5 ways to improve your desk health
We are rocking along to September, and although the year seems to be flying, I’m sure we are all feeling like it’s not going quick enough! Here are 5 quick tips to power through and keep you sitting up straight, to make sure your posture, eyesight and circulation are tip top! Enjoy the Christmas party this year, instead of spending two weeks trying to ease the back pain!
1. AVOID SCREEN REFLECTION
This one caught us out in the design studio. A visitor to our office pointed out the position of our windows and sympathised about the glare we must struggle with on our screens. We had blinds installed a few weeks later and what a difference! Glare can cause eye strain and make you sit abnormally to see the screen clearly, undoing all your hard posture work!
2. REST YOUR FEET FLAT ON THE FLOOR
Ladies, this one will catch you out every 10 minutes if you’re not paying attention, yet it’s the easiest one to fix! I paid particular attention correcting this, and after one week, noticed a dramatic difference. I used to get a lot of knee pain when running at the gym, and I found by uncrossing my legs and keeping my feet flat on the floor, I was not only correcting my posture, but also the alignment of my knee with my hip. This will also help your circulation in your legs.
3. SUPPORT YOUR BACK
Make sure your chair is positioned to support your lower back. You should be at a height where your knees are level with your hips. Use a foot rest if this helps. Your head should be positioned above your shoulders. This allows the weight of your head to be supported down to the pelvis and into the chair. Slouching forward will put extra pressure on the muscles in the middle of your back and make them work overtime to keep your head up. This could lead to the dreaded stoop! And if you don’t like working overtime, I’m sure your back won’t either!
4. MAKE OBJECTS ACCESSIBLE
Objects which you use frequently should be within easy reach, try to avoid repeatedly stretching or twisting. For a designer, if you love your stationary, use a cool stationary holder or container, so everything is in easy reach. Or make use of the storage room (the more you move out of the chair and around the office, the better your circulation will be!)
5. CHAIR STYLE
Your chair should have a 5 star base, not 4 as it may tip over!
I hope this helps to make the time you spend doing what you love, that little bit more enjoyable!
Yours in good health,
Tara