headaches and eye fatigue. While workouts mainly focus on strengthening your core and muscles, stretching improves flexibility, which helps with pain relief. Doing some stretching when you get up in the morning wakes your body up so you’re not stiff when you sit down to work.
Always be mindful of your posture
Whether you’re sitting in your ergonomic chair during work hours or simply watching the TV when you’re relaxing, it’s important to still be mindful of your posture. Ergonomic equipment may promote good posture, but if you’re still slouching when you’re sitting elsewhere, then your aches and pains won’t completely go away. Aside from having proper sitting and standing posture, you can have good posture while sleeping as well. For example, lying on your side with a pillow between your legs or on your back helps relieve lower back pain. It may be difficult at first to always keep it in mind, but you’ll eventually get used to it.
Having a healthy lifestyle is more important than ever now that remote working is the norm. Taking the time and effort to move around, invest in proper equipment, and trying some specific exercises like pilates and yoga increases your productivity, since it prevents any aches from your desk job by making sure you’re fit and comfortable. And, most important of all, it will ensure you're fit and healthy to enjoy whatever this new life will be.
Written exclusively for rachellawrencepilates.com
By Jahara Viona
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