Stay healthy, happy and productive at work and avoid deskbound strains with these tips.
In the hot seat
- Sit with your feet comfortably flat on the floor and elbows level with the keyboard.
- Keep your arms parallel to the floor.
- Recline chair slightly to reduce pressure on the lower back.
- Push your hips very close to the back of the chair.
- Declutter the area below your desk so you have room to stretch your legs.
On the phone
- Avoid holding the receiver between the shoulder and the ear as it strains the neck.
- Use a headset if you use the phone frequently.
- Make sure the phone is within easy reach to avoid over-stretching.
- Use both thumbs to type messages on your mobile phone to minimise the strain on one thumb.
Using the keyboard
- Type lightly. Heavy pounding stresses the fingers and may result in elbow pain.
- Adjust the keyboard so it's in the middle of your body.
- Type with straight wrists; adjust the height of the keyboard if your wrists are bent when typing.
- Use a desktop rather than a laptop for prolonged typing - it has a bigger and higher screen and more well-spaced keys.
Monitor safety
- Make sure your monitor is placed at least an arm's length away.
- Keep the top of the screen at or slightly below eye level.
- Tilt the screen slightly so the base is closer to you than the top.
- Place the monitor perpendicular to the window if you are relying on natural light.
- Keep your head straight when working - tilting it causes neck strain.
Take a time out
- Follow the 20/20/20 rule - work for 20 minutes, take a break for 20 seconds and look 20 feet (6 metres) away.
- Mix sedentary and mobile tasks. Sitting still for long periods inhibits blood circulation.
- Stretch your neck, shoulders, wrists, arms and back occasionally.
- Make it a habit to blink every two to four seconds - this ensures your eyes are constantly lubricated, and prevents strain.
Extracted from: Simply Her magazine (Nov 2008)
West Coast Plaza
12 years ago
