Homebased jobs don’t afford the same amount of social interactions offered by an office job. Because of this, remote workers actually spend a lot more time glued to their computer monitors. For office workers, taking a break means spending some time hanging out in the breakroom. While for online workers, taking a break just means taking some time to watch a few internet videos or scan through social media. This type of arrangement can usually bring about a few health concerns. Here are the most common health risks of working from home.
Body Pain
One of the disadvantages of working from home is the lack of an ergonomic space. Most remote workers don’t have a dedicated workspace, and therefore just station themselves anywhere. Offices provide chairs that provide ample back support and desks with the appropriate height. However, most homes do not. For example, working on a bed seems fine at first. Comfortable even. But it poses some serious risks regarding posture that could lead to problems—such as back and neck pain—in the long run.
Related: Prevent Back Pain With These Workspace Tips
Erratic Sleep Patterns
Having sleeping problems is another one of the most common health risks of working from home. Remote workers can usually choose their own work schedules. However, for those who deal with international clients, it’s often not the case. Instead, they have to adjust to their client’s time zone.
Cabin Fever
Work-from-home jobs have been a thing for a while now. A huge percent of remote workers chose the lifestyle because of preference. But thanks to COVID-19, it has become the forced norm for some people. Someone who isn’t used to being cooped up in a single space for a long time can get cabin fever.
Vision Problems
Because of prolonged exposure to the screen, having vision problems is another risk of working from home. One of the contributing factors to eye problems is called blue light. And too much exposure to blue light can cause headaches and eye fatigue. It is also said to be a contributing factor in the disruption of our body’s natural sleep cycle.
Our body is a machine. And just like a machine, it needs utmost care and rest if we expect it to continue to function well.
