How to Stay Healthy When You Spend Most of Your Day In Your Home Office
If you would like to stay healthy while building a business from home, chances are that you will need to make sure that you are able to look after yourself, as much as you are looking after your clients and your projects. After all, if you are running a startup, the success will depend on how focused and healthy you are. It is important that you control your working hours, learn to take a break from the computer, and spend some quality time doing what you enjoy. It should never be just work and no fun.
Have Set Working Hours
One of the things you will need to do is set your working hours. It is easy to tell yourself that you are in charge and the entire business rests on your shoulders, but if you overwork yourself and get stressed, your productivity will suffer. If you are just transitioning from a full-time job, you are likely to spend every hour sent to you on your business. Taking a step back will have loads of benefits, so make sure that you don’t work more than you physically can endure.
Learn to Switch Off
One of the things you need to do is switch off your brain and do something that takes your busy mind off business. You don’t want to be thinking about sales figures and customers’ problems after you have finished work. If you need to, make sure you walk away and do something completely different. From catching up with friends to cooking dinner from scratch, there are plenty of great ways you can teach yourself how to stop being caught up in the rat race.
Eye Training
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If you work on the computer most of the time, chances are that you will need to protect your eyesight. There are some great eye exercises you can do in the morning to train your eyes. You will also have to learn to type without looking at the screen, so you can exercise your eyes while working. Set up your screen brightness and your lighting in a way that it is not putting too much pressure on your eyes. If you feel like you are suffering from eye strain, book an eye test and find out if you could benefit from wearing glasses.
Stretch In the Morning and At Night
If you would like to make your brain more productive and make the most out of your day as a home business owner, you need to support your body. Some morning stretches and yoga routines are great for starting up your metabolism and your circulation while protecting your lower back from strains and injuries. You don’t want to end up having joint issues just because you don’t move from your office chair for hours.
Go for a Lunchtime Walk
If you would like to improve the performance of your brain, you might want to break up your day and go for a walk during your lunch hour. Even if you are going to the local supermarket or cafe to pick up some snacks and a coffee, you will certainly benefit from the light exercise. Set out with a purpose and learn to notice little things that you would normally miss to practice mindfulness.
Improve Your Lighting
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To prevent eye strain and headaches, you will also have to focus on improving your office lighting. Use natural light as much as possible, but never sit with your back toward the source of natural light, as the reflection of the sun can cause glare on your screen. Spotlights and small reading lamps are much better than a floor or ceiling lamp when it comes to home offices.
Workplace Adjustments
It is crucial that you take responsibility for your long-term health when you are running your business from home. Start with your keyboard and mouse as well as your chair. If you have suffered from lower back problems before, you might also want to invest in a back cushion, a seat cushion, and an ergonomic chair. You need to set the height of your screen to the size and height of your chair.
Speaking from experience, using the wrong office chair can cause neck, shoulder and back pain which, in turn, can cause headaches and other issues. The right chair can save you a lot of pain, and money in medical bills.
I have recently changed my office chair to an ErgoTune Supreme ergonomic chair and my pain is gone. I no longer wake up with a sore back after having spent the previous day at my desk. It has also helped my posture immensely. I no longer slouch over my desk to work as the design of the ErgoTune chair “makes” you sit up properly. ErgoTune is designed to support the critical areas (11 adjustment points and ATLAS lumbar support) where you need to adjust your posture to get a comfortable seating position while working. Experience complete support for your arms and elbows when playing, typing or browsing with the GyroBrace 5D armrests that pivot freely and are adjustable for height across five levels. Additionally, its TriTune 3D headrest provides always-on support for your head and upper spinal columns.
The ErgoTune is officially certified by multiple international awarding bodies for strength, durability, and non-toxicity. There isn’t a component that failed the strict guidelines these organisations have set, along with their own demanding requirements. The chair is also made to last at least 12 years and has a 12-year warranty to back it up. They also come in three stylish colours to suit any decor; light blue, coral (pictured) and black. To learn more about ErgoTune, head to their website.
Looking After Your Circulation
One of the most common problems people working in an office experience is varicose veins and circulation problems. Apart from standing up regularly, you can also decide to work standing up every now and then or stretch your legs every hour.
Air Purifiers
In case you have known allergies or respiratory illnesses, such as asthma, you will need to invest in an effective air purifier. This will allow you to clear the toxins and the dust from your workspace. Computers and monitors are known for attracting dust, and if you are allergic to dust mites, you might damage your health. Choose an ionic air purifier or an ozone one, so you can breathe freely when you are working from your home office.
Healthy Snacks
When we are busy working from home, we often try to skip meals and snack on convenience food. This is not only bad for our figures but also for our health. It is crucial that you stock up on fresh fruit and vegetables to snack on and prepare them at night, so you don’t automatically reach for the chocolate, biscuits, and candy, for some ideas you can check out our 10 healthy snack ideas. While it is best to have set healthy meals at regular times, it is not always possible. If you have freshly prepared and frozen meals in your freezer, you can feel less guilty about snacking and stay healthy at the same time.
There are several dangers of working from home you might not even be thinking about. From sitting by your desk all day without a break to eye strains and lower back, and circulation issues, you have to address the health risks before they become real concerns.