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magazine
The benefits of home-working are
well known, but what about its
risks? One area that doesn’t get
as much attention as it deserves is
ergonomics, specifically the dangers
of spending too long sitting down.
Without the meetings, interruptions
and distractions of office life, not
to mention the daily commute,
homeworkers arguably have less
motivation to get up and move
around than office-based colleagues.
To avoid too sedentary a lifestyle
– and the attendant health risks – it is
important for homeworkers to change
posture as much as possible and that
includes standing up and moving
around. Breaking up sitting time speeds
up your metabolism, tones muscles and
improves blood flow.
Converting a fixed desk to sit-stand
is one way to keep active. Here are five
more suggestions on how to improve
productivity and wellbeing when
working at home:
1
Analyse your workspace
A good starting point is to analyse your
workspace and devise ways to optimise
your sit-stand time. In the short-term,
you could create a makeshift standing
station by placing your laptop on the
kitchen counter or the ironing board.
For longer term use, a purpose-built
sit-stand workstation is recommended.
When you do sit down, make sure you
have a comfortable chair with proper
support for your back.
2
Have a routine
Create a schedule, setting fixed times
to stand up or move away from your
desk. You could set a timer at 10am,
stand for 15-20 minutes, then sit down
again and repeat this at regular intervals
throughout the day; or you could break
up work tasks into 30-minute chunks
with a break between each one. Getting
up, perhaps to get a drink, increases
stand time and gives you time away
from your screen.
3
Standing is good
Look at your workload and make a list
of tasks that can be done standing up. If
very few can be, consider other ways to
break up your day, such as standing to
Stand and deliver
Homeworkers need to watch how they work, perhaps even more so than office-based
colleagues. Here, Betsey Banker suggests a number of ways in which homeworkers
can boost their productivity and wellbeing.
make lunch, running an errand, stretching
or going for a quick jog or brisk walk.We
can all benefit from a bit of fresh air and
vitamin D on sunny days!
4
Keep work and leisure separate
Working from home, there is always the
risk that work will take over your leisure
time (and space). Try to keep them
separate. Stick to a set a timetable, as if
you were working in an office. Logging
off at a set time and putting work away
will help you to switch off from work and
maintain a good work-life balance.
5
Keep track of sedentary time
Assess exactly how much time you
spend sitting down. Online calculators
1
,
wearable fitness trackers and apps are
all good for this and will provide you
with an accurate reading – you might
be shocked at how little time you spend
moving about. These tools can also
be used to create measurable goals to
work towards, like calories burned or
reductions in sitting time.
Start by making small changes to
your schedule and working habits.
Studies
2
show that standing up for an
extra hour each day produces significant
results: 66% felt more productive, 87%
felt more energised, 71% felt more
focused and 50% experienced less pain
in their upper back, neck and shoulders.
All good reasons to make a change.
Betsey Banker is
Vertical Manager,
Wellness at
Ergotron, a
provider of
ergonomic work
and lifestyle
products,
including sit-stand
workstations.
0870 756 0260
Sit-stand workstations are a good way of encouraging
movement and a less sedentary lifestyle. Ergotron’s
WorkFit-T Sit-Stand DesktopWorkstation sits on top of
any desk without mounting or clamping. It accommodates
single or dual-monitor configurations and has a generous
work surface including a separate tray for keyboard and
mouse. TheWorkFit-T is available through IT resellers and
online etailers throughout the UK.
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