Category: Healthy Living

Help your employees prioritise self-care

Posted on | by Jade Donno

Self-care is arguably more important now than ever before, with the pandemic & cost of living crisis causing stress levels to reach new heights. If you want your employees to be at their best, this means that you need to start encouraging employees to focus on their self-care. If you don’t, you will have a very stressed and burned out workforce who will turn to negative behaviours to cope.

Why the need for self-care?

People are suffering from stress and burnout and it doesn’t seem to be dissipating.

  • A survey by the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill and Harvard Medical School found that 55% of respondents said they were more stressed in May 2020 than they were in January.
  • According to mental health charity, Mind, the Office for National Statistics revealed that depression rates doubled during the pandemic (in June 2020, 2% of adults experienced depression in that month alone compared to 9.7% of adults who experienced it between the period of July 2019 to March 2020).
  • A Korn Ferry study revealed that 73% of American professionals were feeling burned-out and the top reasons cited were no separation between work and home and unmanageable workloads.
  • Older research also commissioned by Mind found that 57% of the people surveyed drank alcohol after work to cope with stress. In addition to this, 28% said they smoked cigarettes, 16% took prescribed sleeping aids, and 15% took antidepressants.

As you can see from these statistics, employees are not coping with the constant stress and strain that has been the past 2 years; such a situation is unsustainable. To prevent it from getting worse and to nurture the health of both your employees and your business, you need to promote self-care and proper stress management techniques as part of your culture.

8 ways to encourage self-care

  1. Understand your employees’ needs – discuss self-care with your employees and ask them what they want or need. How can you help them create a better work-life balance? Which elements of their work do they love and what to do more of? Are they struggling with something that you can help them with e.g. prioritising their work to reduce anxiety?
  2. Make the effort to meet physically – especially with staff members who are working from home or hybrid working, make sure you meet up with your employees for a physical one-to-one. A cup of coffee or a walking meeting can do wonders.
  3. Practice what you preach – whatever you are promoting as self-care, make sure you are leading by example! It could be properly switching off at the weekends, walking during your lunch break, meditating in the mornings, eating healthily or getting a good nights sleep for a few days in a row. Whatever you’re doing, schedule self-care into your calendar, share your efforts, encourage and motivate people to get involved and be their inspiration.
  4. Encourage them to write their to-do list the night before – writing lists helps reduce anxiety, so if this is done the night before, we can sleep better and wake up raring to go. Encourage your employees to do this. It not only helps with productivity but also facilitates better prioritisation and focus.
  5. Actively help individuals with time and stress management – a big source of stress for many workers is not having time to do everything they need to. As we all know, this is usually due to poor time management rather than not having the time in the first place! To help your employees work more effectively, give them the information and tools they need to succeed. (e.g. ever heard of The Pomodoro Technique?).
  6. Offer flexible hours and/or an outcome-based model – to facilitate a better work-life balance, give your employees the chance to create their own flexible schedules. If you do this and set clear goals and KPI’s for what they need to achieve, you will see an improvement in productivity and job satisfaction.
  7. Remind your employees to use their benefits – do you offer your team flexible working hours, discounted gym memberships, a study allowance or any health-related benefits? If there is something that could help them relax, develop and re-find their mojo, you need to motivate them to take advantage of these benefits. Even if it’s just taking the afternoon off to recharge!
  8. Always show your appreciation – acknowledging employees and their accomplishments and showing them how much you value what they do can seriously help with productivity and motivation. We all know how much of a difference it makes when someone gives us a job well done – it lifts our spirits and makes our week. Self-worth is a big factor when it comes to stress, anxiety and general mental health, so make sure to recognise your employees and their efforts as much as possible.

Your employees are your greatest asset!

Employees are the life force of your business. They are the foundation, the cogs in the machine, so you must take care of them. If you don’t, cracks will form! Start investing in self-care now and you’ll see that your team, and your business, will be far stronger and resilient in the long run.

alarm clock

How to break free from the ‘Groundhog Day Effect’

Posted on | by Jade Donno

We are coming up to a year now of being frozen in time. In fact, it’s starting to feel very much like the start of the pandemic where the government are talking about maybe lifting restrictions if the cases continue to fall. Even though it’s lockdown number three and 15 million people have been vaccinated against the virus, it’s still not looking like we’ll see normality any time soon.

Whereas we could break up the monotony of everyday life before the pandemic, we can’t just take a quick trip out of town or spend an evening at a friend’s house for some variety. We are still faced with this vast expanse of time where we can’t punctuate the end of the day, never mind the end of the week.

So what can we do? How can we break free from this groundhog day feeling, so that we can muster up the energy to make it through the next few months?

6 tips to mix things up

  1. Create a routine and stick to it – it might be boring, but a routine gives you a specific start and finish to your day. Without it, you will just aimlessly float through the days and this will make that groundhog feeling worse.
  2. Inject variety into your free time – while your routine during work hours may be the same each day, around that time is where you can be spontaneous and make each day different. While one evening, you may choose to take a bike ride, the next you could FaceTime a friend, take a bath or run some errands.
  3. Pick a skill to master – mastering a skill doesn’t only stimulate our brains (which is essential for our mental health), but it also gives us a goal and allows us to progress with something. Improving with something makes us experience growth and gives us a sense of control which is essential in this environment.
  4. Focus on exercise – exercise releases endorphins and serotonin (happy hormones); it helps us to sleep and actually gives us more energy. If you can, exercise for 10-30 minutes every day. You can mix it up with a walk one day, yoga the next, and a HIIT workout the next, whatever suits you.
  5. Be there for others – while you might not feel like you have the energy, try helping others. Check-in with your parents and grandparents regularly during the week or research how you can virtually volunteer or help a cause. Being kind will give your days more meaning and it will help you and the people you’re helping feel good.
  6. Seek help – if you’re struggling, don’t struggle alone. Ring a friend or seek support from your family. If you’d rather, reach out to an online Therapist. There are people who care about you and want to listen, and it’s okay to lean on them too. They might be able to provide you with some much-needed perspective.

Even small changes can go a long way

Some days will be harder than others, but even small changes can go a long way. Little things such as walking a different route every day can make you feel refreshed and ready to get back to work or juggling the family. Even if you feel like succumbing to that numbing and self-defeated feeling some days, try to do at least one thing that is different. You might just be surprised by the result.

Leaves surrounding the title

4 steps to coping with overwhelming anxiety due to the coronavirus

Posted on | by Jade Donno

The Coronavirus pandemic has caused a lot of us to suffer from worry and anxiety over these past few months. Whether it’s been worry for our jobs, our families, our health or the uncertainty of the future, there has been a lot of negativity and panic and worry to be had. As the effects of the pandemic aren’t wearing off any time soon, we wanted to outline 4 steps that you can take to manage your anxiety as, if it’s left unchecked, it can build in the background and quickly overwhelm your everyday life and relationships.

Step 1 – Understand that anxiety is a normal reaction

With all the uncertainty and panic that is surrounding us right now, our brain’s natural response is to worry and to churn this worry around until we find a solution. The problem with that is that there is no real solution to the fears that plague us yet.

To deal with the anxiety that we feel, we first need to understand that this response is just a ‘protective mechanism’ in our brains. This is normal and we can change it.

Step 2 – Identify what is making you anxious

When we accept that this anxiety is normal, we then need to identify exactly what is making us anxious. Perhaps it is constantly hearing negative news? Perhaps it’s worrying about our finances or our children’s lack of education?

Whatever it is that is causing you to worry, identify it and write it down. After just a week, you should see a pattern emerging.

Step 3 – Take control of what you can

Some of these worries that you have will be practical worries and some of them will be hypothetical (the ‘what ifs’). Tackle the practical worries first.

Look at your list of things that are making you anxious and create an action plan for each one. Can you avoid any of your ‘anxiety triggers?’ Perhaps you can limit your exposure to them or you can outline steps that you can take to make them less of a worry.

When you’ve addressed all your practical worries, implement meditation and mindfulness into your every day routine to help with the hypothetical ‘what ifs.’

Step 4 – Put your self-care first

To help cope with stress and anxiety, you need to be sleeping well, eating healthy, drinking lots of water, exercising often, and taking time out to switch off and recharge.

If you take care of yourself then you will make better decisions and you will build positive habits.

Alarm clock

How to be productive when you feel restless or run down

Posted on | by Jade Donno

The changes and stresses caused by the pandemic are taking their toll on all of us. It’s been almost a year now of being stuck indoors, working from home, juggling priorities, and potentially having to home school the children at the same time. I don’t know about you, but is it any wonder that we feel tired and run down?

This ‘new normal’ has a lot of us feeling run down, but at the same time, restless. It’s a horrible combination and it’s affecting our productivity. To help you get back some control and normalcy in your life, here is a quick guide.

Identify if your body needs a reset

Yes, sometimes, we can all procrastinate; we can all feel a bit fed up and tired every now and then. This is normal. What isn’t normal, is if you’re feeling this way every day. If you’re feeling any or all of the following as soon as you wake up and throughout the day, every day of the week, these are signs that your body is run down and in need of a reset:

  • Your energy is low
  • You’re not eating very well or healthily
  • You’re having digestion issues
  • You’ve got cravings (typically for high-sugar snacks)
  • You’re moody, anxious or irritable (more than normal for you)
  • You’re not happy with your weight
  • You feel like you need to make a change

How to reset your body so that you can be productive again

Make time for self-care – this should be your absolute priority when you feel run down, exhausted or restless. It may be really difficult to prioritise yourself when you feel so overwhelmed, but be tough with yourself and do it anyway. Without properly managing your physical and mental health, you simply can’t perform at your best. Get more sleep, exercise more, eat healthier, and dedicate some time to activities that ground you (e.g. meditation, journaling, meal planning etc).

Shift your mindset – productivity should be any ‘task’ that requires your time, energy, and attention. This includes any ‘chores’ that need to be done in the house and even exercise. Schedule these into your day and you’ll find that you’ll feel much better and more accomplished when you come to the end of them.

Prioritise and time-manage – first, start a time diary to figure out where your time is actually being spent. Do this for a week and it will help you be more mindful about how you spend your time. Once you have done this, you can establish an ideal schedule for yourself. Maybe you work best early in the morning, so start early and finish early. Once you have a schedule, prioritise your tasks. What are the tasks that are urgent AND important? What tasks will give you the most bang for your buck? Do these first.

Focus and take regular breaks – sitting down and focusing for long periods of time are not good for us. After all, our concentration is limited! To stay productive, try to use focus periods. Try the Pomodoro Technique where you work for 25-minute blocks followed by a 5-minute break. This will help you maximise your focus time and will force you to take repeated breaks. This technique is a good one for when you feel run down or tired as 20-25 minute blocks are easier to tackle than thinking you have the whole day to get through!

Avoid distractions and things that deplete your energy – distractions kill our productivity. It’s true – every distraction (no matter how small), causes us to spend the next 20 minutes trying to get back into the task we were doing in the first place. Turn off your phone notifications while you work and create an office space at home that is away from family members so that you can focus. It’s also a good idea to identify what drains your energy. Maybe it’s scrolling on social media or listening to friends rant about their situation or all the negativity that’s on the news. Whatever it is, avoid it so that you can use what little energy you do have on what matters.

Engage with people and get help if you need it – even if your team is working virtually right now, engage with them. Tell them that you’re struggling and converse with them. Conversations can boost mood and productivity so try to socialise even if you don’t feel like it. Sometimes, just sharing your worries or hearing that others feel the same is enough for you to feel better, but if it’s not, consider seeking further help. Whether it’s a business coach or a therapist, they can help you develop a plan and take back control again.

Don’t be too hard on yourself

We have all gone through or are going through this, as we speak. It’s a difficult time and a truly unique time, so don’t be too hard on yourself. If you’re feeling restless and run down and worried about work and your productivity, the first thing you need to do is take care of yourself and talk to someone. This is the most important thing to do. The rest comes later. Only when you feel better can you start to work better, so prioritise you.

Alarm clock and eye mask

How to combat Zoom Fatigue!

Posted on | by Jade Donno

Out of all the ‘new things’ that the Coronavirus pandemic has brought about (social distancing, lockdowns, and global remote working to name but a few), Zoom Fatigue has to be among one of the most frustrating effects. If you’re finding video calls exhausting and you’re barely managing to finish your day, you may be experiencing Zoom Fatigue. Here is what it is and how to overcome it.

What is Zoom Fatigue?

In short: ‘exhaustion caused by constant video calls.’ Although it’s not really an official diagnosis, psychologists have said that Zoom Fatigue is a real condition and that it is becoming increasingly prevalent in the era of remote working.

Why does it happen?

So what is it about video calls (whether on Zoom, Google or Skype etc) that makes us so tired?

Like most conditions, it comes down to a combination of factors:

  • Video calls require more mental processing than face-to-face interactions.
  • They force us to focus more intently on conversations in order to absorb information.
  • Our brains have to work harder to process many of the non-verbal cues that we rely on in-person (body language, tone etc).
  • Millisecond delays in audio can negatively affect our interpersonal perceptions.
  • Staring at a screen and trying to hold direct eye-contact for minutes at a time without any visual or mental break is tiring.
  • Seeing our own reflection makes us hyper-aware of our appearance and body language.
  • Many people use this time to multitask or they get distracted by other tabs on their screen.
  • Many of us are under additional stresses due to the pandemic (e.g. financial, health and/or family pressures) so we are already operating on our energy reserves.

How can I overcome it?

While you may be working from home and are having to participate in a lot of video calls (and there’s no avoiding this), there are a few things that you can do so that they aren’t as taxing. Here are a few things that you can try:

  1. Stop multitasking – trying to do something else at the same time as a video call (like checking your email) will only increase your fatigue, so avoid multitasking!
  2. Take breaks – you need screen-free time during the day so make sure to take breaks between meetings. If you can get outside, even better.
  3. Reduce on-screen stimuli – hide ‘self-view’ so that you’re not distracted by yourself on camera. Also close all other tabs, social media sites and your inbox.
  4. Make meetings shorter – if you really have to have a meeting, it doesn’t always have to be a long one. Try scheduling shorter time slots and make 30 minutes the default.
  5. Switch to phone calls or email – be honest with the person and say that you need a break from video calls, so would they mind a phone call instead. You might find they need the break too.
  6. Make virtual social events opt-in – while you may be organising virtual social events to bring your virtual team closer, always make them opt-in so that people who want to join can, but they are not obligated to.
  7. Set your own boundaries – start saying no to video calls that aren’t valuable. If someone wants a video call with you, give them other options to choose from.
  8. Schedule in ‘no meeting’ time blocks – your calendar can easily become overwhelmed with video calls, so block out some screen-free time to prevent this.
  9. Use technology to your advantage – we have so many ways to communicate, can you use What’s App or Loom to send a recorded/audio message instead of having a meeting?
  10. Practice mindfulness – breathing exercises, yoga or meditation can help you re-energise a little. Take a break throughout the day to find what works for you.

Don’t overexert yourself

Video calls can be really draining so don’t let them take over your day. Start by setting your own boundaries, prioritising yourself and how you wish to communicate, and schedule in screen-free time to recharge.

Everyone is trying to work at their best from home during such a difficult time, so if this means postponing a few video calls for your health, then do it!

How to recharge your batteries

How to recharge your batteries

Posted on | by Jade Donno

Whether a post-lunch slump or screen fatigue, we have all experienced an energy drop during our working day.  For a quick recharge, try some of these tips to increase your energy levels without that caffeine fix!

Tip 1 – Keep Hydrated

Dehydration is the most common cause of fatigue and when working on an all-engrossing piece of work, we can often forget to keep our fluid levels topped up.  When experiencing fatigue, drink a small glass of water and take a glass (or refillable bottle) back to your work area to keep you topped up for the rest of the day.

Tip 2 – Make a playlist

Whilst many have a playlist to help them with exercise, we don’t do the same for working.  Create a playlist that you find energising for those times you need a boast and consider a playlist as background to help maintain energy levels whilst you work.

Tip 3 – A breath of fresh air

Whether a short walk or more rigorous exercise, even 10 minutes outside and away from your desk will help restore energy levels.  If possible, being outside in a green space is even more beneficial.

Tip 4 – Change your focus

If you are finding a task draining then temporarily swap to a task that gives you energy.  Alternatively, rethink how you are tackling the task, is there another way that you would find less draining?

Tip 5 – Try a brainteaser

Sudoku, brainteasers, quick quizzes, crosswords, dingbats; the options are endless.  If you are someone who enjoys a puzzle then taking a short break to indulge in this hobby is likely to recharge your batteries and enable you to return to that task with renewed vigour.

Tip 6 – Talk to someone

Having a call or video call with someone who has a positive outlook can help boost your own energy levels as well as ensuring you keep in touch with those that matter.

Tip 7 – Give yourself a reward

If you have a task that does not allow you to try any of the above techniques (due to tight timelines) then give yourself a reward for completing it.  From taking the rest of the day to do a task you enjoy or even taking some time for yourself to that cupboard treat you have been resisting all week, a reward can renew energy through the added motivation it gives.

Additional Tip – Being mindful of your energy levels and the energy needed for particular tasks

Understanding your own body clock and those times of the day where your energy is at its highest and when it drops and tackling tasks that suit those energy levels will help reduce mild fatigue that is often experienced.

 

Puzzle

How can I support my team through the current global crisis?

Posted on | by Jade Donno

As most working professionals spend a third of their time at work, it’s been a massive adjustment for the millions of people who have had to start working from home. With many other stressors and worries piled on top of this, it’s no surprise then that this has had a major impact on the health, happiness, and the wellbeing of those employees.

For a thriving business, you need thriving employees, but not many people are thriving during this time. Therefore, to keep businesses afloat during the current global crisis, it is the responsibility of the employers to support their employees and this includes their mental wellbeing. Here’s how to do just that.

The 3 Ps

1. Prioritise – the health of your team

You need to create the right conditions to help your employees feel empowered and supported during this stressful time. You can do this by:

  • Taking advice from the World Health Organization and region-specific public health authorities such as the CDC.
  • Measuring and tracking the stress of your team via surveys and then offering help to those who need it most.
  • Providing consistent and clear objectives to give your employees a sense of control and purpose.

2. Promote – positive habits

Anxiety and stress can lead to the formation of bad (and unhealthy) habits. To help your employees deal with this stress, encourage the formation of positive habits such as:

  • Making a weekly and daily plan of action.
  • Sticking to their daily routine as much as possible.
  • Self-care activities such as meditation, mindfulness, and breathing exercises.
  • Taking regular breaks to properly ‘switch off.’
  • Limiting their use/exposure to social media and the news.

3. Practice – compassion and empathy

Some of your employees may have lost loved ones or they may be suffering from anxiety or depression during this time. To support them as best you can, here is how to be a more compassionate and empathetic leader:

  • Check-in with your employees regularly and keep an eye on their energy levels.
  • Listen to how they are feeling and encourage sharing when your team communicates.
  • Pause and give yourself time to respond to certain situations rather than reacting to them.

How has Paul kept positive during lockdown?

Posted on | by Jade Donno | Leave a Comment on How has Paul kept positive during lockdown?

1 Accounts is a family run business with the Donno family all depending on the businesses survival. When lockdown was announced, Paul could have panicked – but he didn’t he stayed calm, collected his thoughts and worked out how to overcome the biggest crisis businesses have faced since the war.

So what has Paul done to stay positive?

In early March, when the virus was just being mentioned just in passing, Paul brought hand sanitiser and additional hand wash for the office. He also increased the frequency of cleaning to the office and communal areas. We also started to change all our meetings to ‘Zoom’ meetings. This was still early days and the team thought Paul was mad but as usual humoured him.

Two weeks later we were all working from home. 

Panic mode

With the help of Platform 365 and Convergence communications, the 1 Accounts team adjusted quickly to working from home. With a morning and afternoon team zoom call to keep in touch. However, for our clients, this wasn’t always possible causing anxiety for Paul and the team. After all if our clients were to ‘go under’ we would go with them.

As a businesses owner, you can often feel alone, with the weight of the world on your shoulders. However this situation has proven to Paul, that this could not be further from the truth.

Our team have really adapted and supported our clients and helped take pressure away from Paul. We are so grateful for our amazing team and are thankful they have all stayed safe and well. Testimonials and feedback from clients has helped to keep all our spirits up, they have been wonderful and uplifting. Keep them coming.

Our clients, some who are under immense pressure have also realised that we are under pressure too, and many have been very considerate and supportive.

A pain point for Paul was the banks struggling to get money out to clients. This has now been rectified with the ‘bounce back loan’ but it caused a lot of anxiety for many of our clients and us.

Great minds think alike

One of the biggest helps to Paul has been being a member of the Accountants Millionaires Club (something to aspire to!). His business coach Heather Townsend (founder of the club) and her team have supported Paul and other accountants through this situation.

Every morning Paul meets with other like-minded accountants and they share the previous days experiences from furloughing, bank loans, software issues, growing veg, guide dog support and general day to day things. The group has some real characters and has without a doubt kept Paul positive.

Paul recommends that even if you are talking ‘with the enemy’ try and support each other. Talking to other businesses, like yours, may give you ideas and help you realise you are not alone! We are all in this together and it is nice to talk with other businesses to get a real sense of community.

Sharing your thoughts with like minded people really does work and saves on the wine stocks too!

cup of tea

12 Ways to Cope When Life Suddenly Changes 

Posted on | by Jade Donno | Leave a Comment on 12 Ways to Cope When Life Suddenly Changes 

12 Ways to Cope When Life Suddenly Changes

“We can’t control every aspect of our lives and we can’t stop change from happening. But how we respond to change will greatly affect our overall life experience.” This statement can’t be any more relevant than now due to the Coronavirus.

From a few dozen cases to a full-blown pandemic, the virus has had a massive global impact where millions of people have been affected in some way. Many have lost loved ones, many have lost their jobs, many are confined to their homes, and many more are suffering every day from feelings of anxiety, stress, helplessness, panic, and fear. To help you make it through this difficult time, here are 12 ways to cope with this sudden change to your life.

1

Don’t resist the change, try to accept it 

Resistance causes suffering so stop fighting and start accepting. Be present in each moment and focus on the things you can control.

2

Recognise, redirect and reframe 

Recognise that your brain automatically assumes the worst, redirect this uncertainty, and reframe your perspective to a more positive outlook.

Make a plan and be proactive.   

Taking control of what you can will ease anxiety, so make a plan and set yourself some goals during this time. They can be both personal and business.

Stick to your regular schedule as much as possible 

The best way to deal with change is to try and maintain the normal where you can. Keep to your routine no matter how small and you’ll feel less helpless for it.

Exercise often and eat healthily 

Exercise releases those all-important endorphins and the right food fuels us properly, both of which are essential to boost mood and promote better sleep.

Practice and prioritise self-care.

Add meditation, yoga, daily journaling or mindfulness to your daily routine.

Seek support but keep it positive.

Call or skype your friends and family as much as you can. Turn any venting into action so that it isn’t detrimental to your health.

Delegate or outsource if you need to.

Delegate tasks to your team or outsource jobs that are low-value.

9

Focus on gratitude.

Write down three things that you are grateful for every morning to start off positively and with a better perspective.

Work through any grief and loss.

Grief and loss can often be found at the heart of major life changes, make sure to work through all the stages to be able to let these feelings go.

11

Limit social media and the news.

Try to schedule in a certain amount of time each day to look at social media and the news and that’s it.

12

Give yourself a break. 

Don’t push yourself too much or set high expectations during this time. Don’t be hard on yourself if you’re feeling a certain way, accept it and give yourself a break when you need one.

We can’t control change but we can cope with it

It can be hard to accept that things have changed and are changing, especially since we are unsure of the future, but we can control how we cope with it. If you implement these 12 ways above into your daily life over the next few weeks, you will be able to maintain your mental health and come out the other end ready to grab the opportunities that the future will hold.

Sitting too much

Are you suffering from too much sitting?

Posted on | by Jade Donno | Leave a Comment on Are you suffering from too much sitting?

Is your body suffering from too much sitting?

Are you finding yourself sitting much more now if you are working from home, particularly if you used to get exercise walking to and from work, or from meeting rooms to your desk? Or maybe the ‘one session of outdoor exercise’ a day is encouraging bad sedentary habits? We all know that sitting for long periods of time is not good for our body. Even worse for our bodies is sitting for long periods of time in a ‘makeshift’ workstation. Maybe similar to what you are having to make do with, particularly you are working from home rather than going into your office or place of work.

When we sit for long periods of time the following things happen to our bodies:

  1. Our hip flexors and hamstrings tighten up which causes our glutes to lengthen to compensate
  2. When your hip flexors are tight it makes it harder for your pelvis to rotate and one of the reasons we get lower back pain
  3. If our workstation is not set up for good posture, such as having to work from a kitchen table, we can often slouch, round our shoulders and curl our neck down. This can lead to problems with our shoulders and upper backs.

Sounds painful doesn’t it? So in this email I wanted to share with you some top tips (tested by myself and my team) on how to counteract all that sitting and poor posture from working long hours at a desk or kitchen table?

  1. Try and get your workstation set up the best you can

This means your:

  • eye level is towards the top of your monitor screen,
  • elbows are at 90 degrees and your arms are in line with the keyboard
  • feet will be flat
  • Your lumbar spine is supported

Desk

Adjust your temporary desk 

To avoid shelling out loads of money on a standing desk, here are some ways of adjusting your temporary desk so it is set up very inexpensively:

  • A lumbar support cushion can work nicely or if you have it a small flat cushion which can be folded over to support your lumbar spine
  • A cardboard box or set of books is a very cheap way to raise up your screen to the right height
  • Use a box to rest your feet on so you can have your feet flat on the floor
  • A ‘wrist rest’ for your mouse and keyboard is a cheap way of supporting your wrists and avoiding RSI in your hands and arms

Use Headphones

Use headphones with your phone and do NOT spend long periods of time with your phone tucked under your ear or holding your phone up to your ear.

Try taking some of your phone calls standing up and walk around when on the phone

headphones

Stretch

stretch

Every hour you are at your desk make a point of standing up, stretching and walking around and not sitting down for 5 – 10 minutes.

Start a daily stretching routine, there are plenty around on YouTube, or sign up for virtual pilates and yoga classes. Once again, there are lots of free routines on YouTube. Many gyms and yoga/pilates studios are now offering virtual classes.

No working from the sofa

Don’t work with your laptop on your lap on the sofa, this is suicide for your lower back and posture.

Exercise 

Take your permitted exercise outside every day, and get walking, cycling and running.

Here are some great exercises and workouts add into your daily routine to counteract the impact of all that sitting down from the “Bob and Brad” YouTube channel. Bob and Brad bill themselves as YouTube’s most famous physical therapists.