Do you complain of having severe neck pain or back pain after a long day at work?

If your answer is yes, then you must check whether you practice healthy habits or no.

A fancy chair and desk will not help you in preventing neck/back pain. Changing your posture and removing the stress from your neck and back could give you a boost of energy for the rest of the day. 

Now, as the world has gone into the remote mode of work or work from home, you might have converted your home space into your temporary workstation. Many of us might be working under less than ideal ergonomic conditions. A poor experience can either make or break your work from home experience. Ergonomics is all about making the environment fit for you.

Good ergonomics is essential for a healthy, productive work environment. Poor ergonomics can lead to lower productivity. No matter how well an enterprise designs a workspace, everyone should ensure they are using good ergonomics at their workstation. In current times, the same principles should be applied while you work from home.

 

Lack of energy alone doesn’t cause fatigue; your lethargy comes from your lifestyle habits at work and its impact on your spine. The temporary makeshift office at your home may be giving you neck pain or back pain. To avoid back pain or neck pain, you should learn about the habits that you need to develop for a better ergonomics and to better support your spine. 

Here are a few tips on how you make yourself comfortable and prevent back pain while working remotely for the likely future.

 

  • The first and foremost is your posture. You must change your posture frequently. Do not hunch over your laptop while working from home. Common mistakes are slouching instead of sitting upright, tilting your head when it should be straight, improper bending, lifting, etc. Every physical activity you do has a positive or negative impact on your spine. Hence, posture is key and play a significant role in your spine health.

  • The muscles that support the spine becomes weaker if you have a poor sitting posture. So, when you work, you must use a good ergonomic chair which provides arm support and also supports your lower back.

  • Your feet should be flat on the floor. Use a footrest if your legs can’t reach the floor.

  • Always keep your body in alignment while sitting and standing. While sitting, sit up straight, keeping your shoulders and hips in line vertically. When standing, distribute your body weight evenly to the front, back and sides of feet; focusing on holding your stomach muscles in.

  • Set your computer screen about an arm’s length away, ensuring that the top of the screen is at your eye level. Centrally align your keyboard and adjust the height of your chair in such a way that your forearms are horizontal to the desktop and in line with your keyboard.

  • Overall, one should maintain a relaxed posture in the head, neck, shoulders, and back. If you clutch or clench muscles, it can lead to muscle stiffness and tightness, resulting in increased pain.


  • You should reduce sedentary time while at your desk or even at home. Make it a point to get up, take a stroll, and stretch every 20-30 minutes. Try attending a meeting or conference call while standing or walking around the house rather than sitting continuously. 

    Most importantly, increase self-awareness of posture and ergonomics in your everyday routine. Be mindful and practice safe postures while doing activities such as bending, lifting, sitting, and working in awkward body positions.

    Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is all about the habits that you practice. Following these healthy habits daily will lead you on the right track to a healthy life and also enrich your work from home experience