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Staying focused and “present” for an entire workday, while essential for productivity, is far from an easy task. The past year’s work-from-home necessity has become a permanent scenario for many businesses and their employees. And a host of recent surveys find that the percentages of people stating they would actually quit their jobs if they had to return to the office have ranged from 40% to a whopping 60%, especially among younger workers. Working from home provides more flexibility in terms of when, where, and how business gets done (think 3am, by the pool, or in a bean bag chair), even as the amount of time engaged in work has increased for many people no longer faced with time spent in long commutes. The number and types of distractions and inconveniences at home vs. in the workplace are often different but can still affect focus and overall health.
The bean bag or beach chair sounds enticing, but many home “offices” are not as ergonomically designed as the traditional office. Poor lighting, chairs and desks at improper heights, and zooming 12 hours a day, can result in chronic physical issues and reduced performance. While one of the benefits cited by home-based employees is the ability to take breaks on their own schedule and to exercise during the day, many people are getting less exercise – no longer having to walk to meetings across an office campus or as part of a commute – and that nearby fridge with all the tempting new foods you’ve learned to cook is too close at hand.
It isn’t necessary to design the perfect home office, or build and use a full gym at home to improve your environment and get some much-needed exercise. Here are a few simple things to consider if home is going to be your permanent place of employment.
- Invest in a standup variable height desk. This gets you on your feet, keeps you mobile and improves your posture. Prices vary, but there are many desks available on Amazon in the $200 range.
- When you are sitting, try a lumbar support chair or at least purchase a back support for your old chair. Be conscious of proper posture, using your core to keep your back supported, shoulders relaxed, and feet resting on the floor with a footrest if needed.
- Have proper lighting. Poor lighting can reduce your energy, dampen mood, produce eye strain and headaches, and ultimately impair your ability to work effectively. The best is natural light, but if that is not available, a good task light is important and cooler blue and white lights, rather than yellow, are better for working and concentrating. Also, consider how your lighting affects Zoom meetings and if you aren’t, sure ask your Zoom colleagues for feedback on how you and your space appear on calls.
Now that you have a more appropriate workspace, you still need to take breaks to move, stretch and refocus:
- Eyes: The Optometrists Network reports that 59 percent of adults experience eye strainfrom computer The Rebuild Vision website https://www.rebuildyourvision.com/blog/vision-conditions/computer-vision-syndrome/6-refreshing-eye-exercises-for-tired-computer-users/ describes six quick exercises to do during the day to help with this problem.
- Body: Taking a walk or doing your usual gym workout during the day is great, but even if that’s not possible, there are many simple exercises to do right at your desk, whether seated or standing. You can even do them while on calls and maybe even introduce this as a nice team exercise with your Zoom buddies. A great little book – Fitness 9 to 5: Easy Exercises for the Working Week by Shirley Archer – offers dozens of things you can do throughout the day to stretch, strengthen, tone, and relax.
- Mind: It’s ok to take time to daydream – sometimes! Richard Davidson, founder of the Center for Healthy Minds at the University of Wisconsin at Madison says, “If you can choose to daydream, and fully be present with it, it can be wonderful, creative, and active,” especially when faced with a particularly challenging project. And don’t forget to breathe! As practitioners of yoga know proper breathing gets rid of stale air and calms the mind and body. Try for a minute or two of measured and conscious breaths every hour or whenever you feel your concentration is waning.
Even if you do wind up returning to your company’s offices on a part-time or permanent basis, ensuring a good physical workspace and taking the time to do basic exercises during the day will increase your well-being and focus. And doing these things as a team can improve overall productivity and job satisfaction.