The true cost of WFH on our physical wellness

Makeshift desks. Management through video. Interruptions from pets, partners, and children. Even if work from home is ultimately better for what you do, it has certainly come with a few transitional challenges. We’ve discussed the impact that WFH can have on our mental health, and how it has led to burnout, isolation, and even a Great Resignation. However, Digiday’s Future of Work series recently covered an aspect of WFH that’s less talked about: its impact on our physical health and wellness.

Whether at an office desk or on your couch (wait, you’re not still sitting on a couch, are you?!), sitting for long periods of time has been tied to poor health outcomes like increased blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol. The benefits of not having to leave home to do work come with drawbacks: Zero commute means you’re losing movement from home to the office, as well as all quick walks between meetings. Some companies have supported their employees with work-from-home stipends, gym membership reimbursements, and virtual wellness events, but those generous employers are far and few between. So what are you, a WFHer, supposed to do?

Shift your behavior. Here are some tips for improving your WFH lifestyle:

• Upgrade your WFH setup. Whether you’re working with a laptop or a monitor, bring your screen to eye level so that you’re not looking down or hunching over your keyboard. For more tips, including better WFH posture, check out this article from Shape.
• Avoid burnout. As difficult as it may be, setting strict boundaries around your work and nonwork time is the key to avoiding burnout. Place reminders on your calendar for short breaks and set a time that you would ideally like to stop working at every day..and actually follow through.
• Prioritize your physical health. Try to get some steps in every hour, even if you’re just taking a quick walk to and from your kitchen. After finishing work for the day, doing some simple stretches can also help to reverse some of the adverse effects of sitting at your desk.

And before you decide to skip lunch for the third time this week—yikes—reconsider, if only to prioritize your physical health.