Many of us are making the transition to full-time telework as we practice social distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19. There are some important factors you should keep in mind when setting up your home office. Here are tips to help you enhance your, health, happiness, and safety while teleworking:
- Conduct a home office safety and ergonomic audit. It’s your responsibility to maintain a safe home office. Use this checklist to assess the safety of your telework space and make changes based on the recommendations.
- Take frequent breaks. Stand up and stretch to keep blood moving to all your limbs. Try doing pushups or squats beside your desk every time you receive a calendar reminder. The National Institutes for Health has developed this guide on healthy stretches you can do while working.
- Fidget! Researchers concluded the more you move, the less likely you are to gain weight. Small movements, even tapping your feet under a desk, have major lifestyle impacts.
- Take some time to prepare healthy snacks. We all feel hungry when working from home. Prepare healthy snacks of fruits and vegetables ahead of time.
- Stand for your calls. Pace around the house during your phone calls. This tactic stimulates the body and mind and is frequently suggested as a good practice when participating in a job interview by telephone.
- Trade your commute time for exercise. When teleworking, use the time saved from commuting to exercise. Whether it’s a brisk walk around the neighborhood, a run, or participating in some online yoga classes, a little exercise has physical and psychological benefits during the workday.
Your Employee Assistance Program is here to help
Your Employee Assistance Program is available to provide support to you and your family members during these challenging times. Your EAP provides resources to assist you and your family members 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including counseling services. For more information, contact your Component EAP, or send an email to worklife@hq.dhs.gov.
Last Updated: 10/27/2021