The appeal of working from bed is powerful. However, turning your mattress into a home office can trigger some health and focus-related problems. But, there is a way around all that β so, keep on reading.
Ever since the outbreak of coronavirus, people have replaced their corporate offices with home offices. At first, those home offices were their old studying desks in some corner of the house or the dining room table no one ever uses anyway. But, over time, as people became more comfortable working from home, they slowly started replacing the desks with beds.
Don't get us wrong β working from bed does come with many benefits. For instance, you save a lot more time and energy when not having to prepare for work and commute, you don't have to deal with annoying colleagues, you can be with your family more, etc.
But, as it always happens in life, everything that has pros must come with some cons as well. For example, working from bed may lower your focus, motivation, and productivity, it may make you gain weight and increase the risk of developing some physical health problems, and it may even make you feel depressed and anxious, that is, it can affect your mental health.
Luckily, there is a solution for all of this. Just try to follow most of our tips and you will be able to enjoy all the benefits of working from bed while avoiding the drawbacks.
How to make working from bed more comfortable?
To be honest, bed working is not a good idea. It is not a good idea because of all the previously mentioned problems it can trigger. Thus, leave lying in the bed for sleeping, watching tv, and doing other activities. But, if you absolutely have to work from bed, here are some things you should do.
First things first, if you plan on sleeping during the night and working from bed during the day, you have to invest in a good mattress for your bedroom. Otherwise, your whole body will start hurting pretty hard.
But,Β don't buy just any mattress β you need one that suits your particular needs.Β Thus, first, think about the firmness of the mattress. If you want something that is soft and comfy, go for a mattress that is made of memory foam. But, if you want something firmer,Β go for a spring mattress. Both of these have pros and cons.
For instance, a memory foam mattress will make you feel like you are sitting on a cloud, but it may also make you feel sleepy. A spring mattress will give you firmness and bounce, but it may cause you some pain in your lower back if you lie on them all the time.
Sleep experts' advice is to choose something in between. That is, to choose a hybrid mattress. This mattress has springs on the bottom and memory foam on the top β this combination gives that perfect balance when it comes to firmness.
P.S. When buying a mattress, go for one with removable covers! If you have self-control, this does not apply to you. But, if you don't, you already know what we are thinking about -working from bed also means eating and drinking from bed. Thus, to avoid stains on your mattress, always go for one with removable covers.
Now that you have a proper mattress, you have to think about your back support. And no, that pile of pillows and blankets behind your back is not a support.Β You need something that will provide you with neck and lumbar support as well as something that will promote good posture.Β You think that that doesn't exist? Yup, it does! And it is called aΒ bed wedgeΒ or aΒ body positioner.
Yes, these don't look amazing β to be honest, they look terrible. But, they will help you sit in a more natural way while you are in your bed desk.
With them, you will be able to straighten your back and neck and have something sturdy to lean on. Moreover, sitting in this position will give your brain the impression that you are sitting on a chair, and thus, you will be more productive.
Let us ask you a question βΒ where do you put your laptop when working from bed?Β Is it on your stomach? Or is it on a pillow? Both ways are unacceptable. They are unacceptable because, first, this is not good for your back and neck as you will always be slouching. And, secondly, this is not good as an uneven surface and a surface made of different fabrics will damage the processor of your computer.
So,Β to save your neck and back as well as your computer, find some sturdy surface to work on. Yes, that can be a tray table or even some board.
But, if you want to be a professional even when doing your remote work from the comfort of your bed, get one of those adjustable bed trays designed specifically for laptops. You can easily set up these above and finally have that laptop at your eye level.
This table tray will make spending time in bed a lot easier. You will have the impression that you are working from your desk, and thus, you will always be in that work mode, but at the same time, you will still get that rest from your bed.
Imagine this β you are working like crazy and your creative juices are flowing like never before, but, you get thirsty or hungry so you have to stop everything and go to your kitchen table. Maybe all that inspiration and productivity will continue, but, maybe, everything will stop. For this reason, all remote workers, that is, all workers who are working from home, know that they mustΒ have some kind of storage right next to their working stationΒ (which is a bed in this case).
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So, to avoid these situations, your only option is to find a bigger nightstand or a smaller shelf and put it right next to your bed. This will create an additional storage area where you can put drinks and snacks, and of course, an additional area for your work knick-knacks.
Buying a spillproof vessel is money well spent! Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Of course, these cost more than a regular old cup (a lot more), but still, they cost less than a new laptop, new pillows, or a new mattress. You don't need us to tell you that working from bed and drinking coffee can quickly escalate β as soon as you try to change your position, you will spill that coffee everywhere.
Thus, save yourself from all these troubles and expenses and invest in a spillproof vessel.Β That can be a leakproof tumbler, for example. This can cost around 10$ and you can find it pretty much anywhere β from Amazon to your local supermarket.
You need to create healthy boundaries, at least some of them. We understand that work from bed can be very appealingΒ but try to sit on that chair and use that desk every once in a while too.Β If you lie on the bed while you are sleeping, while you are working, and probably while you are enjoying some βyour' time (watching TV, surfing the net, entertaining friends, etc.), you can severely damage your health β physical and mental health.
Being in a lying position extended period can make you gain weight, increase your chances of getting cardiovascular problems, and many other things.
Moreover, even though your home is a safe calming space, spending too much time in it will distance you from other people. Soon, you will start to feel lonely, anxious, and even depressed. Thus, whatever you do, once you finish your work, get out of that bed. Here are some suggestions on the things you should do after being in bed a lot.
Since you were in bed all night, morning, and probably aΒ good portion of your day, you got your rest.Β So, as soon as you finish everything, shut that laptop, put on your walking shoes, and do any activity you like. That can beΒ doing a sport, going for a jog,Β hitting the gym, or just going for a walk. Do this even if you don't feel like it. Trust us, it is much better to force yourself toΒ do some activityΒ now than to a small fortune on a physical therapist.
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Socialise
Exercising your mind is just as important as exercising your body. Remote work is great for many things, but it may not be great for your mental health. Just think about it β how will sitting alone at home all day, every day, affect your life? Not in a good way β let us tell you that. Thus, try to socialise after work as much as possible.
Conclusion
So, just keep everything we've mentioned in mind and working from bed should be easy and comfortable! But let us know if you have any tips of your own when it comes to working from bed. Just drop your story in the comment section and hopefully, we can all learn something new.
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