Working from home is a new experience for most people, but it comes with many benefits. One of these benefits is being able to work on a comfy couch or bed in your pajamas with no one the wiser. Even though that may be fun or relaxing, it can have health repercussions. Here are things to be mindful of to protect your back while working from home:
Find the Right Seat
A lot of different factors in a seat can promote either good or poor alignment. To check for alignment, see if you can draw a straight line connecting your ear, shoulder, and hip. Also check if your elbows, hips, and knees are at 90-degree angles and that your feet are touching the ground. You will also want to be able to use a backrest of some sort to give your back support. These things will keep your back in alignment, preventing pain and injury.
Face Straight Forward
Pain in the shoulders and upper back can be caused from looking up or down too long. Make sure that your monitors or laptop are directly in line with your eyes so you can look straight ahead. You may need to use books or boxes to make the screens high enough to be level with your eyes.
Take Short Breaks
Even if your body is in proper alignment, you still shouldn’t remain in that one position throughout the day. Take small stretch breaks about every half-hour. You can also incorporate standing work into your work from home routine. Or you can take walks while answering phone calls to get your blood pumping. This will keep you healthier and reduce back and neck pain.
Share this advice with your employees to avoid back pain while enjoying the comfort of working from home.