Your physical health

Take time each day for your basic needs so that you are in a better position to stay well and build resilience.

On this page

• Remember the basics – eat, sleep, exercise
• Your daily routine
• Stretching at your desk
• Working from home

Exercise

At the best of times, Australians are not active enough. The Department of Health says Being physically active and limiting your sedentary behaviour every day is essential for health and wellbeing.

And we all feel better and cope better with stress if we are doing something active. Exercise can also help you prevent infection.

The challenge right now is how to do that given the physical distancing restrictions in place. Remember the Chief Health Officer has said exercise is one of the four reasons you can get outside. It’s time to be a bit creative.

Below are organisations providing advice and resources about how exercise can help during this time.

Sleep

This could be a good time to get into some strong routines with your sleep. The Sleep Health Foundation has put together some material on the links between anxiety and a lack of sleep and how they can impact one another. Dr Natalie Grima, Clinical Neuropsychologist, also gave a presentation on getting a good night’s sleep. These resources give practical advice on good sleep hygiene, particularly for the period we are facing due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Your daily routine

As we live and work under new restrictions, setting ourselves up well with a daily routine, can help keep you on track, whether you are in the office or working from home.

Consistency is key 

Whilst working remotely provides opportunities for flexibility around start and finish times, being consistent is still of critical importance.  

If your start and stop times are too fluid – or you don’t coordinate your start and stop times with your fellow team members – you may finds that you end up always being ‘on’. 

Dress for work 

Dressing for work will help get you in the right frame of mind. Also, bear in mind that you may have to pick up an unexpected video call from your manager or colleague – so make sure you are dressed for the occasion.  

Set up a routine for eating and taking breaks 

Set an alarm on your calendar or a wellness related app. Sticking to this routine can help avoid overeating when food is just a short trip to the kitchen away. 

Take breaks from the computer 

To prevent eye strain, take breaks from your screen wherever you are working. A good rule of thumb is to take two 15-minute total breaks from work as well as four five-minute pauses, evenly spread throughout your workday to rest your eyes.  

Alternatively, use the 20-20-20 rule. Every 20 minutes, look away about 20 feet in front of you for 20 seconds.  

Refer the Ergonomics at Monash Health – Guidelines and Recommendations for additional information on stretches and exercises that may be useful.

Ensure proper nutrition and hydration 

Make sure you have water near your desk. 

There are also some great apps to remind you to drink enough water throughout the day – so important for staying well, alertness and brain function and another way to help you take a quick break.

Prepare healthy snacks in advance (perhaps during the time you would otherwise be commuting), so you are not tempted to reach for an unhealthy snack from your kitchen.

Establish a daily habit to transition from work to home 

Set in place daily habits, such as changing outfits, switching off your computer, stepping outside etc., to mentally indicate your workday has ended.

Additional information and resources 

The Monash Health Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provides a wealth of information and resources in relation to general wellbeing.  

The EAP can be accessed by logging into the dedicated portal:

• https://convergeinternational.com.au/.
• The username and password for accessing the portal is ‘monashhealth’.
• The EAP can also be accessed by calling: 1300 687 327 

Stretching at your desk

Stretching has many benefits as it helps improve range of motion, posture, decrease back pain, and help prevent injury.

Angelyn Kua, from Healthwise Fitness – Monash Health’s employee gym – has put together a simple stretching sequence you can use at your desk throughout the day to get your body moving and reduce the risk of aches and pains.

Working from home

With many of us now working from home for at least some of the time, we’ve put together some information about how to get set up and where to get additional technology and other support.

Visit the working from home page.

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