Despite the added comfort of working from home, body pain is still a common woe for remote workers. You’re still essentially stuck in a chair for most of the day, even if that chair is in your home office. And as you’re probably already familiar with, sitting for hours upon a time can take a toll on your body and manifest in all sorts of pain.
If you are constantly experiencing back pain, neck pain, leg pain, and other sorts of aches while working remotely, here are some of the best ways to avoid and relieve pain at home:
Invest in a massage chair
A massage chair is an excellent investment at home. Not only does it provide a great way to relax after a long day of work, but it can also relieve body aches and pains that you accumulate while working at your desk. If you want an easy way to relieve work-related pain at home, start looking for a great massage chair online.
Correct your posture
Poor posture is the number one cause of work-related body pain. That said, always be mindful of your posture when sitting at your disk. Straighten your back, position your legs at a forty-five-degree angle, keep your feet flat on the floor, and put your screen at a comfortable viewing height. You shouldn’t have to slouch, look down, or twist your head to look at your screen. Otherwise, you could easily end up with back and neck pain.
If you need extra help to correct your posture, purchase a posture corrector to help you maintain proper posture, and prevent the onset of body pain.
Take frequent breaks
Stand from your desk at least once every hour and walk around. Aside from giving your body a much-needed break from sitting, it will also give your eyes a break from staring at the screen, helping prevent eye strain. If you can, it’s also a great idea to spend ten to twenty minutes of your lunch break standing or walking around.
Use an ergonomic chair
An ergonomic chair is designed to promote proper posture while sitting, which helps prevent back and neck pain. Invest in an ergonomic chair for your home office. Alternatively, buy a back support device that attaches to a regular office chair.
Elevate your laptop
If you use a laptop, elevate it with a pile of books or a laptop stand. This will make it uncomfortable to use your laptop’s keyboard, so you may also want to use a separate plug-in keyboard that you can keep at a comfortable height on your desk. Moreover, avoid working on a laptop if you are going to be sitting on the sofa, bed, or anywhere else where you won’t have a desk in front of you.
Switch to voice typing from time to time
Voice typing allows your wrists and hands to take a break once in a while. Try switching to voice typing mode when writing emails, texts, and chat messages.
Keep your keyboard and close near your body
Doing so will help avoid awkward shoulder and hand movements which will, in turn, help prevent back, shoulder, and elbow pain. Similarly, ensure that your mouse or touchpad is at the right height where you can use it with your hands and forearms straight.
Work while standing
Varying your posture throughout the day is a great way to prevent all sorts of body pain. Whenever possible, work while standing for a few minutes (it also helps if you have a desk that can be converted to a standing desk when needed). If you have to take a call, stand, or walk around to stretch your muscles.
It is crucial to address body pain while it’s still in its early stages. With these tips, you can help relieve yourself of work-related body pain, as well as prevent it from occurring in the first place.
