In a post-pandemic corporate world, working from home has become the new normal for many office workers. From swapping the office chair for the comfy couch and the commute for that extra hour in bed, it's safe to say that working from home has changed the way we work drastically. 

With over 60% of the UK population now working from home and 26% of current WFH employees planning to commit to the shift permanently, it's important to assess both the pros and cons of swapping the office for the comfort of your home.

If you're looking to embrace your WFH lifestyle while still prioritising your own health, we may have a solution for you. From helping to get your steps in, to becoming your ultimate WFH companion, adding an office dog to your working routine could be a game-changer for both your physical and mental health.

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Adding a pooch to an already busy lifestyle can be a big commitment but it can have some serious health benefits if you're choosing to work from home for the long haul. Before we tell you how an office dog will transform your WFH experience, it's important to assess why working from home can pose a danger to both your mental and physical wellbeing.

How Can WFH Impact Your Health?

From an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and impacts on your mental health, working from home can pose some serious risks to your general wellbeing. Although you may not miss that Monday commute, a new lack of exercise during the working week could be contributing to that Friday fatigue, weight gain and lack of productivity.

Before Covid-19, nearly 30% of graduates worked from home, quickly jumping to two in three after March 2020, rendering it the new norm for the current corporate landscape. As more of us swap the office for our own Wifi connection, it's hard not to notice the potential health scares that could arise amongst the new WFH generation. For example, a study by the Mayo Clinic found that those who sit for more than 8 hours a day were more prone to cardiovascular disease, strokes and early death, posing a similar severity of risks like obesity and smoking. 

Mental health has also plummeted during lockdown, with one in five remote employees experiencing loneliness and symptoms of depression. Without social interaction and the structure that an office-based workday can provide, many remote workers have seen a reduction in their productivity in response to their decline in mental wellbeing.

This said, working from home has become a saving grace for many, allowing companies to hire a more inclusive workforce that accommodates all lifestyles and disabilities, alongside giving workers their freedom back to plan and prioritise work around their own schedule.

Could Introducing A WFH Dog Improve Your Health?

Aside from their undeniable cuteness and companionship outside of work, introducing a canine companion into your WFH lifestyle could vastly improve both your physical and mental wellbeing. From increasing daily exercise and adding structure into your WFH routine, we have collated the three most crucial changes a pooch can make to your workday that may transform both your health and your productivity. 

Cardiovascular health

One of the most noticeable changes an office dog can make to your work-day routine is an increase in daily exercise. Having a dependent that requires walking 2-3 times per day not only introduces structure to your WFH routine but greatly increases your levels of physical fitness.

In a recent study by The Heart Foundation, workers who owned a dog exercised for an extra 22 minutes a day, solely by going for a walk. Increasing your daily exercise while working from home can help boost productivity, lose weight and most importantly improve your cardiovascular health.

Brisk walking is known to reduce cholesterol levels, lower the risk of blood pressure-related illnesses and reduce your chances of developing Type 2 Diabetes in older age. Just by factoring your pooch into your WFH schedule, you could see years added to your lifespan.

Eyestrain and Screen Fatigue 

In a digitally dominated world, it's hard not to find yourself glued to either your computer or phone screen during your workday. With the average office worker completing on-screen work for the vast majority of their working week, it's no surprise that there has been an increase in screen-related eyestrain and headaches amongst the modern WFH generation.

Implementing a WFH dog into your routine allows for a more balanced working schedule where the owner is forced to take screen breaks in order to care for their canine companion. Stepping away from the screen for just a few minutes at a time can drastically reduce screen related headaches and muscle fatigue caused by remaining in one position for an extended period of time.

For regular on-screen workers, we also recommend investing in a pair of blue light glasses, which can also help to alleviate the eyestrain caused by blue light glare emitted from computer screens. If you're looking to see all facts and fictions of blue light glasses, make sure you do so before investing in a pair. 

Mental Health 

One of the most crucial impacts of introducing a dog to your WFH routine is the positive impact they can have on your mental health. With 67% of homeworkers expressing that they feel less connected with their colleagues, gaining a pooch pal acts as a great mental health support system. Providing the social connection many office workers have lost during the pandemic, a WFH dog can improve employee mood, in turn increasing productivity and a positive attitude towards work.

Dogs also instigate healthy routines. Having to get up in the morning to feed and walk them means the day starts when it always used to, therefore providing stability. Caring for our companion helps us balance our mental wellbeing and help combat depression.

In Conclusion

In a post-pandemic landscape where Covid-19 continues to change the working world as we know it, working from home for many people is here to stay. While it can pose many benefits to both the environment and the reduction in the spread of the virus, it is still important to maintain your mental and physical wellbeing. If you're looking for that final push to bring a canine companion into your own home, take this as your final sign to improve both your home and working life.