In the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak, we’ve been thrust into a state of almost complete isolation. As such, working from home is on the menu for many. While working home, in many cases, is proven to boost productivity levels—for many, navigating an entire professional week remotely is an alien concept—something that applies to workers across industries. Conveniences and creature comforts coupled with the fish out of water-like sensationworking from home can evoke (if you’re not used to it) and prove difficult to deal with at first. And, as such, bad habits are easily formed. If you’re reading this and thinking “this is me”—don’t panic because were at HumbleWorks (currently remote) HQ, we’ve got your back (quite literally). To help enhance your current professional situation while preventing long-term physical or mental damage, here are four practical ways to boost your health and wellbeing levels while working from home. Working from home: the perils of sitting Before we delve any deeper into our working from home wellbeing tips, it’s important to consider just how detrimental constant sitting is for your existing and long-term health. Studies show that by limiting excessive sitting to three hours a day, you can increase your life expectancy by two whole years. That said, sitting down hunched at your desk for long periods of time is likely to shorten your life expectancy. Recent discoveries also reveal that sitting-based sedentary lifestyles is almost as bad for you as is smoking. The result?The possible (but very real) prospect of deep vein thrombosis, varicose veins, increased risk of heart disease and certain cancers, chronically bad hips and back, and anxiety. Based on this notion, fostering healthy habits while working from home and adjustable standing desk for set periods of time is the way forward. Top ‘working from home’ health & wellbeing tips Now that you understand the importance of investing in your professional health and you’re familiar with the perils of excessive sitting, it’s time to look at our working from home wellbeing tips. 1. Treat it like a workday This may appear obvious, but you would be amazed at just how many people overlook this simple yet vital concept: when working from home, treat it like a workday. Waking up at inconsistent times, skipping the morning shower, or lounging around in your slacks isn’t conducive to a happy, healthy, or productive work environment. That said, although you are at home, you should try to follow a set routine as you would on a regular workday:
2. Fuel your mind & body A healthy body is a healthy mind, and vice-versa. So, make sure that when you eat, you choose something that will fill you up while making you feel great (you should also treat yourself sometimes, too). Certain foods will help you remain mentally focused, in turn, boosting your professional productivity rates while helping you maintain consistently high levels of health. Here are some suggested foods to boost your health and wellbeing when working from home:
3. Take regular screen breaks When you’re working from home, it’s tempting to work in big spurts of productivity then kick back for hours at a time. This level of imbalance will only serve to hinder your health and wellbeing. By taking frequent screen breaks (five to six minutes every 45 minutes or so) and walking around, stretching, or getting some fresh air, you will benefit from increased focus and a more positive mental mindset. Taking regular screen breaks will also save strain on your eyes while encouraging movement—which brings us onto our final point. 4. Don’t slouch, don’t sit (too much) Revisiting the excessive sitting scenario for a moment...if you want to increase your health and wellbeing when working from home while reducing your risk of long-term health complications, standing up is key. Here are some clear-cut benefits from standing up and adopting good posture while you work. Standing...
By adjustable standing desk for even half of your workday in addition to eating well and fostering a solid routine, not only will you achieve great things but you will see your wellbeing levels soar.
"Take care of your mind; your body will thank you. Take care of your body; your mind will thank you."—Debbie Hampton Right now, we’re wading through challenging times, but with the right attitude, we can all get where we need to be. To help you increase your work from home life, here at HumbleWorks, we’ve developed a set of stunning standing desks that are portable, completely ergonomic, built to last, and made from 100% sustainable materials. If you’re working from home right now and want to turn a new leaf, explore our two signature standing desks and take those first big steps towards a happier, healthier home-based workplace. Oh, and if you have any questions about who we are or what we do, please get in touch—we’re here to help.
0 Comments
YES, it will! Working while standing has lots of benefits most of us aren’t even aware of. It helps correct your posture while working by keeping your spine straight and helps strengthen your core, resulting in significantly reduced back pain. Also, say goodbye to neck pain, with your computer screen eye level your head will be much better aligned with the rest of you! Secondly, working standing up keeps you in an alert and awake position – which is excellent especially after lunch, you don't want to be in a sedentary position as your digestive system has to work twice as hard, which slows you down. Lastly, standing up improves your blood circulation, oxygen levels and boosts metabolism. It will also help increase productivity since your brain will be receiving more oxygen and nutrient-rich blood flooding your thought organ with mood-boosting chemicals. To fully enjoy the benefits of working standing up, you are advised to start by standing up an hour for every 2 hours you sit. As weeks go by you can increase the ratio throughout your day. But, please note that this doesn’t mean you have to force yourself. We all have different adaptation curves for habits and can take you longer or shorter to acquire the habit of working standing up. Take your time and enjoy aiming for a smooth, comfortable transition to a healthier working experience! Now, which standing desk is more suitable for you? Standing desks by category In this post, we explain the different standing desk categories. Three types of standing desks: 1.Mechanically Adjustable Standing Desks You must adjust the height of the desk at the hips level and place the laptop on the platform. The main characteristic is that this type of standing desks needs to be adjusted manually every time. The problem with this type of standing desk is that they rarely have a second shelf to place the screen or monitor forcing you to look down at the screen. In most cases, you’ll have to acquire a laptop riser or a desktop stand to elevate the computer screen at eye level. 2. Electrically Adjustable Standing Desk This type of standing desks work the same way as the mechanically adjustable ones but with the added value of just pressing a button to adjust the height – even some of them have memory buttons! The price for this category ranges from 200GBP to up to 3,000GBP. Don’t forget to get one with an extra shelf for raising the screen or computer at your eye level. 3. CONVERTER STANDING DESKS. This category has many different models, materials and price ranges. In general, the converter standing desks will allow you to raise the computer screen to eye level and at the same time offer you a shelf or platform for your keyboard and mouse at elbow level. This type of standing desks works as an add-on to your sitting desk. Also, they tend to be quite easy to fold down and adjust so you can alternate sitting and standing while working. So, which standing desk to buy?
There is no right answer. It will all depend on your needs, space and budget available. However, consider that the whole point of having a standing desk is to improve your posture; there are some categories of standing desks – mainly the mechanically and electrically adjustable ones – that even if they let you work standing up, sometimes depending on the model you choose, you’ll still have to bend down your head to look at the computer screen invalidating the whole point of acquiring a standing desk! The only things that we suggest you MUST consider when buying a adjustable standing desk is:
Let’s start with the overall wellbeing of employees. If their jobs involve them spending long hours sitting behind a desk, then I could begin to wreak havoc with their health if they don’t dedicate some time to exercise and maintain healthy eating habits. Wellbeing isn’t just a ‘nice to have’ along with growth strategies and hitting targets anymore. It should be fully integrated with any company’s agenda. The truth is that if you’re not looking after your employees, you can’t expect them to look after your company and your customers. Ignorance is mutual, and it is higher managements’ job to set the example. It can be seen that many companies have started seeing wellbeing programmes seriously. 2017 was a milestone year as 70% of US employers introduced them from 58% in 2015. Physical health is the main reason why wellbeing at work matters as their 64% of adults in the UK are classified as overweight or obese. Both cases have a significant impact on absenteeism because of which many companies lose a lot of money each year. Furthermore, staying fit helps to develop a sharper memory which makes one a faster learner, as well as can result in prolonged mental stamina. Companies which introduced wellbeing programmes strongly benefited in recruitment and retention. By offering their employees additional perks, they are standing out among the competitors when it comes to attracting top clients. It simply improves the company's reputation. Having said that promoting physical activity among employees can drive several benefits for the business, unfortunately, we must note that exercise cannot offset the risks of sitting… Standing up for just 10 minutes every hour, on the other hand, can. According to a 2017 survey out of the Society for Human Resource Management, Adjustable standing desks are the fastest growing benefits trend. 13% of employers provided or subsidized them in 2013 and 44% did so in 2017. Why are you asking? A 2014 study in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health found that standing desks reduced the sedentary time by more than three hours a week, they increased the sense of wellbeing and gave energy, as well as decreased fatigue and appetite. Another study conducted by Texas A&M University at a call center found that productivity increased by 46% when using portable standing desks in comparison to colleagues who didn’t. Furthermore, in both studies, employees felt less trapped by working in an office “Once you get used to using a standing desk, there’s just no going back- now I can stand for hours on end, and sometimes have to remind myself to give my legs a break. I feel restless and lethargic if I have to sit down all day” – Rachel Krantz, Senior Features Editor at Bustle. It might be difficult to answer the question of what are the costs of not buying a standing desk for your business with a specific number as it depends on the size of your company, employer’s salary, etc. However, not having at least one in your office can lead to missing all of the above benefits. Remember happy employees, happy customers, profitable business.
You’ve heard it before: Sitting is the new smoking. New research finds that even if you’re active, logging eight hours a day on your rear end in front of the computer can shorten your lifespan. Fortunately, there are other ways to spend less time sitting. Try these 10 tips to cut time in your chair: 1. Use the gym at work: If your company has one, use it, especially if the weather is bad or work in an extremely secure building that’s hard to leave. A moderate 25-minute walk on the treadmill won’t leave you sweaty enough to require a shower, but it will let you catch up on an episode of your favourite TV show while you’re at work. Even without the extra steps, that’s an incentive right there. 2. Try a standing desk, one that brings your screen to eye level: A desk (or desk addition) that adjusts your screen and keyboard to standing height is less of an investment–and less of a strange sight–than a treadmill. Set a goal to move your chair out of the way twice a day or so, and try standing for a few minutes as you edit a document or send emails. 3. Eat outside your workplace: If your favourite cafe is a quarter-mile away, that’s an extra half mile you’ll walk daily. But even if you’re carrying packed lunch, find a spot and invite colleagues to join you. 4. Set an Alarm: Much sitting is unconscious. Set an alarm to remind yourself to get up at least once an hour to grab a drink, stretch, or otherwise engage your muscles. 5. Keep topping up your water bottle: Drinking water has many upsides, but one obvious side effect is you’ll have to hit the bathroom frequently. Try visiting one on the other side of the building or on a different floor to increase your time in motion. Bonus: Refill your water bottle from a water fountain that’s far away as well. 6. Get a step counter:
An Apple watch, Fitbit, A Nike+ FuelBand, or can encourage you to move more by showing how many steps you’ve taken (and pitting you against friends and colleagues if you like). If you see you’re far under 10,000 steps for the day, you might get up and walk the halls rather than surf the web when you need a break. 7. Try a walking meeting: If you’ve got a one-on-one scheduled, ask that colleague to walk with you to grab a coffee, or try any walking trails or reasonable sidewalks you might have nearby. It may actually be easier to have difficult conversations this way when you’re walking side by side rather than staring at each other. 8. Try a standing meeting: A bar-height table in the office kitchen makes a great place for an informal get-together. Not every meeting requires a conference room, and most people are okay to stand for a few minutes plus it will eliminate. 9. Walk / Pace while on the phone: Unless you’re taking notes while on the phone, you don’t have to sit. Walk the halls with a headset or move around your office. 10. Visit colleagues: If you need a quick answer to a question, it’s often as easy to walk to someone’s office as it is to email or call. Face-to-face conversations lower the risk of misinterpretation, too. If you work with people in different buildings, offer to come to visit them, rather than snagging the conference room near you. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |