Work From Home Guide

Working from home can be difficult or it can be an opportunity. No one style or setup will work for everyone. Some can be productive on their couch and some will need a completely separate office space from their living space. Finding what works for you may take some time, but we are here to provide some insight and help give you the information you need to efficiently work from home.

Find your space

Before working efficiently at home, finding a space that works for you is imperative. It might be a separate room, a corner of your bedroom with a desk, or the kitchen counter. Finding a space and designating that to be your work space will help to separate your work space from your living space. Finding a separation from your work is also important for mental health and to reduce burnout. As limited space can be an issue this might be difficult, but even allocating a part of your living space to now being a work space can help. Although you might be productive while sitting on your couch, prolonged work hours can lead to health concerns.

Work Ergonomically

As you might be working for prolonged hours, finding a setup which will not be a health detriment is very important. A few steps you can take to remain healthy will go a long way:

• Work at eye level: Making your display at eye level is very important to not strain your neck by constantly looking down. If you do not have a laptop stand propping up a few textbooks might sound silly, but can make the difference for your health.

• Set adequate lighting: A desk lamp is important to ensure enough light to reduce eye strain. Overhead lighting is not always the best due to causing a glare on the monitor. Open curtains to bring in natural lighting if possible.

• Sit upright: If you will be sitting for a prolonged period, sit upright with your shoulders back and feet firmly planted on the floor. Avoid crossing your legs or leaning on one side of your chair's armrest. If your chair does not have lumbar support folding a pillow and placing it at the small of your back will be sufficient.

Additional Health tips

Working from home can blur the lines of work and living. Finding a work space is very important, but so is remaining physically healthy. Purchasing a standing desk can be quite expensive, so an alternative is to set yourself breaks to move around and get some blood flowing. Staying hydrated isn’t necessarily a ‘work from home’ specific thing, but nevertheless an important aspect to staying healthy when working. Set a timed break and walk over and get a drink of some water; now you’ve moved around and stayed hydrated.

Working from home can be a challenge, but using this information can be just what you need to find a good work-life balance and remaining physically and mentally healthy while you do it.

Some great tools to work from home

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