Workplace Wellness: Don’t get stuck in the deskbound doldrums

Returning to the office after summer holidays can be difficult but experts suggest we use the transition to look at our work habits and environment

Pic: iStock

SUMMER is almost over, and we may be about to hit the doldrums. Most of us go on holidays, spend time with family and friends, taking a break from the usual routine during the summer months. We don’t want those good times to end.

“It’s entirely normal to feel that sinking feeling as we return to our routine after summer,” says Kate Gaffey, founder of Workplace Wellness, a company that provides wellbeing workshops.

“There’s an adjustment in energy as we move from summer into autumn and transitions like this can be unsettling.”

Dr Jill Pearson is an assistant professor in work and organisational psychology at the University of Limerick and cites research showing most of us can expect this transitionary period to last for about a week.

“ A 2011 study carried out in the Netherlands found that while we have more energy, feel less tense and are in a better mood while on holidays, we return to pre-vacation energy levels within a week,” she says. “If a vacation makes us feel inflated, it’s not surprising that many people feel deflated when we return to work and the regular routine.”

However, this transitionary period can also be a time of opportunity, she points out. We can use it to assess just how healthy and helpful our work habits and work environment are and make changes accordingly.

“Just as covid gave us an opportunity to examine our lives, vacations can do the same thing,” says Pearson. “They give us time to reflect on our work lives and what we can do to make them better.”

According to Paula Cogan, chief executive officer of occupational health provider Cognate Health, the first thing we should all do is make sure that our work environment is ergonomically sound.

“If you spend your day sitting at a desk, it’s crucial it suits your specific needs,” she says. “Employers have a legal obligation to provide a safe environment and ergonomic assessments should be completed for the office environment and recommendations made depending on individual requirements.”

You can take a DIY approach to this at home. “Set up your computer screen so you’re looking straight ahead,” says Gaffey. “Make sure your back is well supported and try to maintain a 90-degree angle in terms of your hips in relation to your knees and your shoulders to your elbows.”

A 2006 Norwegian study found that employees with screens positioned just 15 degrees out of the correct position had more pain and less neck movement than those who correctly positioned their screens.

Kate Gaffey, founder of Workplace Wellness

Improve your work environment

It’s vital to get the light right too, with Swedish research dating from 2006 showing that staff energy levels were most depleted when the lighting was too low.

“You need access to good light to complete your tasks,” says Cogan.

Adding pot plants to your work environment can have surprisingly positive effects. A Washington State University study concluded that people working in workplaces with plants were 12% more productive and less stressed than those without greenery.

Plants can also improve your health. Research from Norway found that nose, throat and dry skin symptoms were 23% lower in offices with greenery, coughs reduced by 37% and fatigue by 30%.

And take a good long look at your desk. How tidy is it? “Too much clutter can have a negative impact on anxiety and stress levels, leading to a reduction in productivity,” says Cogan. “What we’re aiming for is an office environment that is clutter-free and designed with good ventilation, appropriate lighting and a general calming atmosphere in mind.”

Along with improving your work environment, reconnecting with colleagues can boost your mood after holidays.

“Social connection is a big part of wellbeing and having those relationships with colleagues helps us to feel that we’re part of something bigger than ourselves,” says Pearson.

The quality of those relationships matters. A 2018 American study found that having co-workers’ support significantly affected our overall health.

“We’re built for relationships and thrive in community,” says Gaffey. “It’s a good idea to notice who in your workplace energises and lifts you up, making you feel good. Those are the people to invest your time and energy in. The flip side is noticing who drains your energy and brings you down. If possible, try to set some boundaries around the time you spend with them and the amount of energy you give them.”

We should all be moving more at work too.

“Musculoskeletal issues are the second most common referral to occupational health as employees are sitting at their desks for extended periods and not stretching or moving,” says Cogan. “Any movement is better than no movement, so build time into your day to walk to the other side of the office, take 15 minutes outside at lunchtime or take the stairs instead of the lift. All provide a much-needed opportunity to move.”

Paula Cogan, Cognate Health

Keep moving throughout the day

Pearson has other tips to incorporate more movement into a working day.

“Stand up and walk around every time you’re on the phone, have walking meetings or walking coffee breaks or place the printer far away from your desk so you have to get up and walk every time you print a document,” she says.

She also recommends setting an alarm to remind yourself to move.

“We can get into a state of flow at work, which means we don’t realise how much time has passed while sitting still,” she says.

“Set an alarm so you don’t forget.”

Introducing even a small amount of physical activity into your day can make a difference, as proven by a 2010 study by the University of Ulster. After a three-month trial period, people who climbed the stairs rather than using the lift at work had lower cholesterol, better breathing, healthier hearts and lower weight.

Another strategy that can improve stress levels and enhance productivity at work is to take a stricter approach to checking emails and other messages. Research by the University of California in 2016 revealed that office workers checked their emails 77 times on average daily. A subsequent study found that these interruptions took a toll on concentration levels, with workers requiring 23 minutes to redirect their attention back to their original task.

“Many of the tasks people do at work require deep levels of concentration,” says Pearson. “As such, we need to give ourselves the headspace to concentrate and interruptions like emails can affect our flow and progress.”

She counters this by including a message in her email signature that says she checks email twice a day, once before lunch and once afterwards. “I don’t always stick to my own rule but at least it helps me to manage the expectations of those who email me,” she says.

“If they don’t get a reply straight away, they know they should get one within a day.”