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AUSTRALIA: There was a time when working from home in your PJs probably seemed like a treat. Now, with all the curveballs that Covid-19 has thrown at us, it’s a fact of life for many - and it doesn’t seem quite so much fun.
With kitchen benches and dining room tables assuming the role of office workspaces, it can be hard to get the right work/life balance, especially when family demands are thrown into the mix. Even with a dedicated home office, working from home can be a challenge to your physical and mental wellbeing.
The most important thing is to get the ergonomics right, especially if you don’t have the benefit of a desktop computer. Being hunched over a laptop for hours can be the toughest of all; you need to work at the right height and make sure your back is supported.
An adjustable chair is essential; a kitchen chair won’t cut it. As ergonomics expert Jon Cinkay, from New York’s Hospital for Special Surgery, demonstrates in this You Tube video, your desk and office chair need to be adapted to suit you, not the other way around.
Your arms should be above the desk with your elbows at 90 degrees, your feet flat on the floor, your screen at arm’s length, and the top of the screen at eye level. If using a laptop, sit it on a pile of books to raise it to the correct height.
Other quick, cheap fixes that make a big difference for laptop users are an external keyboard and mouse. If you are struggling to see clearly, don’t hold back - bump up the font size! Make sure your lighting is good.
Staring at a screen for long periods is hard on the eyes. Ideally you should get up and move around frequently, but if that isn’t possible, at least turn your head away from the computer every 20 minutes and take a long look at something in the distance. It helps to have a nice view!
Make your phone calls while standing up or walking around – earphones are great for this, and also help with keeping out background noises and leaving your hands free to write or type. Make your workstation pleasant with a vase of flowers or an oil diffuser.
Set boundaries on the amount of time you spend working. Having a designated space makes this a little easier if you can close the door when the day is done. If that’s not possible, throw a cloth over your workstation to create a psychological shift away from work.
Sometimes, despite your best efforts, you need a little peace and quiet and more space than you have at home. During the worst of the pandemic, Adina hotels in Berlin, Leipzig, Hamburg, Frankfurt and Nuremberg demonstrated that we really were #allinthistogether by providing hotel rooms free of charge to people in Germany needing temporary office space.
In Australia, you can stay connected with all the comforts of home in Adina’s apartment-style hotels. With a temporary office in one of our selected apartment hotel rooms, you’ll receive all the hotel services you need and want for short or long stays.
Adina Brisbane has glorious views over the Brisbane River and Southbank, making it a joy to work in. It has the deliciously comfortable Dreamcatcher beds, which you’ll also find at Adina Apartment Hotels in Sydney and Melbourne. Stay connected with complimentary unlimited WiFi for up to four devices per room.
Peace of mind when you stay with us: Introducing Clean Touch.
About the author: Christine Salins is a writer and blogger who has been producing her Food Wine Travel website and articles in print from a home office for nearly 20 years.
