3 Potential Health Risks When You’re Working From Home

Okay, so while working at home isn’t as inherently dangerous as working on a construction site, or in any other potentially hazardous workplace, you still need to think about your health and well-being. There are risks involved, and we aren’t just talking about you accidentally catching your hand in your desk drawer after reaching for a paperclip!

Consider the following, and then take the steps necessary to safeguard your health. Check out the 3 health risks when you’re working from home you may not be aware of.

#1: Issues around a sedentary lifestyle

Especially when you are sitting at your desk all day, you are putting yourself at risk of a variety of health issues related to a sedentary lifestyle. These include obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, and type 2 Diabetes. You can discover more in this article. These issues will be compounded if, after finishing work for the day, you settle back on your sofa in front of the television for the evening. 

Our advice is this: Give yourself a break every thirty minutes or so, even if it’s just to stretch your legs for a couple of minutes before cracking back on with your work. And take the opportunity to exercise a little at lunchtime and after you have finished work for the day, as by getting your legs moving and your blood pumping, you will be taking an active step towards alleviating any sedentary health risks. 

#2: Sensory health issues

We are thinking specifically about your eyesight and hearing.

When working at a computer for long hours, you might start to suffer from eye strain and headaches if you don’t look away from the screen at regular intervals. And if you regularly blast music into your ears through headphones, perhaps to motivate yourself with a pumping tune, or to block out any distracting noises from inside or outside of your home, you might put yourself at risk of hearing loss.

Our advice is this: As you would do for your body, give your eyes a break every so often. Look out of the window, close your eyes for a while, or distract yourself away from the computer. Turn the brightness down on your computer screen as well, or turn on night mode to reduce screen glare. Consult with an optician for advice too, especially if you have recently been suffering from eye strain. And for your hearing, go easy on the volume. Experts recommend around 60 decibels to protect your hearing, but as guidance, if other people can hear your music through your headphones, know that it’s probably too loud! And if you have been suffering from tinnitus or other signs of hearing loss, consult a doctor or audiologist. Click the following link to learn more about the latter. 

#3: Mental health issues

Depression can be a problem for some people working from home, and this is often because of feelings of isolation and loneliness if they are working alone. Some people also suffer from stress and anxiety, and this is because of deadlines that might need to be met, and the ensuing lack of work-life balance if they are then forced to work overtime from their home office. 

Our advice is this: If you are working alone, find ways to communicate with others throughout the day. Pick up the phone during your break times, or go for a walk so you can be near other people. With a little bit of social interaction, you will feel less isolated. And then use these tips to supercharge your productivity at work, as you should then get work done on time without having to commit to overtime. 

Wrap Up: Health Risks When You’re Working From Home

Your health is important, and if you don’t take care of it, the health of your home business will suffer along with your personal well-being. Follow our suggestions then, and commit to further research on the steps you need to take to care for your health when you’re working from home.