Due to COVID19 many, if not most, of us have been forced to adapt to working in dramatically different environments and ways than we are used to. Working away from your usual professionally designed office space can also mean that we are putting our bodies in different postures and positions, compared to usual.
Office workers usually spend 70% of their working day sitting, and a move to working from home, and being ‘locked down’ will probably increase this time further. I would guess that now you are spending far more time seated than normal, and also spending far more time hunched over a laptop. The likely result I imagine, is that we all are more likely to get discomfort in our neck, shoulders and back regions.
What is the solution? How can you help stop the pains?
- Set a reminder every 30mins on your phone and computer and change your work or sitting position.
- Whenever you start to feel uncomfortable, stand up and stretch.
- Try to adopt a routine of always standing up or walking to take telephone calls, or stand to take online meetings.
- At every 30minute standing interval from your work area, walk a lap around your garden, or up and down your stairs!
- Make sure that your lunchbreak is used to really get moving and stimulate some endorphin release and absorb some Vitamin D, outside if you can. Set up some quick 90 second circuits in your garden to include high marching on the spot, skipping, jumping, hopping, planks, or side planks, lunges and stair climbing for example. The movement will really help keep you mentally focused and help to burn off any calories from chocolates boredom might have led to!
- Ensure that you constantly walk to a tap furthest away from your work area to refresh your water, cup of tea or to stay hydrated
- You can easily make your home work area, and laptop use more ergonomically friendly by using an ErgoQ portable laptop stand, or use a box, with a separate keyboard and mouse, to stop your posture becoming rounded or sinking into a C shaped posture.
- The ironing board can serve as a standing desk for variation! Mine has never seen so much daylight for years ;o)
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