The growing popularity of work from home jobs has been a great boon for many Filipino workers.
Aside from better job opportunities, working online offers better flexibility and a healthier work-life balance, not least because it helps people avoid the stressful work commute.
That said, working remote jobs comes with its own unique challenges and health risks. Did you think spending the entire day sitting at your workstation was healthy?
Here are some common illnesses you’ll encounter in a remote work setup – and how to prevent them.
Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSI)
One of the most common illnesses you’ll face in remote work is Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSI).
These are damage to your muscles, tendons, or nerves caused by repetitive motions or constant use. These typically affect your fingers, shoulders, elbows, and knees.
Any action can cause RSI, even something as simple as typing on your computer or sitting for too long. In addition, lack of exercise due to a sedentary lifestyle can also lead to RSI.
Common symptoms of RSI include:
- Tingling or throbbing sensations,
- Pain,
- Swelling,
- Numbness,
- Stiffness,
- Weakness,
- Sensitivity to cold or heat, and
- Swelling.
If left untreated, RSI leads to:
- Carpal tunnel syndrome,
- Back strains and pains,
- Tennis elbow,
- Trigger finger and trigger thumb.
How Do You Prevent This?
The best way to avoid experiencing RSI is by improving the ergonomics of your remote work setup.
Start by investing in a good office chair. It should have lumbar support, adjustable height, and a sufficient armrest.
In addition, keep your computer’s screen at eye level to avoid neck strain and use a mouse.
Also, remember to take frequent breaks to stretch and give your wrists time to recover.
Finally, incorporate some desk exercises into your routine so you can continue working comfortably.
Eye Strain and Vision Problems
Another common health problem for many remote workers is Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS). This isn’t one specific problem; instead, it covers a broad range of eye strain and discomfort symptoms.
It’s caused by continuously staring at our computer screens or smartphones and inadequate lighting conditions.
Its symptoms include:
- Headaches,
- Dry eyes,
- Neck and shoulder pain, and
- Eye strain.
How Do You Prevent This?
The first step in preventing CVS is ensuring your workplace is well-lit and avoiding placing your computer/laptop directly in front of windows.
Also, consider adjusting your screen’s brightness and font size until you find the one that best suits you.
Aside from these, give your eyes some rest by following the 20-20-20 rule: for every 20 minutes of computer use, take a 20-second break to look at something 20 feet away.
Doing this helps relax your eye muscles and reduce fatigue.
Mental Health Issues
Our bodies aren’t the only ones we should look after in an online work from home setup.
The lack of social interactions with our co-workers can cause feelings of isolation and loneliness for some remote workers.
In addition, the sudden blurring of work and personal life increases stress and anxiety, leading to depression and burnout.
How Do You Prevent This?
Just because you’re working from home doesn’t mean you can’t hang out with your co-workers anymore.
You can schedule regular meet-ups with them via Zoom or just chat with them on your team’s unofficial group chat. You can also participate in your company’s virtual team-building activities to meet other co-workers.
Struggling with work-life balance? Start by establishing a proper workstation at home. Doing so helps you focus at work and prevent your loved ones from accidentally distracting you.
Additionally, you should communicate your working hours to your boss and resist the urge to check or reply to messages beyond these.
Sleep Disorders
Among the most common illnesses you’ll encounter in a remote work setup are sleep disorders.
This is often the result of working irregular hours and prolonged exposure to blue light from our screens, disrupting our body’s natural sleep schedules.
Because of these, many remote workers experience poor sleep quality, daytime fatigue, and insomnia. This is especially common among night shift workers, who have to stay up late at night due to time zone differences with their clients.
How Do You Prevent This?
The first step is establishing a consistent sleep schedule.
This means going to bed at the same time each night and waking up at the same hour every day, even on weekends. You can also incorporate a bedtime routine to signal your body that it’s time to wind down.
In addition, avoid taking long naps and drinking caffeine and other stimulants in the afternoon.
Finally, consider practicing relaxation techniques like meditation or deep breathing to calm your mind so you can sleep better.
Eating Disorders
Working from home can also lead to irregular eating patterns, poor diet choices, and dehydration.
Thus, many remote workers often forget to eat on time, or if they do, they go for convenient rather than healthy meals.
Inevitably, this results in bloating, obesity, indigestion, constipation, and acid reflux.
How Do You Prevent This?
You can avoid these illnesses by setting consistent meal times three times a day.
Always aim to eat healthy, balanced meals like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, etc. Additionally, remember to regularly hydrate yourself as it helps boost your metabolism and aids in digestion.
Doing these helps you maintain a healthy weight so you can have enough energy to work at your best.
Staying Healthy While Working From Home
Remote jobs offer many benefits to Filipino workers, but it also comes with health risks that hamper your productivity.
Fortunately, by being aware of these common illnesses in remote work – and how to prevent them, you can avoid these and enjoy good health along with all the benefits.
Ready to start working from home but don’t know where to start looking for online jobs? If so, Remote Staff is here to help.
Our jobs list contains plenty of positions to choose from. Aside from virtual assistant jobs, we also have openings for online design jobs, online transcription jobs, and online writing jobs.
So, what are you waiting for? Sign up here. Good luck!
