What Happens To Your Health When You Start Working From Home

Remember working during COVID? While healthcare workers, first responders, and restaurant employees still had to show up in person, many others suddenly found themselves working from home, logging into Zoom meetings in pajama pants. For some, the isolation was tough. Others loved more time with family, the freedom to work from anywhere, and not having long commutes. Some people even traded expensive city apartments for more affordable homes or resort-style locations.

As offices began reopening, many workers realized they missed the flexibility of remote work. Some returned to the office full-time, others pushed for hybrid schedules, and quite a few left their jobs entirely for positions that allowed them to stay remote.

Whether you're back in the office or working a hybrid schedule, you might be reconsidering working completely at home again. When remote work was a necessity during lockdown, it was one thing. But choosing it as a lifestyle today comes with its health benefits and drawbacks. Let's take a look at what researchers have discovered about the physical and mental health effects of turning your home into your permanent office.

When you were at home during the pandemic, you may have found more time to take walks around your neighborhood. Gyms might have been closed, but at-home fitness companies like Peloton were flourishing. However, if you work in an office, you're probably more active than you realize. Teachers spend most of their workday on their feet, but even people who sit at a desk often get in more steps than those working from home. When you think about it, those steps from the parking lot to the office count. If your commute is from the bedroom to your home office, you may notice you're not moving around as much overall.

A 2024 review in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health found that working from home during the first two years of the pandemic led to less physical activity and more sedentary time. However, the studies in that review focused on people working from home during lockdown. A 2024 study in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine used accelerometers to track the daily calorie burn for in-office and remote workers. Those who worked in an office burned an average of 426 calories during the workday (including their commute), while remote workers burned 228 calories. Remote workers also spent about 20 more minutes being sedentary. You can combat this by taking breaks every hour for some quick burpees or air squats.

Even if you follow your wearable tracker's reminders to move every hour, working from home has other physiological effects. Instead of sitting in an office cubicle, your home office can be anywhere you set your laptop. You might invest in a perfectly ergonomic chair and keyboard, but who can resist working on the patio on a beautiful day? Those changing work locations, however, might not be great for your posture.

A 2025 study in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health found that more than half of people who worked from home during the pandemic experienced neck and back pain. Many also reported wrist pain from their keyboards (here are some wrist exercises to help with that). A 2023 review in Workplace Health and Safety noted that these physical issues often stemmed from a lack of ergonomic chairs, working at dining tables or in bedrooms, and poor lighting in home environments. On top of that, all those Zoom meetings can strain your eyes and vocal cords.

The workplace may be friendly yet competitive, which can help drive your productivity. Other environments may be full of drama or feature an overly demanding boss. Still, your work setting can be one of your main sources of social engagement. The work itself might be routine, but your colleagues can make your days worthwhile. Those daily interactions foster a sense of belonging, and the network you build can support your professional growth. Some of your colleagues may even become lifelong friends, especially if you spend time together outside of work.

Working from home, on the other hand, can help you avoid those toxic coworkers who make office life stressful. You also won't have an overbearing boss watching to make sure you meet deadlines. However, you'll miss out on in-office socials and holiday gatherings that build camaraderie.

A 2024 study in the Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology examined how remote work affected mental health over several months during the pandemic. In the first few months, participants' sense of belonging declined sharply and continued to fall over time. They also lost a sense of meaning in their work, which researchers linked to their connections with colleagues. Losing that sense of belonging was also associated with emotional exhaustion. However, this study focused on people who were working remotely due to the pandemic rather than by choice.

Much of the research on remote work focuses on the pandemic, but working from home can be healthy when it's a personal choice rather than a requirement. It encourages you to organize your time, which can strengthen your sense of autonomy and self-leadership. According to a 2024 article in the International Journal of Workplace Health Management, employees who feel more autonomous while working from home are less likely to experience burnout and tend to stay more engaged in their work.

(Here are some tips on how to avoid work-from-home fatigue.)

Supportive leadership also makes a difference. A 2024 review in the Bulletin of Business and Economics found that companies with clear communication systems and psychologically safe climates helped remote employees experience higher job satisfaction, less stress, and a stronger sense of connection to their organization. These positive effects were especially strong when employees had regular feedback and a culture of trust.

While working from home can blur the line between professional and personal time, strong leadership support and intentional time management can lead to better work-life balance and improved productivity. Ultimately, being happy while working from home depends on both the organization's approach and your own habits. Setting boundaries, maintaining regular communication, and creating a workspace that supports focus and comfort can make working from home not just sustainable but genuinely beneficial for your well-being.