Sitting at a desk all day can take a toll on your physical health and mind, but staying healthy at your desk doesn’t have to be complicated. Small changes to your office setup and daily habits can make a big difference in how you feel while working. Geneseo Communications is here to help keep your body and mind happy while staying productive and healthy at your desk.
Maintain Good Posture
Poor posture at your desk or while looking down at devices can lead to back, neck, and shoulder pain, sometimes called “tech neck.”
Your workspace and proper posture while working will largely depend on your desk ergonomics, or how you arrange your space so you can work efficiently and safely. Good desk ergonomics means you will be seated with proper posture and feel better throughout your work day.
According to the Mayo Clinic, the proper posture at your desk will ease stress on your body and help you work most comfortably:
- Adjust chair, desk, and monitor height to keep your spine neutral.
- Keep your monitor at an arm’s length away with your eyes level with the top of the screen.
- Keep wrists straight and your hands at or below the height of your elbows.
- Adjust your chair height so your knees are level with your hips and your feet are flat on the floor.
- If you work primarily on a laptop, consider getting an external keyboard and mouse so your hands aren’t working within a cramped space.
- If you often talk on your phone, place it on speaker phone or use a headset or earbuds as cradling your phone in your neck can cause strain.
Move Your Body
Changing your position frequently and moving your body throughout the day can also help reduce strain on your body and get your blood flowing to keep awake and alert.
The simplest tip we can give you is to stand up often and stretch out. Use these stretch breaks as a good time to use the restroom, refill your water, saw hi to a co-worker (even if your co-workers have four legs!).
Standing desks are an easy and cost-efficient way to get up from your chair while also staying in the zone. Make sure the standing height still allows you to maintain good posture. A padded mat under your feet can help relieve some tension in your feet if you prefer standing for longer periods of time.
Under-desk treadmills are becoming increasingly popular to add movement at your desk. Some options are designed to be lightweight for easy movement, while others have inclines to make the walk a little more of a workout. Still others are designed to be whisper quiet so as to not disrupt your work or meetings.
Similarly, under-desk pedals give your legs, knees, and hips movement while you are seated. In fact, studies have shown that adding light activity like desk pedaling can improve cardiovascular and metabolic health. Under-desk pedals can be found online for as little as $40, and those with more advanced features increase in price.
Not looking to add more clutter to your space? Head over to YouTube and find an at-desk workout or stretch routine to get your blood flowing! You can find short, 10-minute stretches to help stay energized and focused.
Rest Your Eyes
Your eyes are one of your most valuable tools, and staring at a screen all day can significantly strain and stress them. Use the following tips from ophthalmologists to help you keep your eyes protected and rested throughout a full workday:
- Adjust the lighting on your screen so that it’s not darker or brighter than the light around you, and increase the contrast to increase visibility.
- Blink a lot and keep your eyes lubricated with eye drops. There are several versions of artificial tears on the market parroting that they are designed for digital users. If you’re unsure about what formula to use, always consult with your doctor or ophthalmologist.
- Computer glasses are designed with multifocal lenses to help you shift your focus at different lengths and thus reduce eye strain. Additionally, while blue light glasses aren’t the same and have no scientific evidence to make a significant difference in eye strain, your ophthalmologist will be able to provide personalized recommendations based on your specific visual needs.
- Follow the 20-20-20 rule to take a break from the screen every 20 minutes by focusing on something 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
Stay Hydrated
It’s easy to default to yummy drinks while sitting at a desk. Something sweet, something fizzy, something caffeinated will keep you awake during the long hours at your desk. However, many of those options, particularly the caffeinated choices, may actually work against you by dehydrating you or leading to a sugar crash later in the day. Experts say that water keeps your brain focused and sharp.
Still finding it hard to get down the recommended amount of water per day? Try adding some fresh fruit or cucumbers. Steer clear of soft drinks or sports drinks. While they are tasty, they are often full of sugars, sodium, and other additives that aren’t good for you. Supplement your water with tea, 100% fruit juice, or coconut water drinks.
Take Frequent Breaks
The sum of it all is to take frequent breaks. Our bodies weren’t designed to be stationary while staring at a screen for hours on end. Maintaining good posture can only do so much to help alleviate strain and lethargy while sitting at a desk. Breaks from the screen by moving, stretching, looking in the distance, and drinking fresh water can significantly help your physical and mental health.
Just like taking regular breaks helps your body and mind, staying connected to a reliable internet connection keeps your work flowing smoothly. Geneseo Communications ensures your home or office stays online without interruptions, so you can focus on healthy habits and improving productivity without worrying about slow or dropped connections.