Postures for work from home?

Working for long hours in sub-optimal working conditions over a long time can have an impact on your health.

working from a home

HYDERABAD: Working for long hours in sub-optimal working conditions over a long time can have an impact on your health. Poor posture while working on the laptop could cause musculoskeletal disorders like pain in the neck, back, shoulders, and other issues.  It’s important that you mind the posture while working at home. Godrej Interio, India’s leading furniture solutions brand, on Wednesday releases a guide for correct posture while working from a home-office setup. 

Anil Mathur, Chief Operating Officer, said, “The posture guide which talks about the importance of incorporating the correct posture while working in a home-office set up. Today’s modern workers needs are very different, and the home-office setup is becoming challenging. As new habits set in and innovative mechanisms emerge to keep the work flowing, it is important to be productive and stay healthy.” 

While sitting on a chair and desk

• Adjust the height of your chair and rest your feet on the floor or the footrest. Bend your knees at 90 degrees to relieve the excess pressure out of your back
• It may be a good idea to invest in ergonomic chair and work desk that support different postures throughout the day. The chair that you invest in should have adjustable features like seat heights, armrest and backrest adjustments to ensure maximum comfort, also having excellent lumbar support that is adjustable to keep your back well supported.
• Ensure your arms are always supported, either on the desk or the chair armrest - with elbows bent at 90 degrees while typing on the keyboard
• If you don’t have a chair with good back support, you should take breaks or change your posture after every 20 minutes
• While standing (eg teachers doing online classes etc)
• Place your laptop on a hard surface Ÿ Adjust the height of your laptop screen such that the screen top is at your eye level
• Don’t slouch or lower your back
• Keep your laptop away from any kind of liquid to prevent spills
• While sitting on the sofa or bed
• Of course, working on the bed, sofa or the bean bag can be quite attractive. While it’s okay to use these for a short period, remember not to forget the basics of good posture.
• Place cushions behind your back to help you get right support
• Place cardboard or a stand beneath the laptop to keep it steady
• Adjust the height of the laptop to keep the screen parallel to your eye level
• Avoid slouching or lowering your neck while working

Use your laptop safely
Opt for a laptop stand and set up your system in a way that the screen is raised to the height of your eyebrows. You should also use a wireless mouse and a keyboard, if possible, to keep the screen at your arm’s length while typing.

Keep Moving
Working from home means there is a chance for you to become more sedentary. You no longer have to walk over to the conference room or take a post-lunch casual walk around the premises. While at home, ensure you take breaks to move around a bit. Try to walk around a bit while you are on the phone. Socialize a bit, as you would do if you were in office. Micro-breaks are great productivity boosters and also prevent you from staying seated all day.

Exercise Regularly
Even if you can’t go to the gym, make sure you work out regularly, stretch your muscles, and keep yourself fit and healthy at all times. Try freehand exercises and stretches. Do crunches, push-ups, squats, and leg lifts in the morning to feel energetic throughout the day. Not only will it help you stay physically fit, but also increase your productivity.