2021 Work From Home Habits

Breaks are an essential part of the workday. With work from home, distinguishing break time and work time has become more difficult. Figuring out how to make old healthy routines fit into this new sedentary life is challenging. On Blind, the largest anonymous professional network, we asked our users three questions:

1. Do you get up and take breaks during the workday?
2. Has your posture gotten worse during the WFH period?
3. Have you gained weight during the WFH period?

Here are key learnings from over 4,000 professionals between 1/26-2/02

• Surprisingly, 72% of professionals say they get up and take breaks during the workday
  • 82% of Bloomberg professionals say they get up and take breaks during the workday
  • Only 52% of Paypal professionals say they get up and take breaks during the workday
• 58% of professionals say their posture has gotten worse during the WFH period
• Another 58% of professionals say they have gained weight during the WFH period
  • However, only 44% of the professionals who say they get up and take breaks during the workday have gained weight 

See the raw data here. 

The good news is, there are many easy adjustments you can make to your work station at home to avoid or decrease these mechanical stresses on your body from poor posture. Here are a few positioning changes to try:

1. Avoid sitting/laying on your couch or in your bed with your computer
2. Sit at a desk or table, if possible
3. Use a comfortable chair that will allow you to sit with good posture (photo)
   1. Head right above shoulders and hips
   2. Adequate lumbar support (chair with support, small pillow or towel roll)
   3. Arms not too high or low
   4. Feet supported on ground or footstool
   5. Try to sit evenly and not lean on one side
   6. Knees at the same height or slightly lower than hips
   7. Forearms and thighs parallel to the floor
   8. Elbows approximately 90 degrees
4. Position your head approximately an arm’s length away from the screen
5. Keep the keyboard and mouse close to each other to avoid reaching
6. Avoid sitting longer than an hour at a time, taking a break of about 10 minutes per hour of sitting
7. Use a hands-free device for long phone calls to avoid straining your neck

There’s no denying that resisting the urge to snack when the kitchen is at your disposal 24/7 is hard work. Eating lunch at your desk is a bad idea, and not just because it’s a distraction that possibly makes you less productive. There is some evidence that suggests that being distracted while eating — whether working or playing a video game — may dampen people’s memory of lunch, causing them to eat more. So separate your lunch and work, and do each in a different room.

Professionals used to have excuses to get up and walk around the office, start some small talk, and even stretch. Now, a year into the remote work life, prioritizing self-care has become more difficult. 

While challenging, it is not impossible; 78% of professionals are managing to do so. This survey by Blind proves the benefits that overlap between taking breaks and physical health. 

Have any workplace-related questions? Ask the Blind anonymous network!