The Covid-19 pandemic has been a strenuous time for us all. Looking after your mental health during this time is a priority. Making sure your employees have a supportive team around them is also something that should be on the top of every companies list.

Working from home is something that has become new for many of us. It is an office environment that is probably the most enviable of all, it allows a certain degree of flexibility into your schedule and the possibility of spending more time with family, plus you get to skip the commute.

However, losing a workplace outside of the home can have a detrimental effect on our health both physically and mentally.

The main issue here is whilst working from home is inactivity. Our natural reaction to a busy workload is to stay seated for long periods of time to get the task done. Without even realising it hours have gone by and you are still sitting down.

Excessive sitting can affect your metabolism, increase blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol and lead to weight gained around the waist – and that’s just the tip of the iceberg! Remaining in one posture for hours at a time can also affect the muscles in your back, neck, hip flexors, hamstrings, and calves.

It's time to get active

Staying active when working from home sounds easy, right? While this may sound true in theory we actually begin, unknowingly, starting to prioritize other tasks ahead of moving around. As we fall quickly into unhealthy routines and lose the ability to separate work from our personal lives.

Not only does this put our physical health at risk but it can also effect our mental health, as we take on so much stress from work and bring it into our homes.

It’s time to start looking at how to incorporate simple activities into your day to day routine to help to adapt to this new routine.

Schedule a workout into your calendar

Trying to find time to drag yourself away from your laptop can be hard, so don’t make promises to yourself you can’t keep. Start small and vary times that work for you. Even if it’s for a 10 min walk/ jog or run and build it up from there.

Take some time in the morning from your normal commuting time and use it to take a walk to your local shop and start your day with a fresh mindset. Remember do what you can! Don’t force yourself or it can make you end up feeling worse.

Organise your workspace

Some of us don’t have the luxury of having a private workstation or a separate room to work from. This is why making the most of your space and having it set up in the correct manner is essential.

You can view some tips form our Senior ergonomic consultant James Kennedy on how to set up a comfortable workstation from any table/ chair – View video here: Top Tips When Working From Home

Get out of your chair

Staying in a sedentary position all day long is going to have a negative effect, our bodies are made for movement, not to sit all day. Making sure you take regular breaks is important even if it means getting up to get a glass of water or simply walking up and down the stairs a few times. Leave your desk at least once an hour. It will help with concentration levels and for you to stretch and relax.

Stay active at your desk

Doing simple deskercises is a great way to banish pains and strains and to help you be more productive.
They can be done using any office chair and are just another way of helping you stay stress free.


Remember it’s important to look after your mental health whilst working from home. Learning how to put boundaries into place between work and down time is essential.

Our expert consultants have put together ‘The ultimate homeworking guide’ a free guide that is packed full of advice around nutrition, mental wellbeing and how to set up your workstation ergonomically including some great exercises.