Missing your comfy office chair?
It's no secret that we've all gone through a radical change with how we work thanks to the Coronavirus outbreak, and its effects are being felt in so many different ways, one of which is body aches and pains from poor posture. So, if you're missing your comfy office Herman Miller chair, let's see how we can make you more comfortable without splashing out lots of money!
- Space - One of the biggest changes we need to make to be able to work from home is to create some space. Take some time to create a space big enough for your needs, and don't forget you're going to be working here for the next few months at least, so don't compromise!
- Invest – We all appreciate that laptops are convenient for working on the go, but they're not so great for home working. Invest in a decent keyboard/mouse and allow your body freedom, so you're not constantly scrunching your body to work to your laptop's confines.
- Sofas – Take it from someone who knows: Sitting on a sofa for 8 hours a day with a laptop is a big no no! Just don't do it. Be kind to your body!
- Move – One of the best things you can do is move! Get up and stand up to work for as long as you can. Do you need to take that phone call sitting down?
- Height matters – For your monitor that is! As a bare minimum, make sure the top edge is at least level with your eyes. Put your monitor on a box, or a book, or use a laptop slope to raise the screen.
- Rest – Make sure you don't get tempted to just keep on working because it's there. Work your allocated times before switching off and walking away afterwards. Don't forget, that sneaky email check after dinner is still work… Don't do it! Rest is super important for us mentally and physically and especially so during lockdown.
- Movement Snacking – yes, you read that right we should snack on movement as much as we snack on food! Bodies love movement for good function. It helps us to stay flexible and pain free, so get up frequently and move. Try 10 squats between writing emails, or maybe a neck stretches before picking the phone up to make that call. The possibilities are endless. Bonus points if you movement snack away from the computer/phone screen! Our eyes need a break too…
- Hydrate – it's crucial for performance and concentration, so don't forget to drink plenty of water. If you're poor at remembering, keep a bottle of water next to you and every time you look at it, take a mouthful. It's amazing how quickly it'll go down…
- Be Flexible – If you are working from a laptop and are stuck for space, move around the house and use different areas. Maybe spend 30 mins stood at the kitchen worktop before sitting at the dining room table again. You could even try sitting on the floor!
With small adjustments to our everyday lifestyle, bad posture can be overcome easily offering support and better health to the muscles, ligaments and joints of the body! If you have problems with your sitting posture, or you're finding you're getting pain whilst sitting then why not book in online and let us help get to the root of the problem for you.
