People working from home tend to work longer hours than their onsite counterparts. This creates their own set of potential work-related health risks. Here’s what you should know, and tips to prevent them.

According to Global Workplace Analytics, working from home is a work style that continues to grow at an alarming rate. Not only is the number of companies that allow remote work increasing, but more new companies are using remote workers from the start. In fact, “remote work” is practically a household phrase. People everywhere now work remotely or at least know someone who does. As with any popular phenomenon, there are always a few downsides. For those working from home, they may unintentionally picking up some health risks in exchange for their five-second commute.

It’s well documented that remote workers work longer hours than their onsite counterparts. Whether the cause is an inability to shut down, concern about a boss’s “productivity paranoia,” or a combination of several factors, there are unhealthy behaviors remote professionals should be aware of, and replace.

Constant sitting

According to James A. Levine, M.D., Ph.D., answering questions for www.mayoclinic.org, excessive sitting “seems to increase the risk of death from cardiovascular disease and cancer.” While the obvious remedy to extensive sitting might be to head to the gym for an hour each morning, Dr. Levine says that this won’t help much. Instead, frequent movement breaks, such as walking around or even standing during work times, will be more beneficial. The point is to avoid long periods of sitting altogether.

Posture

Poor posture is about more than not looking poised. According to the Kansas Chiropractic Foundation, “the long-term effects of poor posture can affect bodily systems (such as digestion, elimination, breathing, muscles, joints and ligaments).” One of the chief causes of poor posture is sitting for extended periods of time. Those who work remotely often have desk jobs, so in addition to constant sitting, long hours can make them tired causing their postures to suffer.

Lack of exercise

It’s no secret that exercising is physically beneficial, whether to aid in weight loss, or to increase heart rate. What isn’t as well-known are the psychological benefits of exercise. This is particularly important because even the most independent and well-adjusted remote worker risks suffering from the effects of isolation and lack of stimuli. And this can bring on the very real mental health risk of depression.

According to journalist Cathy Johnson, producer of ABC Health Online (www.abc.net/au), citing a 2011 Dutch study on mood and exercise, “doing exercise reduced the risk of developing a mood or anxiety disorder… even when controlling for socioeconomic factors and physical illnesses.” That’s pretty impressive evidence to encourage home based workers to start walking or bike riding several times a week.

Poor eating habits

It can be argued that onsite workers have pretty bad eating habits, rushing to snack stands or fast food joints during their lunch hours. However, remote workers don’t fare much better, despite the selection control they have at home. In fact, being at home with an entire kitchen at one’s disposal often makes the eating habits of remote workers worse.

Furthermore, remote workers tend to feel guilty for taking breaks, so they mix their work and lunch times. Eating while working not only deprives workers the breaks they need, but it also creates mindless eating. Although there are many psychological concerns involved with mindless eating, the risk for telecommuters who eat at their desks are poor digestion, poor food choices, and not getting mental breaks. Health experts advise, “It is important to get away from the desk. This allows yourself to unwind, revamp and get some fresh air, but also prevents you from eating mindlessly.” (Fun fact: eating over a keyboard is most unsanitary. “The University of Arizona found that the average office keyboard harbours over 400 times more bacteria than the average toilet seat.” The National Center for Health Research)

Sleep habits

While some may assume that remote workers sleep until noon since there’s no traffic to fight with, this is rarely the case. In fact, because of the blur between work and home it is more realistic to expect remote workers to rise earlier than ever to get a start on their days, yet work late into the night to recoup any time they might have lost throughout the day because of family obligations or other interruptions. And, because some remote workers are perpetually networked to their companies makes it all the easier to ignore their bodies’ signals for sleep and to keep plugging away with work.

In fact, Dr. Carolyn Axtell (Institute of Work Psychology and Management, The University of Sheffield, UK), and Barbara Nelson, (former CTO of iPass), referred to teleworkers as “remote over-workers”. In a study conducted by Dr. Axtell, it was found that “more than a quarter of respondents said they worked 15 to 20 hours extra a week,” which contributed to impaired work-life balance and well-being. According to Matthew Wall, reporting for BBC News, “Dr Axtell’s work suggests productivity actually levels off among those working the longest hours, and even drops over time, as tiredness and stress eventually impair performance.” Clearly a danger sign for teleworkers!

Social Deprivation

Humans are social creatures. Remote workers are humans. So, it stands to reason, that teleworkers are also social creatures, doesn’t it? But how do we support remote workers’ primal needs when the very nature of working from home suggests working away from other people? The truth is, a solution to this issue, and whose responsibility it is, are up for debate. Companies have only recently begun to take this aspect into consideration and to realize that socialization of remote workers goes beyond conference calls, Zoom-ing, and yearly meet-ups.

Eye Strain

Most jobs performed by remote workers are technical or intellectual. Performing those jobs generally requires the constant use of computers. This means non-stop staring and squinting at computer screens, whether to enter information or to research and read. This can cause Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS). Combine a constant staring at computer monitors, along with poor home lighting, topped off with working late into the night, and remote workers risk doing serious damage to their eyes.

According to the American Optometric Association, preventing or reducing CVS “involves taking steps to control lighting and glare on the computer screen, establishing proper working distances and posture for computer viewing, and assuring that even minor vision problems are properly corrected.”

Preventing Health Risks

No one wants a desire to improve their work-life balance to result in damaged health. Fortunately, most health risks can be minimized with a few changes in the way work is done.

Get up and move!

You don’t need an expensive gym membership to be mobile. Simply walk through the house, vacuum, stand on your head, or whatever suits you. Remembering to take these small movement breaks can be difficult at first, so set a timer to ring every 45 minutes. When the timer goes off, get up to move around for no less than five minutes. It will soon become a habit and your body will thank you.

Listen to your body

Learn proper sitting posture and get a quality ergonomic chair. Keep your keyboard and monitor at proper levels. According to Lifehacker.com contributor Whitson Gordon, in How to Ergonomically Optimize Your Workspace, an ergonomic office doesn’t have to be expensive. The very basics are your keyboard, monitor, and chair.

• Monitor: “You want the point about 2 or 3 inches down from the top of the monitor casing to be at eye level. You also want the monitors to be about an arm’s length away from where you’re sitting,” writes Gordon.
• Chair: comfortable cushion, arm rests, adjustable seat height, adjustable backrest, lumbar support, and the ability to swivel.
• Keyboard: a sliding keyboard tray is less important if you have an adjustable seat. However, “You want your mouse and keyboard to be as close together as possible.”

Pack before you snack

Designate a separate meal spot so you aren’t eating at your computer. Meal planning is key to preventing impulse snack choices and avoid mindless eating. You could make a separate shopping list just for your lunch menu.

Keep lunch food in separate bins in the pantry and refrigerator so that you know not to dip into them when you’re off duty. And remember to plan food that will satisfy your hunger as well as increase your energy.

EatingWell.com offers a free, downloadable lunch cookbook to help readers make sensible lunches that won’t cost a lot, and are also simple to prepare and fun to eat. (You could even write yourself inspirational notes to slip into your lunch bag each night!)

Stick to a routine

It is critical that you make conscious decisions about when you will begin and end work each day. Doing so helps you prepare to accomplish things, and gives you boundaries. This is also helpful for others in the house to know when they should expect you to be working. Such predictability will help them respect your time.

One of the best ways I’ve found to set these limits is by planning my schedule the night before. If I know I will be doing some type of data entry work (terrible on the eyes) I plan an earlier break time to prevent me from getting a headache, straining my neck and back, or wanting to nap. When I know I’ll be researching, I can allow for a longer and later work time because I will be actively engaged in what I’m doing.

According to Pastor Jeff Randleman, “Begin by looking at all the tasks that you need to accomplish each day. If you already have a routine that you’d like to tweak or improve, begin with these three areas: tasks that you already do, tasks that you need to add, and tasks that you need to eliminate or delegate.”  (Pastor Randleman has written an excellent series called “How To Develop A Daily Routine”, which you may enjoy, available free on his website.)

Reach out and meet someone

As much as teleworkers might crave contact with other humans, a business conference call or online meeting doesn’t suffice. Interact with others on a casual basis–online and offline. Meet people for lunch, a drink, coffee, or a brainstorming session at a library. Face to face contact is crucial.

Get out of the house and sit in a coffee shop for one hour (yes, set limits on your time), and find at least one person to converse with. You will be amazed at how much more refreshed and productive you feel when you return to your home office.

Rest

Once a routine is established you won’t have to force yourself out of your office at 1am. Stop work when you say you will, and then pick a bedtime that’s right for you. There will no longer be a conflict when you are tired and want to sleep, because you made a clear choice to stop your work for the day and continue tomorrow. When you return to your office the following day you will feel mentally and physically rested, making you more productive and creative.

Takeaway

Remote work is an arrangement that can live up to its promises, if you make it that way. Resolve that you’ll make more time for yourself and improve your work-life balance. You can enjoy the benefits of lower stress levels, saving money, and work flexibility. Recognize how easy it is to hurt your health by not paying attention to the details. Plan ways to nurture yourself. And follow through with new habits to launch yourself into success.

Your Turn: What unhealthy behaviors have you noticed in yourself or other remote workers that need to be addressed?

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