Telework alleviates many downsides of traditional work arrangements. However, it creates new health challenges. WFH can make desk-bound employees even more sedentary. Completing work tasks without leaving the house can cause and worsen social isolation. Struggling to separate your personal and professional lives can increase your stress level.
Working from home doesn’t inherently yield these health problems. It all boils down to decision-making and discipline. Stay committed to a healthier WFH lifestyle with these five tips this spring.
1. Improve Your Personal Grooming Habits
Good personal hygiene benefits you physically and emotionally. Brushing, flossing, bathing, trimming nails and changing clothes to keep your body clean remain important — even if you mostly stay home without interacting with anyone else. Skipping any of these essential practises increases your risk of getting sick.
Personal grooming is a form of self-care. Looking well makes you feel well. Liking what you see in the mirror can increase your confidence and keep you in a pleasant mood.
Maintain a hair care and skin care routine. Using specialised products for your hair and skin instead of generic ones goes above and beyond what you normally do to care for your body, helping improve your health and appearance.
While you may only need to wear formal clothing when attending a video conference, you should still dress sharp. Be aware of your personal style to celebrate your individuality and reinforce your identity as a person.
2. Bond With People Virtually
Not everyone alone is lonely, but WFH can limit your interactions with your co-workers. Being around each other less can erode closeness, which may lead to feelings of isolation and loneliness.
Such emotions can take a toll on you mentally and manifest in your performance. It can compel you to engage in absenteeism and reduce your productivity. Ultimately, it can negatively impact your well-being and career.
Thankfully, human resources professionals use virtual events to help remote workers feel like they’re part of the team. Consider participating in these socialisation activities to rekindle your workplace relationships and feel good about being part of your organisation.
3. Get Outside Of The House
Better work-life balance is one of WFH’s merits — take advantage of it.
Step outside, even though you don’t have to run any errands. Biophilia is enough reason to leave the house every once in a while.
Reconnecting with nature can be therapeutic. Feeling breezes, touching trees, walking on grass and smelling flowers can alleviate any mental health conditions you may feel. You can do all these around your neighbourhood, so there’s no need to plan a trip to the great outdoors.
Moreover, walking can get your heart pumping. You spend 0.5 calories whenever you move 1 kg of your body mass over 1 horizontal metre, and you burn 20 times more energy when you move vertically. So, regular leisure walks can be an effective way to reduce your weight and stay fit.
Toronto is increasingly becoming a bike-friendly city. T.O. has 627 km of on-street cycling facilities and more than 346 km of off-road trails — an extensive network to get to any point of the city and explore its natural attractions conveniently while having an exhilarating workout.
4. Get More Quality Sleep
Catching enough shuteye every night works wonders for your mind, body and soul. Although remote workers get to stay in bed for 19 to 23 minutes more than nonteleworkers, more doesn’t necessarily mean enough.
Quality is just as important as quantity regarding rest. Staying in front of screens most of your waking hours can negatively impact your sleep-wake cycle, disrupting your circadian rhythm.
Limiting your screen time as a teleworker can be challenging when virtually all your work interactions occur online. Nevertheless, you can practise the 20-20-20 rule to reduce blue light’s adverse effects on your health.
This rule states that you should look away from your computer screen and gaze at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds every 20 minutes. This technique should meaningfully reduce your exposure to blue light, allowing your body to produce enough sleep hormone at bedtime so you can achieve quality sleep.
5. Maximize Your Extended Health Benefits
Employer-provided health benefits are more than just a talent attraction and retention tool. They’re a legitimate remedy to many health-related problems teleworkers experience.
Unfortunately, 24% of working Canadians with coverage are unaware of their benefits. Ignorance of your coverage deprives you of the opportunity to attain wellness at no extra cost.
Take a closer look at your employee benefits to know the services you’re entitled to. For instance, you may qualify for free nutritional counselling, which is instrumental in understanding how your diet affects your health and making better food choices.
Another example is chiropractic care. This paramedical benefit may help address your chronic aches and pains without medication.
Lead A Healthier WFH Lifestyle Beginning This Spring
The season of beginnings can be a turning point in your health as a teleworker. Although bad lifestyle habits are hard to kick, following these tips can help you see positive changes more quickly and help you stay committed.
About The Author
Oscar Collins is the editor-in-chief at Modded, where he writes about cars, fitness, the outdoors and more. Check out @TModded for regular updates, and subscribe to Modded Minute for more!
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