Working remote may boost your productivity and efficiency to work, but it has a lot of potential health challenges that can impact your overall life.

As many, remote workers struggle to maintain good physical health, whether because of the lack of awareness or a proper approach.

In this article, we’ll focus on some of the most common potential risks of working remote, and whether you’re a remote employee or looking for a remote job.

This article will help you with tips to stay in shape when working remotely.

But first.

Is Remote Work Healthy?

When thinking of health benefits as a remote employee, it might not be more about whether remote work is healthy, but how to stay in shape when working remote.

As it all depends on how we go about it.

Remote work gives us the flexibility to build our own schedule and be free of how we live our lives, while most people overwork, gain weight, can’t maintain their mental health and end up isolating themselves.

It all comes to how we take control of our lives and manage our overall health, whether mental or physical.

Being accountable and building proper habits that support our healthy remote work environment makes working remote successful.

Now you know whether or not remote work is healthy.

Let’s see what are some of the potential risks of working remote and best tips to stay healthy when working remote.

6 Physical Health Risks Of Working From Home.

1) Gain Weight:

According to Stanford research, individuals who spend most time sitting, especially those who are full-time remote workers, tend to be gain more weight than those who’re somewhat active and go to the office.

It further states, individuals who completely neglect exercise, spend an average 2 hours more in sedentary activities.

Which leads to a further increase in body weight.

As you’re working from home, you’re more closer and free to eat snacks whenever you want, with no supervision, which contributes to unhealthy eating habits.

Although a sedentary lifestyle is far more dangerous than eating unhealthy, it’s still one of the leading reason for weight gain among remote employees.

2) Back and Neck Pain:

When working from home, it’s far too common to sit in an awkward position, as you may sit on a bed or sofa.

And spending excessive hours in bad posture can lead to back or neck pain, which in some cases, especially in a severe sciatica pain condition leads to surgery, and it all can be a traumatic and agonizing experience.

So, it’s important to take care of your posture and the way you work to avoid these health risks when working remote.

3) Eating Unhealthy:

Working remotely often leads to overwork or spending a lot of time in front of the computer, which often leads to going for takeaways.

Although many people say they’ve changed and cook at home, but it’s still unavoidable for many employees to give in for a bite of unhealthy snacks.

Which can build an unhealthy appetite and lead to health issues. Contributing to further weight gain or other health risks, such as excessive use of sugary food, to diabetes and highly processed food to heart disease.

4) Sleeping Issues:

It’s common among many remote employees to lose track of time, which leads to a chaotic daily routine and an inconsistent sleeping schedule.

Which leads to lack of sleep, feeling constantly tired and distracted, affecting your productivity and effectiveness.

Lack of sleep also gives rise to high stress levels, making it harder to get your work done on time or unable to deliver quality work, hindering your work efficiency.

Relevant Read: Impact of Bad Mental Health as a Remote Employee.

5) Tennis Elbow:

Working on a computer for too long with repetitive movements leads to tennis elbow. Giving you painful and burning sensation.

It’s mainly common among employees who type a lot, making it harder for them to grip or lift anything. Where holding a cup can be a painful experience.

Although it can get better with proper physical therapy, but in severe cases it can lead to surgery which can take 6 months to a year to recover.

6) Eyestrain:

Excessive exposure to the screen for a long time affects your eyes, especially in a remote work setting when you spend most of your day working and browsing for personal activities.

Which leads to eyestrain and can hurt your eyes in a long run, such as blurry vision. It usually occurs when you neglect to use screen devices from the safe distance.

These are some of the most common health risks remote employees face when working from home, and these factors should be considered when building a healthy remote work environment.

6 Ways To Stay In Shape Working Remote:

1) Have A Routine:

Having a routine is the best way to stay fit and healthy while working remote, as you have more control over your work and the time you spend on working and personal activities.

Having a proper routine leads to a good amount of sleep, and not having to sit all day, gain weight, and build unhealthy habits.

2) Get Physical:

When working from home, it can be tough to stay active, as most of your work is carried out on the computer.

Which makes it challenging to keep your body moving, and you may build a habit of sitting all in one place. And as mentioned before, sitting all day leads to various health issues.

So, consider following some sort of plan, such as doing consistent yoga, stretch or workout before or after your work.

Keep your body moving to maintain the circulation of your blood and prevent stagnation.

3) Go For Short Walks:

Go for small walks frequently, whether it’s a walk to the kitchen, or going out for a small walk to get your body moving.

It also helps keep your mind clear from negative thoughts. It gives clarity and improves your mood to have a pleasant day and overall better productivity.

Also, going for short walks exposure to people, which can be a good thing for socializing and help you deal with your self-isolation.

4) Take Short Breaks:

Taking regular breaks is not only necessary to give your mind some rest, it also helps you avoid burnouts or getting emotionally drained.

Taking frequent breaks can help you perform better, as you can refocus more efficiently while maintaining your energy.

Consider taking a short walk within your house or a little stretch to don’t let your body stay sedentary despite working for long hours.

5) Level Up Your Time Skills:

Working on your time management skills can help you manage time effectively, while staying organized.

When working remotely, it’s easy to get out of touch with time, but having proper time management skills can keep your work life balanced and perform your tasks on time.

Having good time management skills allows you to spend time with your loved ones, which can help you deal with self-isolation, meanwhile it’s another way of taking care of your health.

Relevant Read: Career Progression as a Remote Employee.

6) Eat Mindfully:

Having a proper meal plan is important when working remotely to stay healthy and in good shape.

Having a proper healthy meal can help you improve your energy and stay focused throughout your day.

Although when working from home, you have access to snacks and unhealthy food, but being mindful and responsible can help you enjoy your meals and stay healthy.

One of the best ways to enjoy your meals while staying fit is planning your meals in advance, invest in learning about nutrition and other personal health education, or if possible get help from a personal nutritionist.

It can help you stay fit, while eat a variety of foods.

Conclusion.

In conclusion, working remote may have some potential risks, such as unhealthy body and chronic illnesses, but by being responsible for your health and taking proper initiatives, you can overcome these physical risks of working remotely.

Such as building a proper routine, managing your time effectively and working-out consistently. You can build a healthy environment to work from home and get the benefits of remote working.