Despite what your mother said sitting up straight is not good for you. Take a look at your work area – I mean a real look. Pretend it’s not yours and think of what is “wrong” with it in terms of not only organization but also ergonomics. Yes, your desk may be messy (mine is right now!) and it may take more than a small amount of time to get it back into shape, but that can be done easily enough if you have a good filing system in place. When it’s neat and tidy, you will feel much better about it and be able to accomplish more without the distraction of clutter in your space.
An ergonomically-designed workspace will naturally encourage users to assume safe, low-risk postures and what so many workers do not understand is the importance of having the correct chair to sit in at their desks. This can mean the difference between a good work product and a great one. The seat pan is the most crucial component of a comfortable and ergonomically functional chair. When the seat becomes uncomfortable you begin to squirm, sit improperly and lose the benefits of other chair features. The longer you sit, the more uncomfortable a flat seat becomes.
You must be able to move freely in your chair. Evidence today shows that fixed postures are inherently dangerous and you must be able to move freely in your chair. Our bodies were designed to move and the more we move the more oxygen reaches our brains and the better our minds work. When we do not move as we should, the elasticity of our spine and joints is reduced and waste products build up in the muscles, causing fatigue. Not good.
Years ago I began to notice the chairs of the people I worked with. There were about as many different styles as there were people. Whether they were executives or assistants, the one constant was that the chair did not fit the person seated in it. These people would never wear shoes that did not fit properly, yet they were spending the majority of their work day seated in a chair that was not the right size. I hear all kinds of complaints from people I work with such as shoulder pain, neck pain, and of course the perpetual headache complaint. There are the ones with the occasional leg pain complaints, and also backaches. The list is long and they are grateful for those professionals who help relieve their pain.
When we do a brief study and they realize that the chair is the problem they are amazed. To correct the issue they purchase a chair fitted specifically to their body. Yes, these chairs are not usually the cheapest ones in a store, but soon they begin to see the pains go away, and their company begins to see healthcare bills reduced. A real win - win situation.
