SEATTLE — People across Western Washington are choosing or being asked to stay home from work amid coronavirus concerns. Physical therapist Jacob Kmiecik from Core Physical Therapy gives tips for staying healthy while changing your routine.
“I do recommend having a designated workspace just to keep work and home life separate for social aspects of life,” Kmiecik says.
Tips for your physical workspace:
- Keep your computer monitor height just below eye level.
- Aim for 90-degree angles and keep your feet flat on the floor.
- Raise or lower your chair, so your elbows are at a 90-degree angle.
- Keep your wrists in a straight alignment, slightly elevated off the table.
- Make sure shoulders stay back and you’re sitting upright. Many people tend to hunch while sitting, which isn’t good for your neck, shoulders, and thoracic spine.
- Get up once an hour, so you’re not sitting in the same position for several hours. Set an alarm for every 50 minutes to an hour to remind yourself to get up and move.
- Do short exercises to stretch muscles.
Focusing on your mental and emotional health at home is important, too.
“There are a lot of different aspects to think about when working from home,” Kmiecik says. “We can easily take for granted the social interactions you get with co-workers or clients.”
Tips for mental and emotional health:
- Join a running group or attend a group fitness class. This will allow you to get physical activity, as well as social interaction.
- Consider using the time it would ordinarily take for your commute to get some physical activity.
- Take a break in the middle of the day if able.
- Don’t let work life bleed over into home life. Have set work hours and don’t work outside of those.
Implementing some of these tips and ideas can help you stay emotionally and physically well while being at home for long periods of time.
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