Video-conferencing is now integral part of life. For a simple reason that professional life got integrated with life at home, and began to be called ‘work from home’ or fancifully referred to WFH. However, it may not be always as easy to execute WFH tasks as fanciful it appears, given the typical Indian home environments. More, the WFH factor does require certain etiquette, making it often awful experience.
Here are five tips from Varun Nair, B2B Marketing Head – India & SWA, Logitech Electronics to make it a truly experiential and reassuring for every time.
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Most of us don’t have the luxury of a dedicated office space in our homes – and we end up spending parts of our work days at the kitchen table, on the sofa, even with our laptop propped up in bed. It may be relatively harmless for a day, but working like this for long periods can take a toll on our physical and mental wellbeing.
One of the most important parts of setting up a home office is setting up proper ergonomics. Being stationed in an asymmetric position can lead to overly used and tight muscles of the neck, shoulders and arms. Here are a few tips on setting up a home workstation that really work.
TIP #1 : CREATE A PROPER WORK ENVIRONMENT
Set out a dedicated space where you can replicate your office desk, as much as possible. The dining table will do, as long as you have enough space to be in a relaxed position with your screen at the proper height and distance.
TIP #2 : GET THE RIGHT GEAR
Hunkering over a laptop for a day is fine – but you really should invest in external devices if you’re going to work from home for any extended period of time. An external webcam, mouse & keyboard will help promote more natural, relaxed postures. Working for long periods of time in an awkward position and with the wrong equipment can lead to fatigue, discomfort and even pain. In worse cases, this can lead to carpal tunnel syndrome – which is caused by pressure on the median nerve that runs from your forearm through a passageway in your wrist (carpal tunnel) to your hand.
TIP #3 CHAIR-ING IS CARING
The normal dining room chair is meant to be sat on for an hour or so – but if you plan on working for a typical 8-hour workday then investing in a height-adjustable chair with a good lumbar support is critical. Kitchen tables are usually too high for computing. If that’s the only option, you may need to raise your chair (or sit on a cushion) so that the elbow comes at the height of the keyboard. If your heels are not firmly on the floor, use a footrest or a few books underneath.
TIP #4 : STAY OFF THE COUCH
First off, it’s important to create boundaries in your work from home environment. Try to keep your workstation for working and your couch for relaxing. Ergonomically-speaking modern couches are too deep and too low. You will soon be slouching, with tension in the neck and the lower back. If you work with your laptop on your knees your neck will hurt after a short period of time.
TIP #5 TAKE FREQUENT SMALL BREAKS
Working from home takes some getting used to, and your first few days might not be as productive and comfortable as you’d like them to be. That’s ok, there’s an adjustment period for everyone. And one of the biggest keys to making work from home work for you is building in breaks. So take the extra 15 minutes to drink your coffee on the balcony. You’ll be more productive and happy for it.
