Taking frequent breaks is more important than what you during them.
Do you work at your computer all day and then try to balance it out with a visit to the gym twice a week and a bike ride on weekends?
You are not lowering your ergonomic risk – your lifestyle might be less healthy than you think.
Activity in your leisure time does not compensate for long hours spent at your computer.
Maintaining a static posture for prolonged periods places continuous stress on the same muscle groups and joints. While stressing our bones and muscles is necessary, continuously stressing the same bones and muscles is harmful.
To help prevent work related fatigue and injuries, I’ve compiled 10 tips to help you stay active during your work day.
1. Explore whether alternating between sitting and standing workstations is right for you.
2. Get rid of the guest chair in your office. If somebody wants to talk to you, have your meeting standing up or walking.
3. Search for a desk yoga video that you enjoy and do it at your desk.
4. Keep a nonslip yoga mat in your office and do your favorite stretches on the floor.
5. Don’t waste your breaks texting people. It’s bad for your neck and encourages repetitive strain syndrome.
6. Change your thinking about unchaining yourself from the desk. Those breaks to make a coffee or speak with a co-worker are very healthy.
7. Run errands in the middle of the day. This is an ideal way to move and break up those long sedentary periods.
8. Breathe to release your shoulders. The muscles you use to breathe are connected to your scapula. Concentrate on relaxing your shoulders while exhaling.
9. Do you smoke? Use the stairs to go outside.
10. Start small but start today. Make a change.
Which tip do you think is most helpful to you? Pick just one and resolve to implement it – I’d love to hear which you chose and how it goes.
I have been helping people to sit and move comfortably since 1998. I am always looking for ways to help people improve their relationships with their bodies.