5 Tips From A Chiropractor On Working From Home
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As England undergoes a second national lockdown we will be sharing advice from local businesses on how to maintain your mental and physical wellbeing. In this blog post, Shal Bhatia from Back Track Chiropractic shares some tips on how to improve posture and avoid injury while working from home.
I have seen an increase of patients in my clinic, complaining of aches and pains from home working. I’ve been asked by the JQBID to give some advice on working from home. So hopefully this helps you.
1. Posture Check
Being a Chiropractor, I must start by saying that having a good posture is important! When working at home, be sure to follow the correct steps to ensure good positioning. No matter how tempting it is to work from the comfort of your bed please don’t! You know who you are ????. If you don’t have a desk to work from, a dining room table or the kitchen worktop will do fine.
A hot tip, ditch the iron and start using the ironing board at the correct level to make your own stand up desk. Lets face it no one cares about creased clothes in lockdown anyway ????. Mixing it up between sitting and standing while working helps take the pressure of your back.
2. Routine & Space.
Working from home has given us challenges to try and separate home and work-life balance. Creating a separate workspace would be ideal. But if this is not possible don’t worry. Having a routine and plan is important. Treat your working day at home like you were in the workplace, with a start time, break times and most importantly a finish time! ????
3. You deserve a break!
Working from home without a distraction from your screen/desk can be difficult. That small trip to the staff room to make a quick cuppa or having a chat with colleagues gives you the opportunity to breathe and stretch from sitting for long periods. Try setting a timer on your phone to allow yourself regular breaks, this is important for your body. In this “break time” you could even squeeze in some postural stretches, to help ease the impact of sitting for long periods of time. Trust me, your body will thank you! ????
4. Invest
Ok I’m not talking stocks and shares, when I say invest, I mean invest in yourself and your health. If your work involves a laptop, it is worth purchasing a separate keyboard, mouse and a riser. A pile of books or a shoebox will do the trick to save some pounds! This will help in lifting your screen to eye level while working from your keyboard at the correct arm level.
In addition, a lumbar support for your back is ideal. Try rolling a towel, pop it in the small of your back creating a DIY lumbar support. All these will help to ease tension off your neck and back. ????
5. Do not ignore what your body is trying to tell you.
If you feel slouchy you probably are. Working from home, comes with its ups and downs. As a result, you need to help your body ease tension. The tips above, may contribute to ease some aches and pains.
If you feel you will benefit from a consultation, or if you have any questions. Contact me on info@backtrackchiro.co.uk. The clinic is still open during lockdown, we’ve got your back! ????
Keep Safe!
Your JQ Chiro, Shal Bhatia