How to relieve stress after a year of home office

Not long ago, we hit a milestone that brought up some mixed feelings: one year of home office. It seems like yesterday that we lugged chairs, monitors and keyboards from our offices to our homes in preparation for our daily routines to be turned upside down.

At the time, no one could have imagined this pandemic would last so long. But after more than a year, the majority of us are still working from home with our daily interactions consisting of video calls, which puts a lot of strain on our eyes.

When working from home we’re likely to be sitting in front of a screen for longer than we should, which has negative effects on our bodies and minds. We’re exercising less and stressing more, which leads to poor sleep patterns. The monotony puts us in a stress cycle that’s difficult to get out of.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently stated that permanent, long-term stress can affect our health for years, which is why it’s so important to take time to relax after a long day of work. With our range of activities you can get fit and have fun at the same time, whether with yoga, fitness or water sports. Because the more you move, the more you compensate for sitting rigidly all day long, which in turn relieves the negative impact of excessive screen consumption.

Yoga and meditation: looking inward

Does your head ache after work? Do you feel dizzy and struggle to focus? If this sounds familiar, then you’ve stayed in one position in front of your screen for too long.

With yoga and meditation practice you give your eyes time to breathe after being active all day long. Yoga teachings focus on the third eye, the energy centre in the middle of your forehead between your eyebrows. Conscious, deep breathing and concentration on your brow chakra will activate the pineal gland, which is responsible for our sleep-wake rhythm. It’s a small component in the centre of the brain, but it’s extremely important for our physical and mental health.

Find out how to increase your energy through conscious breathing here.

Exercising in sunny daylight paired with a restful night’s sleep are crucial stress relievers. In addition, meditation can actively help with headaches, concentration and vision problems. 

Click here to find out how you can sleep better when working from home.

Fun and Variety: Padel, golf and water sports

Rest is great for your health, but variety is the spice of life. When you move and have fun your problems just melt away. When you do exercise, you release hormones such as adrenaline, noradrenaline and cortisol. When you exercise regularly, your body constantly releases small amounts of these hormones.

This makes stress more manageable in everyday life. Your body is less sensitive to stressful every-day stimuli such as traffic jams or long work hours. You’ll automatically feel calmer.

Racket games like Padel can help reduce aggression because you focus on yourself while responding to an opponent, reacting to the way they play. And if you’re in need of a vacation, water skiing, wakeboarding* or golfing will bring that holiday feeling to your doorstep. Being in nature will make you feel free, giving you air to breathe which boosts your concentration and minimises the risk of distraction. 

*Water skiing and wakeboarding are currently available by appointment only.

Discover your WorkOUT Life Balance

Ultimately, any type of fitness or wellbeing activity will help counteract the negative impact of working in front of a screen all day. Our live classes offer you a wide range of options to find the right balance while trying something new and exciting. Fitness courses, HIIT workouts or functional training will boost your health holistically.

Now more than ever, companies understand they have a responsibility to promote the mental and physical health of their employees. A balanced sports and relaxation program helps prevent exhaustion as well as the negative effects of home office. Speak to your boss today about the idea of a flexible sports flat-rate to promote physical and mental employee health. Learn more about it here.