{"id":10650,"date":"2023-06-30T06:00:59","date_gmt":"2023-06-30T05:00:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/bjsm\/?p=10650"},"modified":"2023-06-29T15:21:28","modified_gmt":"2023-06-29T14:21:28","slug":"are-we-working-too-comfortably-a-toolkit-for-moving-more-during-the-work-at-home-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/bjsm\/2023\/06\/30\/are-we-working-too-comfortably-a-toolkit-for-moving-more-during-the-work-at-home-day\/","title":{"rendered":"Are we working (too) comfortably?!: A toolkit for moving more during the work at home day\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

This blog provides a toolkit developed based on ongoing research from the University of Edinburgh exploring ways to help those working from home move more during their day.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"Figure<\/p>\n

Shifting to working (too) comfortably<\/h4>\n

Cast your mind back to early 2020 \u2013 the world went into a global lockdown to control the spread of Covid-19. We were told; \u2018<\/span>if you can work from home \u2013 you should work from home\u2019<\/span><\/i>. And this led to many of us retreating to our home offices, or perhaps you were perched at the kitchen table, maybe you found yourself on the sofa. Bring yourself back to the present day, and many of us are still spending some of the working week at home [1]. Working at home has brought positives to our lives \u2013 more attainable work-life balance, reduced stress and cost of the rush-hour commute, you might even have time to cook all your meals from scratch! Unfortunately, there are also some negatives.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

An October 2022 review showed sedentary behaviour increased by 16% (globally) because of Covid-19 and working at home [2].\u00a0 For most people increased sedentary time will accumulate through spending prolonged periods at their desk (e.g., on email, MS Teams meetings, word processing). Unfortunately, elevated sedentary behaviour is an occupational health hazard with strong evidence that higher levels are unfavourably associated with cognitive function, depression, physical function, disability, and physical health QoL in adults [3]. Given that working at home looks set to continue for the longer term, it is imperative that solutions are developed to support those who work at home to do so in safe and healthy ways. Our research is focused on understanding how working at home increases sedentary behaviour, and how to best support employees to move more for their health and well-being.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Figure<\/p>\n

Collaborating to move more<\/h4>\n

We started our research in January 2021, exploring staff perspectives of working at home and how their sedentary behaviour had changed. We then undertook a rapid review of existing evidence to identify interventions effective in office settings, and with input from workplace wellbeing stakeholders, appraised if they were transferable to the work at home setting [4]. Our review informed focus groups with: 1) employees, aged 18-40, currently working at home, and 2) line managers, to understand influences on sedentary behaviour while working at home, and ideas to support employees to reduce their sedentary behaviour. Findings were reviewed, and solutions refined at a workshop with the same participants. Informed by our research and behaviour change theory, we created a \u2018toolkit\u2019 to support behaviour change.<\/span><\/p>\n

A toolkit for moving your way, during the working at home day<\/h4>\n

Based on our research participants\u2019 suggestions to provide information in a \u2018bite-sized\u2019 format, we have set the toolkit up as a four-week programme, with different themes each week.\u00a0 It is also possible to \u2018dip into\u2019 the suggestions based on what suits you, and what works with your work at home routine. Over time, you\u2019ll likely find those suggestions that work best for you, and that you enjoy the most \u2013hopefully they will become a regular part of your work at home day. Suggestions include:<\/span><\/p>\n