Physical health: unexpected ergonomics
While we haven’t yet conducted in-depth research into optimising your health when working in an office or remotely, we want to highlight some expert advice that you may have not heard before. For the full list of ergonomic work advice, visit Boston University’s or Ithaca College’s reports.
Many of us have already heard about the importance of using an ergonomic office chair, standing up periodically, and letting your blood circulate freely every hour. Here are some less well-known insights that might add to your awareness:
- The 20/20/20 Rule.
If you’ve been looking at a computer screen for twenty minutes, look away at an object twenty feet away for twenty seconds to give your eye muscles a break, balancing out long-distance and short-distance vision. Long periods of strained short-distance vision can weaken eyesight over time. - Avoid letting your feet dangle.
Try to ensure your thighs are almost parallel to the floor to reduce stress on your lumbar spine (lower back). - Level your monitor or screen height level with your eyes.
“When looking straight ahead, your eyes should be level with the top of the monitor (tip: this will also help with your Zoom/webcam angles!).” - Your desk height may need to be lower than you think.
Your elbows ought to be resting at an angle greater than 90 degrees (lower than you’d think), and it’s essential to get your wrists in a neutral position. Bending your wrists upward “increases pressure in the carpal tunnel.”
For more in-depth guidance on ergonomic working, take a look at Cornell University’s guide.
Mental health: staying motivated
Whether you work remotely or in a shared workspace, it’s likely that your mood affects your work, and your environment affects your mood.
Although the comfort and ease of working from home can be good for our health, getting dressed and out the door can be more motivating. The routines associated with pre-Covid work life helped clearly differentiate work hours from personal time.
The NHS recommends that workers try to “get up at the same time, eat breakfast and get out of your pyjamas.” They also suggest “scheduling in your ‘commute time’” to then “spend it exercising, reading or listening to music before logging in.”
If possible, try to step outside and expose yourself to green space, fresher air, or natural light. A short walk can provide many cognitive and psychological benefits, and provide a break from monotonous work or straining your eyes at a screen. Bright morning light can also help to improve sleep quality by better setting your circadian rhythm.
Additionally, consider assigning a single table or desk for work, reserving other places or surfaces for eating, reading, or any other leisure activities. Set boundaries between where you work and where you do everything else in order to keep things organised, and to limit physical and mental clutter.
For more valuable mental health interventions to improve your productivity, such as drinking more tea, learning box breathing, and trying Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, check out our Stress report.
Staying social
Whether you work from home or commute everyday, chances are that your work life has become less social during the Covid-19 pandemic. There are several ways to stay in touch with old friends or family, and ways to make new ones.
- Get to know your team.
Within your organisation, suggest virtual or in-person events to your HR team or the office manager, or propose a happy hour or casual lunch yourself. You can make a plan with one colleague, and then offer an open invitation to others to lessen any pressure. It’s likely that your colleagues also want opportunities to get out of the house or to socialise remotely, and will be glad someone else suggested it. - Get involved in an interest or value-based community.
Effective Altruism has groups all over the world, and group organisers often host large events, talks, and social outings (such as group hikes). If you read any popular blogs, like Astral Codex or Less Wrong, these communities (and plenty of others) often have local meet-up groups. Community groups, volunteer organisations, or recreational sports teams offer many additional ways to meet more people. - Consider alumni organisations.
Many universities have an alumni group in most major cities, and this can offer a wealth of opportunities to network or socialise. - Try out Twitter or Meetup.
Twitter can increase stress and time-waste, but with a tailored and careful approach, it may be a great way to meet people who share common interests. Meetup is also variably effective, but there are thousands of virtual and in-person groups dedicated to a variety of interests, such as language practice, philosophy, literature, career development, and more.
Thanks for reading!
Please reach out to us to share any other interventions you’ve found useful for working and living healthily, especially techniques with a basis of rigorous evidence.