7 Tips For Surviving A Desk Job
As of 2020, about 86 per cent of working Americans had a job that required 8-10 hours of sitting. Most likely, if you work, it means putting your hours behind the desk, and while that initially sounds better than slaving off manual labor, there are actually a lot of health risks associated with sitting for a lot of the day. As someone who has worked from home for the last 4 years, I’ve found some useful tips that will help you survive the long hours spent in your desk chair.
Get Up. Frequently
Long stretches usually spent sitting behind the computer aren’t just a restriction on your body, but on your mind as well. It’s a good idea to get up and move around at least once an hour. You’re going to give your back and neck a break, not to mention the constant concentration of your brain. You don’t have to take a long break-five minutes is enough to rejuvenate yourself. Extend your limbs and step away from the desk physically for a complete and complete break.
Give Your Eyes A Rest
For our day age, we spent countless hours watching computers, phones, tablets and televisions. Over the years, physicians have begun to coin eye pain and problems associated with prolonged exposure to screens such as Computer Vision Syndrome. Some of these are inevitable, and what you do at breaks and at home is up to you. So rather than checking your Facebook for lunch, talk to a person face to face. Don’t turn the TV as soon as you get home, get out and give your eyes a much-needed break! Even a small amount of time away from the screen is going to make your eyes look good.
Adjust Your Font
Speaking of eye problems, squinting at the tiny font is nothing but harmful to your eyes. Constant staring can cause headaches and fatigue in the eyes, neither of which you want while you’re trying to work. You can easily adjust the font size on your computer, or better yet – invest in a large monitor. For more than 2 years, I’ve worked solely on a 13-inch laptop screen, and when I started to experience constant headaches and neck pain, I realized it was just too small for a full-time job (weary Internet surfing was just fine). After I got a 25-inch monitor, my eyes were literally opened! I don’t have regular back problems any longer, and I actually feel more productive.
Use A Foam Roller
Sitting for a long time tends to compact your body, and you may end up feeling cramped and tight. A great way to alleviate stress is to use a foam roller like this. There are many ways to use a foam roller, but one of the best things to do is roll your back over the roller to stretch out the muscles that get corroded while sitting at the desk. You’ll hear all sorts of lovely cracks, and most importantly, your back muscles will be loosened. You’re going to have fewer headaches and much less sorrow.
Have A Good Desk Set Up
Your workspace is important to being a productive employee, and that includes your desk. Maintaining it free from clumsiness so that you actually have room to work is the key. Get a multi monitor stand to give you more room and make your eyes look better. Make sure you have office supplies holders so you don’t have pens and paper clips strewn around you. Install your keyboard and mouse in your desk tray to make it more ergonomically correct and clean up at the end of each week. Working in a well-designed space that lends itself to productivity is just as important to your mental health as an employee to your physical health!
