This is because by staying home to work, we blur the lines between our professional and personal life, which makes it incredibly hard to find the motivation to work and concentrate on it.
Workplace wellness is the concept of any workplace health promotion activity or organizational policy designed to support healthy behavior among employees and to improve health outcomes. The need for workplace wellness arose due to research conducted on the impact of work-related stress on our physical health and emotional well-being. Studies show that long work days are bad for the heat and increase the employee’s risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
Workplace Wellness Trends:
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Many employers have started to invest in mental health by giving employees access to mental health confidential helplines and offering free sessions with a qualified therapist.
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Employers have started to prioritize stress management by offering employees stress management training, offering dedicated resilience training, and access to a digital helpdesk for stressed employees.
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A popular workplace wellness trend also includes providing employees with a range of wellness benefits that can prevent them from feeling burnout or developing physical ailments like back aches. Some prevention strategies include providing regular health check-ups and immunizations, encouraging employees to be more physically active, and building an adaptive workplace design.
Strategies for Maintaining Physical and Mental Health While Working from Home:
Remote working or working from home can cause people to feel isolated, have trouble staying motivated, have trouble managing disruptions, find it hard to find a work-life balance, avoid burnout, lead to less physical activity, and have difficulty maintaining healthy eating habits. Strategies to maintain physical and mental health while working from home-
Do not overeat- What we eat and how much we eat significantly impact our energy levels, confidence, concentration, and focus. While working from home, try not to order from outside and make your own meals by emphasizing a bunch of nutritious foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole, grains, and dairy products. Try to cut down on processed foods, along with foods high in sugar and salt. Do not skip your meals, as skipping meals can lead to increased cravings which lead to snacking.
Stick to a routine- Stick to a proper routine that prioritizes different aspects of your life. Do not work all of the time and take extra work. Without a steady schedule, you’ll feel like you are always on call and this can lead to stress and anxiety. Follow your normal sleep and work patterns. Wake up and go to bed at the same every day, including weekends. Use the time you would have spent commuting to do things like exercising, reading, listening to music, or partaking in a hobby.
Set up a home office- Do not work from your bedroom or at least your bed or sofa as it can mess up your posture and cause back and neck issues. Working from your bedroom can deteriorate the quality of sleep as you’ll no longer associate your bed with relaxation and comfort like you are supposed to. Even if you live in a small space, try to sit down at a desk or install a standing desk. Also, get a chair that supports the curvature of your lower back for better posture.
Do not work constantly- Just like in a normal office, take frequent screen breaks to stretch your back and legs, so that when you return to working you can easily concentrate on your work. If you can, go to a park during your breaks or go sit outside your house.
