A SAFE SPACE

Remote working used to be a perk. Now it’s a way of life. But swapping the office for your living room has its pitfalls. These workspace tweaks will save you a world of pain

Injury-proof your home office set-up to get more out of remote working

When we went into lockdown last March, many of us traded office spaces for our homes, colleagues for family and work attire for baggy sweats. Dining rooms, living rooms, garages and dusty corners were transformed into makeshift workspaces. We gritted our teeth and got the job done – after all, it was temporary. But three weeks became five. Weeks became months. Before we knew it, working from home became, well, just work.

“It was already growing in popularity, but COVID-19 has forced remote working to become the new norm,” says Melanie Trollip of global advisory company Willis Towers Watson. “That behaviour won’t entirely be jettisoned once the pandemic ends, and businesses will expand their options around allowing people to work from home.”

And so, as temporary becomes permanent, it’s time to rethink your makeshift office and get comfortable with your new normal. We spoke to biokineticist Wendy van Wyk of workspace consultants Ergonomicsdirect about why you should give your home set-up a facelift.

“When your workspace isn’t built to keep you comfortable,” she explains, “you could be at risk of repetitive strain injuries, and you can actually even increase your overall risk of mortality.”

Carpal tunnel syndrome, tendinitis, back pain and tension neck syndrome are common work-related musculoskeletal disorders that are caused by the repetitive motions and awkward postures of working life. These can result in poor focus, a deteriorating mood and feelings of anxiety.

Whether you want to overhaul your entire desk or make simple tweaks, we have you covered. Use this advice to injury-proof your workspace.