Exercise as a counterbalance to remote working
Occupational health practitioners and well-being experts emphasize the importance of exercise as a counterbalance to remote work. Remote working may provide even better opportunities for break or sweat exercises during the day due to individual scheduling opportunities.
Break exercise
Exercise activates muscles, reduces the load on the body and increases the well-being of the musculoskeletal system, according to the UKK Institute. In teleworking, physical activity is important because taking breaks can easily be forgotten. Excessive sitting and passivity can be a threat to your overall well-being – make sure you walk at least a few times during the work day.
For example, a break exercise app is a great tool to remind you of the importance of physical activity. According to the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, the successful and active use of break exercise applications enhances recovery from work, increases energy and reduces the strain on the musculoskeletal system and possible pain symptoms. The supervisor’s own enthusiastic and encouraging attitude towards break exercise are significant factors in increasing the use of a break exercise application among the work community.
Also remember to drink enough water! This activity can be increased, for example, by using a small glass of water, which is filled as soon as it is emptied.
Tips
Cuckoo Workout –break exercise [Youtube-video] (Cuckoo Workout)
Whole body break exercise [Youtube-video] (Gymnastic association)
Break exercise for back and shoulders [Youtube-video] (Gymnastic association)
Break excercise by Jumppakissa [Youtube-video] (Jumppakissa)
Paavo’s tips for teleworking day [8 short Youtube-videos] (Paavo Nurmi –Center)
Exercise for back and neck [videos, in Finnish] (Selkäliitto ry)
Tips and equipment [in Finnish] (UKK-institute)
7-minute-workout-app (Johnson & Johnson Health and Wellness Solutions)
Music as an enhancer of concentration
You may need some kind of sound in the background when you are remote working. We put together suggestions from various Spotify lists for work and concentration!
Spotify lists
Work Focus (Home Office Classical)
When jobs have shifted in part or in full to the digital workplace and the office environment has moved to a home environment, the usual background noise – like people’s conversation – may help immerse oneself in the work. Here is an example of a list consisting of background noise typical for a café environment.
Stress management and recovery
Stress management measures are individual - one may like sweating, while the other one enjoys meditation. Reading a book or even a little oxygen jump outside can help you quit your job, for example during a lunch break or after a day of remote work.
Audio and e-books
The audio and e-book selections of different service providers offer plenty of reading or listening options related to, for example, leadership, meditation, self-help literature and concentration.
Here are some providers, for example: BookBeat, Elisa Kirja, Nextory and Storytel.
Tips
Stress Management – stressinhallinta
Breathe2Relax – hengitysharjoitteet
Headspace – mindfulness
The Mindfulness App – mindfulness
Calm – meditaatio ja unenlaadun parantaminen
Coping with remote working
Based on our research results, remote working was perceived as a pleasant form of work and many are willing to continue the opportunity to remote work. At the same time, remote working brings challenges that can put a strain on everyday life in a new way. For example, you should evaluate and monitor the workload of your own work regularly.
Applications that support well-being at work
There are many different digital tools and wellness applications available that can increase well-being.
Break exercise applications
Cuckoo Workout is a break exercise application that activates the work community to move. Cuckoo Workout offers a wide range of videos that include active exercises, brain challenges, and mindfulness exercises. In addition, the app encourages other micro-activities such as walking up stairs and changing working position.
The Break Pro break exercise app activates to take breaks from work and increases the well-being of body and mind. The break exercise videos recorded in Finnish beach landscapes guide refreshing break exercise and prevent the side effects of being present. Movements can be made even in a small space.
Well-being applications
Firstbeat Life is a subscription-based occupational well-being solution for modern work ability management and an integral part of proactive healthcare.
Emooter is a science-based virtual guide to help people develop and maintain well-being at work.
Oura encourages the development of well-being by combining the advanced sensor technology of the smart ring with an application that combines the data it collects.
Applications for work time tracking and time management
Harvest is a time management application to support multi-level data viewing.
With the help of a timer, it is possible, for example, to create projects, appoint tasks and perform time management.
Toggl simplifies time management by clarifying user-defined tasks.
Timely is suitable for many different situations to support time management.
Any.do is a time management application that helps you organize your days with various calendars, tasks, lists and reminders.
Other relevant applications
Koronavilkku is a contact tracing app produced by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) to help you find out whether you may have been exposed to coronavirus. If you have a coronavirus test and are diagnosed as infected, you can use the app to share this anonymously with those you have been in close contact with. Your privacy is strongly protected.