Put simply, the pitfalls of remote work can be grouped into three categories: ergonomic issues related to a poorly adapted workspace; problems with organizing and structuring work that affect our efficiency and mental well-being; and, finally, psychosocial risks caused by the loss of structure that office life usually provides. While these pitfalls may be numerous, they can usually be avoided if we are aware of them.
1. Choose Your Workspace Carefully
The place where you work is obviously one of the most important factors. Ideally, you should separate your living space from your workspace—for example, avoid using the same area for meals and work hours—to ensure a clear separation between the two. Of course, due to lack of space or resources, the ideal situation isn’t always realistic. In that case, you can find simple tricks to create distinctions between different times of the day—first, by making sure to clear away any objects and items that keep you in an office mindset after work, and second, by replacing them with others to change the look and function of the space. The key is to give yourself the impression that you’ve moved to a different space and left work behind.
Also, avoid sitting on your couch or bed. These spaces, which are associated with relaxation, may put you in a mindset that leads to a lack of focus and reduces your efficiency. Slouching or lying down in front of your screen will also quickly become uncomfortable.
2. Maintain good posture
Your posture is important for preventing back and neck pain, which can affect the quality of your work and persist long enough to ruin your rest time. You should maintain proper posture and pay attention to the height of your screen and computer; your elbows should rest naturally at table height, and your feet should be flat on the floor. Height-adjustable chairs, cushions, footrests, accessories to raise your computer, adjustable screens… Don’t hesitate to find your own solutions to adapt your workspace and ensure you’re at the right height.
Ball chairs, which encourage you to be more mindful of your posture by creating a slight sense of imbalance while remaining comfortable, can also help you maintain good posture.
For more information, the SUVA website offers a helpful summary on how to set up your workspace properly.
3. Maintain a Regular Schedule
One of the main challenges of working from home is keeping your days clearly structured and setting clear boundaries between your personal and professional lives. Long before COVID-19, the concept of “blurring”—which refers to the blurring of the line between work time and personal time—was already being discussed and viewed as a potential health risk.
It’s important to maintain a clear rhythm throughout your day, with set start and end times, and to give yourself the right to be unreachable once your workday is over. If, under normal circumstances at the office, you only responded to messages until 5 p.m., there’s no reason to assume that forwarding calls to your cell phone suddenly makes you available 24 hours a day. Set clear working hours for yourself—why not simply mirror your normal office hours—and stick to them. Even if your job offers you this flexibility, try as much as possible to avoid starting at noon and finishing at 10 p.m., which puts you out of sync with your colleagues and the rest of society.
Also try to maintain a regular sleep schedule: even though it’s tempting to adjust your wake-up and bedtime hours when alternating between remote and in-office workdays, too much variation creates an imbalance and a constant disruption that can lead to fatigue.
4. Allow yourself some screen-free time
Take breaks, and don’t hesitate to step outside (onto your balcony or into your garden, or even go for a real walk). At the office, you get up to grab a coffee, chat with coworkers, or head to a meeting. When working from home, you lose these breaks, which are beneficial for your motivation and mindset; your screen time increases, and you fall into a sedentary routine that can lead to weight gain and a decline in your overall health. It’s important to counteract this by continuing to set aside time away from the screen. This way, you’ll be able to work much longer and more effectively than if you work nonstop all day without taking a break.
5. Don’t lower your usual standards
Even if you’re sure no one will see you in your pajamas, wearing appropriate work attire—distinct from what you wear in the evening or at night—is still important for giving you a clear structure and putting you in the right mindset. Being properly dressed—without going overboard—is also better for your self-esteem.
In general, it’s advisable to stick to regular meal times and strive for a balanced diet, avoiding snacking and sugary drinks. When you’re at the office, you don’t get up every 5 minutes to grab something from the fridge—try to do the same at home. The same goes for all avoidable habits: if you smoke, for example, remember that at the office you probably wouldn’t go outside every 20 minutes, and force yourself not to make your habit even more problematic.
Maintaining regular physical activity is also highly recommended to counteract the sedentary lifestyle that comes with working from home. In general, a healthy lifestyle will make you feel better physically and mentally and help you avoid health problems in the medium term.
6. Maintain social connections and routines
Separate your work and personal lives to maintain social connections—and thus make time for your loved ones or to see other people—but also remember to stay in touch with your colleagues and find opportunities to chat with them outside of work meetings. The loss of social connections is a risk to the morale of many remote workers and can be partially offset online, even if it doesn’t completely replace in-person contact.
7. Adapt these tips to your personal situation
It’s obviously difficult to follow all these tips to the letter. Each of us, as we’ve experienced remote work, has encountered different challenges. Moreover, the issues we list here do not affect everyone to the same degree. Find the solutions that work best for you, and if you encounter problems but cannot return to in-person work, don’t hesitate to consult specialists who can help you.
Article produced with advice from Dr. Jacques Pralong.