As more and more people across the world are working from home, I am getting a lot of questions about working and sitting.
The art of sitting
No matter how we may feel about sitting, it’s not going away. But as we are working from home, we may be more focused on the equipment we are using.
I have always been a great fan of optimizing what is between the keyboard and the chair. That’s right, that’s you reading this message.
How to optimize yourself
So, what do I mean by that? If you make sure your body is fully functional and aligned, it matters less what chair you sit on, what keyboard you use and whether or not you are using a laptop or a desktop computer.
Quick wins
Now don’t get me wrong, I’m all for good ergonomics. Make sure whatever equipment you have got, is contributing toward good posture and good function. There are a couple of quick wins you can incorporate, however, such as
- Making sure your screen is at the correct height, so that you are looking straight ahead instead of tilting your head up or down
- Taking frequent breaks. I like to take microbreaks (removing my hands from the keyboard, looking in the distance to give my eyes a workout), minibreaks (going to the bathroom, getting tea, stretching your legs) and normal breaks (of 30 minutes to an hour and a half) for example for lunch, or to go for a stroll
- Drink plenty of water. Train yourself to drink at least a glass of water an hour
- If you’re working on a laptop, get a laptop stand. It will make your life easier.
Personal advice
I could go on, so please email me for more tips and to discuss your situation. However, what is always number one on my list is good posture. And good posture is not something that you have to actively maintain throughout the day. A well balanced, fully functional body automatically comes with good posture. This is one of the biggest misunderstandings when I mention to people that I’m a postural therapist. They suddenly sit or stand up straight, but that is not what posture therapy is about. For me, it’s about getting your body as functional as possible, giving it the varied movement it needs and craves. As a result, you will be balanced and get good posture in the meantime.
This, in turn, allows you to sit or stand at any desk, not only a fully optimized ergonomic setup that costs thousands of dollars.
Work with what you can control
We have to work at what we can control, what is within our circle of influence. We can’t always influence or change the environment we work in. But we can influence and change our own body, to maximize its potential. So that you can work anywhere, and that you can keep doing the things that you love.