Bored of your remote working set up? Sick of staring at the same houseplant day in, day out? Looking to change things up a bit to improve your health? We hear you.
The lockdown hasn’t been easy for any of us, and we recognise how important it is to keep things fun and interesting where possible – starting with your desk setup! So, we’re here to tell you all about the remote working equipment we think you should invest in to keep yourself from going stir-crazy at home. Let’s get started!
- Enjoy An Ergonomic Chair
Since you will probably be spending every waking second in your chair at the moment, it’s one of the most important aspects to consider improving. And, instead of making do with your armchair, dining chair or bar stool of some kind, we recommend splashing the cash on an ergonomic chair.
These multi-purpose chairs have been designed for a reason, significantly reducing your risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders like back pain, neck pain and repetitive strain injury (RSI).
The last thing you want, after all, is to get injured in any way before you can enjoy your post-pandemic freedom.
- Keep RSI Away With An Ergonomic Keyboard
When you work too hard, you get repetitive strain injury (RSI) – a common issue in which the prolonged performance of repetitive actions causes pain in your muscles and tendons involved. It’s sore, nasty and, in other words, not really an issue you want to come up against. To combat it, ergonomic computer mouses and keyboards have been designed for this exact purpose, encouraging your hand to work in a more comfortable, neutral position.
This, in turn, should not only help keep RSI onset at bay but also improve your level of engagement and productivity. Talk about a win-win.
- Stretch Those Legs With A Standing Desk
While spending the entire workday sitting on your bum may sound great in principle, it isn’t particularly good for you. In fact, research has shown that sitting down for long periods slows metabolism, affecting our ability to regulate blood sugar, control blood pressure and break down fat. This, in turn, contributes to weaker muscles and bones, leaving us susceptible to potential injuries and the onset of various conditions. Not good. So, to prevent this from happening, standing desks could help encourage you to stretch your legs during the workday.
And, better yet, even when you do eventually start feeling tired, the lever mechanism these desks come with gives you the flexibility to rest your legs for a little while.
- Prettify Your Workspace With Houseplants
There’s no denying it, nature is not only cool and pretty but it also offers so much more than that – decreased stress levels and a lower likelihood of premature death. Scary stuff.
Unfortunately, however, while you’re working from home, spending time in nature can be difficult to do. So, why not bring it inside instead? Buying houseplants is a simple way to achieve the benefits of being outdoors without needing to actually work outside. This is because houseplants like ivy and aloe vera have been shown to have a positive effect on improving the air quality surrounding you while you work.
This, in turn, enables you to stay focused over a longer period, helping keep a number of nasty potential mental health issues at bay.
Final Thoughts…
So, there you have it – a detailed list of the best equipment we think you should invest in to keep healthy while working from home. And, while we’re on the topic, it’s worth mentioning that taking time out of your day to go on breaks, walks and exercise regularly can be just as important when it comes to staying healthy.
Generally speaking, the more you can do to stimulate your mind and body outside of work, the better you’ll feel – it’s all about finding the right balance, really.
Photo credits: coworkinglondon.com