#MakeYourSpaceAtHome: Healthy working - get up and go!

Inspirations

It is always good to take care of your health: by focusing on proper body posture, regulating your workstation or observing workplace hygiene. Following these rules in the office, where you have access to a proper chair, laptop pad etc., may be boring (admit it, you sometimes forget about it), but definitely doable. Problems appear when you suddenly have no access to all these facilities, because you have to work from home. Many of us have had to cope with this challenge for the past couple of days.

I don’t have my own office

What do you do if you don’t have a suitable room to work in, with a PC, regulated chair and a well-lit desk? You will have to improvise. A critical situation calls for all the creativity you can muster. We have collected a few of such “makeshift” ideas to give you some inspiration. We should remember, however, that none of these solutions will guarantee the comfort and ergonomic quality that come with a proper chair and regulated desk.

In order to cope with the situation for the time being, it is good to define the space you are going to work in. It could be a dining room table and a regular chair. Remember, when you sit, try to keep your knees at an angle of ca. 90°. Your elbows should also be at the right angle after you put your forearms on the table. Sometimes you will have to sit on a folded blanket or two to achieve this. You can also use a footrest (it could be e.g. a shoebox). This will take the load off your shoulder girdle and boost your circulation.

Another aspect is the position of the computer screen: its upper edge should be right below your line of sight. If you put your laptop on the table and find out that the upper edge of the screen is too low, try putting a few books underneath.

If the back of your chair does not support your spine, i.e. if your lumbar spine does not rest against the back of the chair – place a cushion so that your lower back is supported. This will help you avoid back pain.

Sitting is not the end of the story

Once you have created a comfortable makeshift workplace, it’s time to stand up. It’s not a joke. Sitting in one position for a long time will not do you good, even if the position you chose is ergonomic and comfortable. Your muscles stiffen, constant pressure on the veins causes ischaemia, and lack of exercise accounts for low oxygen supply. It’s time for a coffee break and a short walk to the kitchen.

But a change of position does not necessarily have to involve a break. Do you have access to a high windowsill or a kitchen island - a place where you could work in a standing position? Use it! If not, you can always use an ironing board, which will become your temporary desk, while you stretch your legs and boost your circulation. You should change your position following the 50/25/25 model: during one hour you spend 50% of the time sitting down, 25% standing and the other 25% in motion.

You could also do a few simple exercises, which will relax your muscle tension and help you get rid of stiffness. This is also a good way to supply oxygen to your brain if you happen to spend more time in one position.

The link includes a few sample exercises with a description. Good luck!