If you have set a goal for the year of taking more care of your health, it is essential to remember there is more to that than exercising and eating well. As you head back to the office after the holidays, slide into your chair and turn on your computer, consider how it feels.
Sitting at a desk and staring at a screen all day long can damage your health in ways you might not consider. Returning after a few days off is the ideal opportunity to stop and pay attention to your body. When you sit in the same position and repeat the same movements day after day, you can get so used to aches and pains that you consider them normal. Yet they are not.
What can you do to protect yourself against injuries?
Here are some tips to ensure returning to the office does not harm your health:
- Sit properly: Slouching is bad for you
- Set your seat for your desk: If the chair is too low, typing can strain your wrists
- Set your computer screen: Neck and back pain may be due to incorrect monitor height
- Consider a more comfortable mouse or wrist pad
- Get a standing desk: Being on your feet is better than being on your backside
- Give your eyes a break: Look away from the screen for 20 seconds every 20 minutes
While your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance for work-related injuries, it is in everyone’s interest to prevent them from happening in the first place. Ask your employer if they are willing to upgrade your office equipment to something more ergonomic. While it will cost them a bit of money, having you off work due to injury will cost you and them more.