Home Ergonomics
Seeing as many of us have had to adapt to a “new normal”, more and more people are being asked to work from home. Although now you may save time on your morning commute and save money on your daily coffee runs, it’s important to make sure that your workspace isn’t causing you any discomfort or pain.
Having a proper space to work from is an important factor in preventing neck, shoulder, elbow, wrist, finger, and back pain. Thus, with more and more offices being replaced with kitchen tables and couches, it’s worth taking the time to make sure your workspace is ergonomically adjusted to your needs.
As this blog is very lengthy and contains a lot of different information, here is a quick table of content to easily find the information most relevant to you:
"Home Ergonomics" Blog:
- If you are experiencing neck/ shoulder pain (+ general ergonomic tips)
- If you are experiencing lower back pain
- If you are experiencing wrist/finger pain
- If you are experiencing hip pain
"Home Ergonomics Part 2" Blog:
- If you eye-sight is getting worse
- If you can't stay focused
- If your work life is getting in the way of your home life
- If you don't have enough space to set up a proper home-office
- The effects of stress and physical activity on pain
5. If your eye-sight is getting worse
As we are increasingly working from home, we are now spending a significant amount of time in front of our screens, whether it be on your phone, computer, TV, or tablet. With the increase in screen use, many begin to notice the appearance of new symptoms such as eye irritation, tired eyes, blurred vision, worsening eyesight, and even headaches.
These symptoms are linked with Computer Vision Syndrome, also referred to as Digital Eye Strain. As the name suggests, these problems are linked to prolonged exposure to digital screens. In fact, looking at a digital screen requires more effort from your eyes than reading or looking at a piece of paper, thus many people are prone to developing vision-related problems.
Furthermore, when you read on a digital screen, the viewing angles and distances are different than when you read off of a paper, which also adds additional strain to the visual system.
What can I do?
Because many of these symptoms are caused by multiple factors such as, lighting in the room, glare on the screen, improper screen set-up, and/or underlying vision problems, there are a few factors that can help decrease these issues.
So simple changes that can be implemented are:
1. Adjusting your screen
2. Adjust your lighting
Glare on your screen can negatively affect your eyesight, so it’s important to make sure the lighting in the room is optimal. Using natural light (not directly facing your screen) or using a desk lamp may be a good alternative to regular overhead lighting. Blue-light glasses can also help remove the glare from your screen which can help your eyes relax a bit.
3. Take breaks
It’s recommended to take a 15-minute break every two hours of continuous computer work to give your eyes a chance to rest. It is also advised to spend 20 seconds looking at least 20 feet ahead every 20 minutes or so (20-20-20 rule).
4. Blink
The screens from computers, TVs, phones, and tablets affect the frequency at which we blink. When we look at digital screens, we tend to blink less, which may lead to dry and irritate eyes seeing as blinking allows the eyeball to be properly lubricated. Thus, blinking more may help prevent eye irritation and dryness.
6. If you can't stay focused
As we adjust to our new lives, many are finding it harder to focus on their work. Finding a balance between being a stay-at-home parent, an elementary/high school teacher, and a full/part-time worker is a new reality for many. With each new task, comes more distraction. However, there are a few tips and tricks that may help you stay focused on one task at a time.
1. Plan breaks
It’s difficult for anyone to stay focused for an extended period of time. Thus, scheduling short breaks is optimal for performance. In fact, a recent study (Park and Henrick, 2018)1 revealed that breaks, even as short as 20 seconds, have beneficial effects on workers' mood and performance levels. However, this was only true if the break was not related to eating and drink (i.e. a lunch break or a coffee break).
2. Take a walk
Taking a few minutes during your day to get some fresh air, change your scenery, and move your body is never a bad idea!
Not only will your body feel better, but so will your mind. A 2011 study (Ariga and Lleras)2, found that taking a brisk walk in the middle of the day helps you sustain focus.
3. Dress for work
Although it’s easier than ever to roll out of bed, throw on a decent shirt, and get to work, it is definitely not recommended if you are trying to maintain your productivity and focus.
Many experts recommend changing into your work clothes, even when working from home, and to move the office outside of the bedroom - whether it’s the dining room table or a home office, anything is better than working from the bedroom when it comes to staying focused and productive.
Additionally, it has been shown that dressing for work helps you mentally distinguish between your work-life and your home-life. Dressing up for work, even if you are working from home, puts you in a “work mindset” which leads to greater focus and productivity.
4. Talk with your kids
Many have been struggling with finding the right balance between stay-at-home parents and remote workers. When working from home, having kids makes focusing on the task and remaining productive even more challenging.
In order to excel at parenting and working, it is highly recommended to
1. Communicate your expectations
Both with your children and with your boss. Let your employer know that you might be interrupted during video conferences, or might have to take a short break during the day to feed your kids . Similarly, communicating your expectations with your child is also a good option. Often, your little ones aren’t sure what mom/dad does for work. This is a good opportunity to teach them what it is you do and why it’s important for mom/dad to get the work they need to do.
Discussing what it means to have a boss or a deadline is also a good start. Remember, children are tiny-adults, the better you communicate with them, the better the outcome. Furthermore, discussing your kid's daily routine/chores, where to find snacks if they are hungry, whether or not they are allowed to go into the backyard, etc. at the beginning of the day/week may save you a few interruptions throughout your day.
2. Ask for help
More and more educational resources are becoming available at a reduced cost or at no charge. Many include learning activities for your kids. It’s also recommended to reach out to your child’s school and/or teacher to see if they have a list of useful resources for you and for your child.
Additionally, many students and teachers have been offering tutoring services. Check out local Facebook groups or other social media channels!
3. Schedule activities
Just like adults, kids thrive in a scheduled, organized environment. It is just as important for kids as for adults to move their bodies, to take breaks from work (or in this case schoolwork or playtime), and to properly nourish their bodies. A good rule would be: “if mom/dad takes a break, I take a break”.
It is important to communicate expectations, rules, and schedules. It is also a great time to learn a little bit more about your child and discuss their favorite activity or find a hobby that they would enjoy and requires minimal supervision (e.g. drawing, legos, watching nature documentaries, educational apps, etc.).
Again, many schools and educational services provide various fun learning opportunities for kids.
7. If your work life is getting in the way of your home life
Although many have been having the issue of focusing on work, others have been having the issue of disconnecting from work now that their living room has also become their work office.
It is important to take certain steps in order to be able to properly disconnect from work when you are done with your workday. Not being able to disconnect may increase your perceived stress, which may increase your perceived physical pain, your risk of burnout, and the risk of household conflicts.
Here are certain tips and tricks to keep in mind, when you feel like you “live at the office”.
1. Give yourself deadlines
Most people have pre-set deadlines for their work projects and their sales goals. Many also use “to-do lists” to stay organized throughout their days/weeks. However, setting smaller daily goals (i.e. My goal is to finish x by the end of the day) allows you to feel more accomplished and productive throughout your day and will make you feel better about switching from “work-life” to “home-life” once your task is completed.
Remember to make these goals realistic and attainable otherwise this may have the opposite effect.
2. Set a cut-off point
Similarly, having accomplished your set goal for the day will give you a concrete cut-off point to know when to switch from work life to home life. Others prefer to make dinner time or daycare pickup a natural cut off point in their day. These natural cut off points are meant to act as a divider between work and home life.
However, this only works if these cut-off points are respected. Thus, after your set cut-off point, log out of your computer, put it away, and don’t touch it!
3. Have something to look forward to
Whether it’s trying a new recipe, going for a walk, booking a virtual Bootcamp class, playing with your kids, or just taking a hot bath, having something to look forward to after our workday will make it easier to unwind and transition from work life to home life.
4. Make time for your relationships
Discussing your day with your significant other or your kids, even if they were in the house with you all day, is shown to have positive effects on work-life balance.
Although many are finding it hard to hear “mom, what’s for supper” or “sweetie, what did I tell you last night about the dishes” for the millionth time, communication and listening skills are key during these hard times. Increased work, home, and financial stress, impatience, and work/household obligations are making it harder for many to unwind and prioritize their relationships with family and friends.
However, the more time you make for life outside of work, the happier you will be and the more productive you will be during your workday, so allow yourself the time to talk with your friends and family.
5. Don’t bounce between work and household chores
Although it may be tempting, try to resist the need to fold the laundry, do the stack of dishes in the sink, change the cat litter, etc. during your workday or during your lunch break.
Switching between work and household tasks will decrease your motivation and productivity and will make you feel less accomplished by the end of the day.
Instead, try setting a natural cut-off time between work and household tasks (refer back to point #2). This will allow you to accomplish more in your day, as you are not bouncing from one task to the other and will feel easier and it requires less mental effort to stay organized in many different facets of life.
8. If you don’t have the space to set up a proper workspace
With the sudden shift to teleworking, not many were prepared for the “work from home” shift and had to improvise with the space and tools they had. This also led many to coordinate between sharing a workspace or having to trade between the kitchen table and the couch. Needless to say, the sudden transition may have caused some discomfort, whether physically, or environmentally.
Here are a few budget-friendly tools that may help you get comfortable with you “makeshift” workspace when you do not have a proper home office or designated for space:
The ergo rest
The ergo rest is a small removable attachment that attaches to your table to provide extra support to your wrist, elbow, and shoulder. This allows your muscles to remain relaxed and prevent unnecessary muscle strain. Check out this one.
Desk/Task light
Task lights are especially important when your job requires you to constantly shift from looking at a monitor to looking at paper documents. These two tasks vary significantly in terms of lighting and brightness.
Thus, when shifting from one task to another, it is common to develop headaches. Task lights are a good solution to this issue.
Many of them are designed to attach to the top of your computer in order to remove the glare from your computer and stabilize the brightness or your screen to that of your workspace.
Better lighting can also help you improve your mood, so it’s a win-win.
Limit social media
Apps like offtime allow you to stay focused and avoid distractions throughout your day.
Want to stop mindlessly scrolling through Facebook? Find yourself answering texts instead of work-related emails? Keep getting distracted with the millions of notifications popping-up on your phone?
Multiple apps, like OFFTIME, allow you to block out all those distractions for a set period of time.
Side table/ Lap desk
A side table comes in handy when your partner is hogging the dining/kitchen table and you are stuck to move your office to the bedroom or couch.
Although working from your bedroom or the couch is definitely not recommended for many reasons (see Home Ergonomics Part 1), it may be your only option at times. If this is the case, a side table or an adjustable lap-desk may be your best bet.
Although these tools are not ideal for your physical health, they may be just what you need to get the work done when you are limited with your space. Just make sure, you do not make this a habit, otherwise, your body may pay for it later.
Lumbar support
This is highly recommended for anyone who suffers from back pain. They come in a wide range of sizes, colors, and fabrics. Whether you are stuck working from the couch/bed, or comfortably seated in an office, you cannot go wrong with a lumbar support!
Final note
As we continue to adjust to our new reality, it will be normal to encounter stressful situations from day to day. Our routines have been interrupted, coordinating with others has become challenging, and managing time for ourselves has become difficult.
Stress is something that affects more than just the mind, but our bodies as well. Along with the many mental health concerns that stem from stress, there are many physical symptoms that can be caused by daily stress as well. And as we have seen above, stress is a big factor in the way we perceive and feel in our bodies. Thus, the more stress we have, the more pain we have and the longer it can take to recover from current injuries. Although these are less-than-ideal times, it is important to make time for your mental health for your body, your mind, your work, your relationships, etc.
Physical activity is often considered to be one of the best stress relievers, as it increases the body’s production of endorphins, the brain’s ‘feel-good’ neurotransmitters. As well, physical activity is a mood booster, as it helps to relax the body and decrease mental and physical symptoms that you may face. Physical activity plays an important role in sleep quality as well, meaning that being generally more active during the day will allow your body and mind to relax and dodge stress signals in the evening, allowing a complete and proper sleep, ready to conquer the day ahead! And as we have seen, physical activity also decreases your likelihood of developing different types of injuries.
When working from home, it may be a bit difficult to fit exercise into your day, so start off slow!
Going on a short walk a few times a day will not only help you to maintain focus, but it is an easy way to get some movement in. Playing tennis or throwing a football with a family member or a friend on a sunny day are fun and care-free activities that will help reduce stress and target specific muscle groups.
Adding physical activity into your day should be a slow but consistent transition, eventually becoming a part of your lifestyle.
And remember, if you feel that your pain is not getting any better or is getting worse, is interfering with your daily life, and/or is keeping you up at night, contact your physical therapist or osteopath as soon as possible in order to assess and treat the root cause of your pain.
Furthermore, don’t feel bad about taking time for yourself, getting in a quick walk, chatting with your friends, consulting a mental health professional, and/or setting boundaries with your employer or family members. These small changes will end up making big changes in your mental and physical health.
