The culture of work from home is nothing new but it became more prevalent ever since the Covid-19 pandemic hit, to keep the economy of the country in line. Though the concept was prevailing earlier on demand, it was enforced with full effect during the coronavirus pandemic and the work from office culture is slowly resuming.
However, the employees that are working from home are forced to deal with physical and mental stress alongside work where stress can be caused by having too much work and not enough time to complete the task. It is very important to address the physical and mental stress of the employees working from home as it is more damaging than the pandemic itself.
In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Vaishali Srinivas, Assistant Manager-Spa at Clarks Exotica, shared, “A person is prone to physical and mental stress throughout their life and the best way to deal with it is through meditation, Yoga, etc. Spa therapies on the other side help reduce stress instantly and rejuvenates the body. There are different types of spa mainly, Destination Spa, Resort Spa and Day Spa. Spa therapy typically includes varieties of massage, facials, body exfoliation and steam baths.”
She suggested, “Different types of massage help to counter stress differently. For example, an Aroma Therapy which treats with different types of aromatic oil helps in improved blood circulation, skin elasticity, improved sleep quality and reduced stress and anxiety. A Shirodhara, which is Ayurvedic in nature, is a treatment of lukewarm oil dripping on the forehead that helps counter stress, migraine and insomnia. While a Spa Therapy is a good way to beat stress and have an instant relief, it is also equally important to engage in daily physical activities like gymming, cycling, jogging, meditation etc.”
Dr Alok Rai, Senior Consultant – physical rehab and ergonomics at Apollo Spectra Hospital in Bangalore, recommended the following tips to be exercised everyday to make working from home pleasant:
1. Proper planning (to use time efficiently)
2. Prioritise the work that has to be completed earlier
3. Do not work or talk about work during your downtime
4. Try to curtail your work time anything between 8-10 hours
5. Factor your breaks during the day
6. Practice desk yoga ( simple stretches in sitting position )
7. Ensure that you are getting up from your desk every hour even without any reason
8. Meditate everyday (start with 10 minutes per day )
9. Take short walks whenever possible
10. Allot a particular duration to spend time on activities that delight you (cooking , swimming , dancing , playing , gym, walking , running etc)
11. Most importantly give people reasonable expectation of for completion of the work so that you can plan your schedule accordingly and enjoy working.
Following these above said tips will lessen the impact of stress caused by work and make working from home enjoyable.