Whether you’re working remotely or have a hybrid work situation, these tips can help you be more productive — and healthier.

Whether you’re a full-time remote worker or have a hybrid schedule, you’re probably doing something different than you did in the past. And that could be throwing you off a little.

For example, it may be much easier to stop working when you can get in your car and commute home. Not having that routine can have its drawbacks.

Now is a good time to reassess your work-from-home situation. Here are 8 tips to get you on the right track — and help you be healthier.

Tip #1: Take time to fully unplug from work.

Remote work blurs the lines between work and home life. That can make it harder to unplug from work.

That’s a bad thing, says Sara Jansen Perry, Ph.D. She’s an associate professor of management at the Hankamer School of Business at Baylor University in Texas. Perry’s research focuses on the well-being of remote workers.

“It’s really important to shut your brain off, shut the screens off and shut the responsibility of having to respond off,” Perry says. She explains that we are constantly burning mental and emotional resources at work. Unplugging at night and taking meaningful vacation time are both essential for restoring those resources. If we never unplug, it can lead to burnout and even physical health problems.

Perry encourages people to establish some sort of transition routine at the end of the day. Here are some ideas:

• Close your office door
• Put your laptop away (and out of sight)
• Do a transitional activity like:
• Calling a friend
• Changing out of your “work clothes”
• Going for a walk
• Going to the gym
• Listening to a podcast

“Think about what you did on your commute — can you do something like that to help transition your mindset from work to home?” asks Perry.

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Tip #2: Find ways to socialize.

Working remotely might mean you’re chatting with people — i.e., coworkers — less. Plus, spending all day at home can feel isolating, and that can take a toll on your mental health.

So how can remote workers stay connected? “Set up intentional time to talk to people,” says Perry. You can set up regular meetings, or just reach out to coworkers at random times for a quick chat. It’s not a formal meeting with an agenda, just a chance to check in and say hi.

You can also take it as an opportunity to build more social connections outside of work. Find ways to get involved with your community. Make a weekly appointment with friends for happy hour or dinner. Or try to call a friend to chat every week.

Tip #3: Invest in a good chair.

We spend most of our workday sitting in a chair, so it’s important to have a good one. Improper posture at your desk can lead to:

• Back pain
• Eyestrain
• Neck pain
• Sore wrists

Karen Loesing, owner of the Ergonomic Expert in California, recommends investing in a fully adjustable chair. Not just height adjustability, but armrests, seat depth and the ability to recline while still ensuring back support, she says. That way, you can customize everything to get you in a proper sitting position.

If you can’t take the plunge on an expensive chair right now, you may be able to make your current chair a little more ergonomic. Options can include:

• Adding a pillow or other cushion to raise your height, if needed
• Adding a footrest if your feet aren’t flat on the ground (you can make one with boxes, paper reams or something firm for proper leg support, says Loesing)
• Placing a pillow behind your back for lumbar support

Tip #4: Get up and move around every hour.

Yes, you read that right: Get up and move around every hour.

“It’s important to get up from your desk throughout the day,” even if your desk is a perfectly good ergonomic workstation, says Loesing. Taking frequent breaks is good for your mental and physical health. Here’s how:

• It can help reduce eyestrain.
• It gives you a chance to stretch out and get some steps in.
• It gives your brain a break to restore some of your mental resources.

Perry recommends the 50/10 rule: Work for 50 minutes, then take a 10-minute break. But she admits that it’s easier said than done. There are apps and fitness devices that can help remind you to get up. You can also create reasons to get up. For example, Loesing recommends putting your printer or other things you need throughout the day in another room, away from your desk.

Tip #5: Do something productive with your breaks.

Working from home means that household chores don’t have to wait until the weekend. Use those hourly 10-minutes breaks to do something productive around the house like:

• Folding your laundry
• Running an errand
• Tidying up
• Washing some dishes

The list could go on and on. “I’m a huge advocate of using your break time well,” says Perry. It’s a mental break for your brain, and you’ll feel like you’ve accomplished something. Plus, she adds, if you can get chores done during the workday, you’ll have more time during nights and weekends for fun, restorative activities.

Tip #6: Protect your eyes.

Whether you’re working from home or in an office, staring at a computer screen all day can take a toll on your eyes. If you get headaches or have blurry vision or dry eyes, you may be suffering from digital eyestrain. Setting up your desk properly can help. Here are some tips:

• Your monitor should be at or below eye level, about an arm’s length from your face.
• Position the monitor so that it doesn’t catch glare from windows or lights. Use curtains or blinds to control light from the windows.
• Keep the screen brightness at about the same level as the lighting in the rest of the room (or a little brighter).

It’s also important to give your eyes a break. Loesing recommends the 20/20/20 rule: Every 20 minutes, look at something at least 20 feet away for 20 seconds. And if you’ve been looking at a screen for 2 hours or more, give your eyes a 15-minute break.

If you’re still having eye troubles, you might consider seeing an eye doctor. Prescription lenses could help.

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Tip #7: Set expectations with family.

Working from home can change family dynamics. If you have a spouse that’s also working from home, you may be struggling to give each other space. Perry emphasizes that partners need to define their roles and set expectations.

“Open communication and negotiating with your family about what you need to work at home is something that needs to be done,” says Perry.

Tip #8: Keep snacking at bay.

If you’re working from home all day, every day, you probably know that it can be tough not to use your breaks to head to the kitchen or pantry to grab a snack.

In Perry’s research, she found that many remote workers were struggling with snacking all day. According to health professionals, the simplest way to cut back is to keep snacks out of the house.

Consider the potential benefits of having access to your own kitchen too, she says. “You can prepare healthy things, like salads, that are harder to bring with you to the office.”

Plus, there are no vending machines, coworker birthday cakes or fast-food lunches to tempt you throughout the week. Perry’s advice: “Think about what worked for you at the office.” If packing your lunch helped you stay on track at the office, you can still “pack a lunch” to eat at home.

There are pros and cons of remote work and office work. Now that you’ve potentially experienced both, try to get the best of both worlds.

“What have we learned over the past 3 years that can make work life better?” asks Perry. “Maybe things we took for granted before we don’t have to take for granted now.”

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For informational purposes only. This information is compiled by UnitedHealthcare and does not diagnose problems or recommend specific treatment. Services and medical technologies referenced herein may not be covered under your plan. Please consult directly with your primary care physician if you need medical advice.

Sources:

American Optometric Association. “Computer Vision Syndrome.” Retrieved from https://www.aoa.org/healthy-eyes/eye-and-vision-conditions/computer-vision-syndrome?sso=y. Accessed on November 25, 2024

Occupational Safety and Health Administration. “Computer workstations eTool: monitors.” Retrieved from https://www.osha.gov/etools/computer-workstations/components/monitors. Accessed on June 17, 2024

Princeton University. “Ergonomics & computer use.” Retrieved from: https://uhs.princeton.edu/health-resources/ergonomics-computer-use. Accessed on November 25, 2024

UCLA Ergonomics. “4 Steps to Set Up Your Workstation.” https://ergonomics.ucla.edu/office-ergonomics/4-steps-set-your-workstation. Accessed on November 26, 2024.

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