A chef on a line in a busy restaurant burns a similar amount of energy per hour as a professional basketball player. Now that I am behind a desk, I am more of a fireman, putting out blazes of inefficiency in the teams working for me and no less active in my work. Whatever your profession, you need the proper equipment to fit the tasks at hand.
Long hours with poor posture due to inadequate support from your office chair, bad desk height, or monitor location will have effects. Read this list of symptoms of poor posture and check if any apply to you; frequent headaches, fatigue, digestive issues, heartburn, bad mood, decreased lung capacity, joint stiffness/dysfunction, decreased flexibility, sleep issues, of course, back pain, but it can lead to scoliosis.
In a fast-paced office environment where your day consists of dashing in and out, a standing desk will likely be a better fit. Workstations that manually or electrically adjust to various heights allow you to sit or stand for different portions of your work day. Standing engages additional mental facilities that encompass balance.
Our early development of base operating systems engages and integrates our eyes, ears, joints, and muscle signals for rapid subconscious adjustments to not fall. However, bang your toe on a chair and question life itself. Smart office chairs will pull you upright by placing speakers on the headrest. Many of us overpronate in our chairs, thereby avoiding the supportive designs we pay for. We need to sit up in our chairs and engage our core muscles to protect our spines.
If your laptop is your business, a laptop stand will place the monitor in your upright field of view and save your spine. Monitor placement affects vision and strain, neck and shoulder pain, musculoskeletal disorders, and reduced productivity. For best monitor placement, place the screen so you can see the middle without lowering your head. It should also be no closer than arm’s reach.
Your monitor emits light frequencies that are harmful for long-term exposure. Blue blockers are great lenses to keep your eye sharp. The ambient lighting in your workspace has to be clear, bright, and consistent. Natural lighting is great but as we rotate, you will need to augment your interior illumination with adjustable lamps and smart dimmers.
I may be in the office more than earlier in my career, but certain careers are entirely desk-based. My mother suffered from carpel tunnel, and now there are ergonomic keyboard and mouse options to mitigate joint and tendon pain. Working in tandem with arm supports on your chair, you should be able to obtain and maintain a comfortable posture.
When the work is done, your family and loved ones need all of you, not what is left over. The reason for all of this specialty office furniture is your family and future. Life happens outside of work. Show up on time and ready to live.
