Visualisation 7 – Wellbeing & Remote Work

The post COVID era is likely to see an increase in remote work, be it in a hybrid form (Madgavkar, 2020; Smit et al., 2020). While working remotely can show increased levels of productivity (Caramela, 2020), a sedentary lifestyle is also linked to increased risks of type 2 diabetes, cancer and heart disease (Michos, 2021). In order to manage my wellbeing during the lockdown, I, therefore, purchased a stand-up desk and ensured I have a regular exercise routine. In addition to this, I cut out all sugars and adopted a low carb Mediterranean diet to aid weight loss (Mosley, 2018) given the weight gain I experienced during the 1st lockdown.

Fig 1. Three channel timer

In this week’s visualisation, I used a three-channel timer to record the time I sit, stand and am away from the desk over a 12-hour period. I used red for sitting to emphasis long durations of sitting being unhealthy. The circles do not represent consecutive hours sitting but rather approximate total hours. Taking regular short breaks in between was essential (HSE,2021) but also difficult to capture; changes less than a few minutes (e.g., making coffee) were therefore not included. The data visualisation in fig 2 reflects the level of a sedentary lifestyle during remote work for that week. The number of orange areas are reflective of the number of online meetings during the day. Had I not invested in a stand-up desk, these would have been included in hours sitting.

Fig 2 Activity during 12 hour period

The reality is online learning allows for switching between tasks, as opposed to multitasking, easy and therefore logging the clock time between activities would have allowed for data to be represented like that in fig 4 below. For all practical purposes, this may be difficult to capture manually without interrupting my work flow.

Fig 3 Traditional working schedule pre internet (Beswick 2019)
Fig 4. Impact of online work (Beswick,2019)

The data could inform policy promoting remote working culture and lead to organisational transformation with a positive impact on productivity (Satya, 2018); Microsoft for example is closing two of its Reading buildings due to remote working possibilities even though the workforce has expanded since they were built 22 years ago (Beswick, 2019). For an organisation to allow for remote work would also mean off-screen times, flexible working, a management culture of trust and consideration to necessary equipment (e.g stand up desk) is considered. The recommended is 20min sitting, 8 min standing and 2 min of moving with at least a 5 min rest break or change of activity every hour, for display screen equipment DSE workers (HSE, 2021).

Extension

As a comparison to the manually recorded data, I looked at data from my Fitbit and also Hydrate water bottle. I have a daily target of 10,000 steps and minimum water consumption of 2484 ml. From the zone minutes, it can be seen Wed I didn’t exercise and Fri was an active recovery exercise of stretches. In order to manage wellbeing adequate sleep is also noted.

DayWater intake mlStepsCals burnedDist (km)Zone Minutes[1]Sleep duration
Mon280413 424 steps  3074 cals  8.48105 mins  6hr 14min
Tue28949525 steps  2640 cals  5.8765 zone mins  8hr 1min
Wed300010405 steps  2558 Cals  7.415 zone mins  8hr 54min
Thuunavailable10,459 steps  2892 cals  6.75108 zone mins  7hr 5min
Fri28619410 steps  2684 cals  6.6931 zone mins  7hr 14min
Table 1 – Fitbit data on activity during the working week

[1] The zone minutes: time spent in the fat burn, cardio, or peak heart-rate zones (Fitbit, 2021)

References

Beswick, S. (no date) Surface and School.pptx – Microsoft PowerPoint Online. Available at: https://onedrive.live.com/view.aspx?resid=F42D971DEA599D82!287574&ithint=file%2cpptx&authkey=!AG8wEW0nj4Advaw (Accessed: 21 March 2021).

Caramela, S. (2020) Remote Workers Are More Productive – businessnewsdaily.com, Business News Daily. Available at: https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/15259-working-from-home-more-productive.html (Accessed: 21 March 2021).

Fitbit (2021) Fitbit, What are Active Zone Minutes or active minutes on my Fitbit device? Available at: https://help.fitbit.com/articles/en_US/Help_article/1379.htm (Accessed: 21 March 2021).

HSE (2021) Working safely with display screen equipment: Home working – HSE. Available at: https://www.hse.gov.uk/msd/dse/home-working.htm (Accessed: 22 March 2021).

Madgavkar, A. (2020) Remote working is here to stay. But who will be doing it?, World Economic Forum. Available at: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/12/remote-working-who-will-be-doing-it/ (Accessed: 21 March 2021).

Michos, E. (2021) Sitting Disease: How a Sedentary Lifestyle Affects Heart Health. Available at: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/sitting-disease-how-a-sedentary-lifestyle-affects-heart-health (Accessed: 21 March 2021).

Mosley, M. (no date) The Fast 800: How to combine rapid weight loss and intermittent fasting for long-term health: Amazon.co.uk: Michael Mosley: Books. Available at: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fast-800-combine-intermittent-long-term/dp/1780723628/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=michael+mosley&qid=1616330354&sr=8-1 (Accessed: 21 March 2021).

Satya, N. (2018) Hit Refresh: A Memoir by Microsoft’s CEO: Amazon.co.uk: Nadella, Satya: 9780008247690: Books. Available at: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hit-Refresh-Memoir-Microsofts-CEO/dp/0008247692/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=satya+nadella&qid=1616331223&sr=8-1 (Accessed: 21 March 2021).

Smit, S. et al. (2020) The future of remote work: An analysis of 2,000 tasks, 800 jobs, and 9 countries | McKinsey. Available at: https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/future-of-work/whats-next-for-remote-work-an-analysis-of-2000-tasks-800-jobs-and-nine-countries# (Accessed: 21 March 2021).


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2 Replies to “Visualisation 7 – Wellbeing & Remote Work”

  1. ‘The data visualisation in fig 2 reflects the level of a sedentary lifestyle during remote work for that week. ‘

    Useful idea for a visualisation that connects pressing issues of the moment, and how we live and work in the same space.

    ‘For all practical purposes, this may be difficult to capture manually without interrupting my work flow.’

    But there would also be some interpretation going on in this automated visualisation, wouldn’t there? How would an automated system define ‘waiting’? Surely there would be some interpretation going on somewhere, the only difference would be that it was embedded, unseen, in the software, rather than being your own conscious decision?

    ‘The data could inform policy promoting remote working culture and lead to organisational transformation with a positive impact on productivity (Satya, 2018)’

    Sure. However, doesn’t some of this seem invasive? We’d seem to be sharing quite intimate data about our bodies, within the private space of the home? Should this data be given to corporations simply to help us enhance productivity?

    I also wondered how you thought this might relate to education. Perhaps a private company seeking to improve the productivity of its workers is fair, but how would that practice translate into pubic education? Should we similarly be ‘nudging’ students towards more ‘standing learning’ in their homes?

    1. In an automated visualisation, the interpretation would be left the data findings of the system at the end of the day – so it would still be human/subjective interpretation of what the data means e.g.https://memory.ai/timely

      Re invasive data – the data from the time-sheets in a system such as memory.ai/timely is very much dependent on what the user decides to share

      In public education, I would imagine there would due consideration of adequate breaks for an online timetable and movement/PE e.g. online yoga https://ukglobal.pearsononlineacademy.com/school-life/day-in-the-life

      Re teachers working from home (WFH) recommended off-screen break times would still be recommended. The idea of WFH or remote work as a policy may however be considered a norm in the IT sector than public/private education; this I feel is due more to cultural norms which have now come under question during COVID.

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