Your Body Almanac

Remote worker

Laptop on the kitchen table, no commute, no reason to leave the house.

Working from home removes the commute and the walk to the meeting room, and often the proper desk too. Makeshift workstations, even less movement and blurred boundaries between work and rest are the main costs, along with isolation.

01

Makeshift workstation

Laptops on sofas, beds and kitchen tables put the screen low and the keyboard high. Your neck bends, your shoulders hunch, and wrists bend back to type.

SourcesComputer workstations eTool (OSHA)Computer workstations eTool — Positions (OSHA)
Check your desk setupAs neededSet chair, keyboard and screen so you can work in a relaxed, neutral posture. Do chin tucksDailyGlide your head straight back to counter the forward-head posture that screens and desks encourage. Stretch your wrists and forearmsDailyGentle wrist flexor and extensor stretches for hands that type, grip or tap all day.
02

Even less movement than the office

Without a commute, walks between meetings or lunch out, many remote workers take very few steps a day. Long sitting is linked to heart disease, type 2 diabetes and weight gain.

SourcesHealth Risks of an Inactive Lifestyle (MedlinePlus)Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans (US Department of Health and Human Services)
Get up and move every 30 minutesDailyBreak up long stretches of sitting with a few minutes of standing or walking. Take a brisk daily walkDailyWalk at a pace that raises your breathing for at least 10 minutes a day, building up over time. Strength-train twice a weekWeeklyWork all your major muscle groups on at least two days a week.
03

Isolation

Fewer casual conversations and days without leaving the house can make remote work lonely. Loneliness is linked to low mood and worse physical health.

SourcesLoneliness (NHS Every Mind Matters)
Make time for peopleWeeklyReach out to friends, family or neighbors each week, and build in regular shared activities. Spend time outdoorsDailyGet 20 to 30 minutes in a park, yard or green space most days, walking or just sitting.
04

Work that never switches off

When your office is also your home, work bleeds into evenings and screens follow you to bed. That can push back sleep and keep stress simmering.

SourcesFall asleep faster and sleep better (NHS Every Mind Matters)Tips to reduce stress (NHS)
Set a screen curfewDailyTurn off phones, laptops and TV at least 30 minutes before bed, and longer if you can. Keep a consistent sleep scheduleDailyGo to bed and get up at the same times every day, weekends included, and aim for at least 7 hours. Practice slow breathingDailyTake five minutes to breathe slowly and deeply, such as box breathing with a count of four for each step.
05

Screen-tired eyes

Back-to-back video calls and screen work, often on a small laptop screen, dry and tire the eyes.

SourcesComputer vision syndrome (American Optometric Association)
Follow the 20-20-20 ruleDailyEvery 20 minutes at a screen, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. Get a comprehensive eye examYearlySee an optometrist or ophthalmologist every one to two years, and every year once you are 65 or at higher risk.

When to see a professional

See a doctor or physical therapist for neck or back pain that spreads into an arm or leg, numbness in your hands, or pain that lasts more than a few weeks. Talk to a doctor if low mood or loneliness persist.