Many companies today have joined teleworking to mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Following the recommendation of the Public Administrations regarding the measures to face the crisis triggered by the global pandemic: “Companies will have to promote telework when circumstances allow it.”
The vast majority of companies in Spain were not prepared to implement telework . According to Eurostat, only 4% of Spanish workers regularly carried out their tasks outside the offices. It is currently being implemented at full speed due to the special circumstances we are experiencing.
What is telecommuting?
According to the Ministry of Labor, there are three basic elements.
1. Telework refers to a paid professional activity.
2. The decentralization of the workplace.
3. The means and technology used to carry out the work.
Currently, due to the global pandemic, telework must be interpreted as a protection against contagion against the sectors that must continue their work in person, as the so essential and necessary health sector.
Therefore, it requires a change of position of the concept of professional activity and literally a change of position of our own body. It will totally change the space that until now we have occupied. At home we will have to make changes and one of the most important, if we do not want to suffer physical discomfort over the days, is to maintain a correct posture in front of the computer.
We must achieve the minimum load for our spine. We can achieve this by trying to correct our posture.
Parts of our body to protect
Back : when sitting in a preferably high chair, we must support the back against the backrest, to keep the spine straight.
Forearms : they should be at a distance of about 10 cm from the keyboard and supported against the edge of the table, the preferable height of which can be from 75 to 80 cm.
Cervical: if we have to lower our heads to see the screen, our heads and neck will suffer. The visual level of the screen should be kept at eye level. The distance to keep from the screen is approximately 45 cm.
Chest and shoulders : they must be level without having to get up when performing the typing action. With the back straight, the chest and shoulders should remain straight as well.
Knees : They should be at the same height as the hip at a right angle. We will regulate the height of the seat to achieve this.
Feet : They should always be in contact with the ground, or on a surface such as a footrest.
Of course it will be essential to get up at least a few minutes every hour to relax the muscles, moving and doing some stretching.
Adaptation to current circumstances is mandatory at this time. Let’s make our body adapt well to its new professional location, which is our own home.
