Ever wonder what you can do to increase your productivity at work and prevent work injury at the same time?
Everyone knows it is essential to have better posture and body use, but what does that really mean? Posture is simply keeping the body in good alignment, while body use (or biomechanics) is how the body actually works. There is a tremendous amount of drive and productivity that can be lost in the workplace simply through poor body management.
With poor biomechanics come headaches, repetitive strain injuries and generally poor worker output. There are easy solutions to these sorts of problems, such as checking your work station. The chair you sit in is an important place to start. Does it support your entire spine properly? You should have good firm support up to the base of your neck, with your feet comfortably flat on the floor, or even better, with a small support to tip the toe end of the foot up. Next, are your arms well supported? The forearms should be well supported, either on your desk or on your chair handles. Last but not least, are you looking at your computer screen at eye level? This is very important, to decrease neck problems, which can lead to head aches and arm pain. Think about how uncomfortable it would be to walk around all day with your head bent forward! So why do it at work?!
Where possible, one should break for a couple of minutes, every half hour to an hour. The idea is to allow your body a break, let you check on how you are feeling but most of all, prevent your body from freezing into one position.
It is also incredibly important to move around occasionally. Try swinging your arms gently, take a few deep breaths, roll your shoulders, or do a few simple stretches. This will stimulate your circulation and brain activity, leaving you more effective and refreshed!
Another way to increase your productivity is to drink lots of water. It sounds so simple and something your mother might say, but the truth is that a lot of people are constantly dehydrated, commonly leading to headaches and lethargy. Coffee, tea and pop are diuretics, meaning they help you lose water so they do not count!
For anyone with more serious problems, getting a qualified professional to expand on these pointers is a good idea. This could include doing a personal work station assessment and/or a stretching & strengthening program.
Try following some of these easy suggestions above, and see how much better you can feel, and more productive you can be!
For more information about Sutherland-Chan’s Workplace Wellness program, please visit their website at www.sccentre.com.hk .
