| People today are spending longer hours at work, in | | | | stress levels. Taking stretching breaks were also |
| front of their computers, just to meet their pressing | | | | found to have increased their productivity and |
| deadlines and KPIs. As a result, there are more | | | | enjoyment with working at their PC. [4]Here are 2 |
| incidents of debilitating back pain, neck ache, | | | | stretching tips:a. Chin Tuck Stretch: Leaning forward |
| headaches, RSI and burnout that are reducing | | | | and staring at a screen a strains your neck muscles |
| productivity and increasing stress leave.More than half | | | | and can be a cause of headaches. Tuck your chin into |
| of computer users each year develop neck or | | | | your neck and feel the back of your neck stretching |
| shoulder symptoms and just over one-third develop an | | | | out. Hold this stretch for 7 seconds and repeat twice.b. |
| impairment or the loss of some function [2] One | | | | Wrist Stretch: Hold your right hand palm up (fully |
| survey found that backache was the most common | | | | extend your arm). Place your left hands fingers on top |
| complaint, followed by sore eyes and headaches.[1]In | | | | of your right palm. Gently pull your right hand back |
| Australia, back problems are the leading specific | | | | towards your body and hold for 7 seconds. Repeat |
| musculoskeletal cause of health system expenditure, | | | | this stretch with your other arm.The challenge is |
| with an estimated total cost of $700 million in | | | | remembering to do the stretches when you are busy. |
| 1993-1994 [3].So what is the answer? By releasing the | | | | One solution, by is to use ergonomic software |
| build up of physical tension, people are able to sustain | | | | program that reminds you to take stretch breaks and |
| their working stamina and focus without the physical | | | | guides you through the process.3. Smart ActivityTake |
| ailments or a reduction in productivity. Here are 3 ways | | | | regular activity breaks throughout your day. a. Rather |
| to protect your productivity from strain:1. Smart | | | | than sitting in a lunch room, or at your desk, get outside |
| Ergonomics Sitting at the computer for hours at a time | | | | and walk b. Have a coffee club, where you come into |
| fatigues your muscles and creates physical tension. | | | | work 30 minutes early to go for a brief 10 minute walk |
| Using some of the basic ergonomic principles you can | | | | to the local café for a coffee. c. Initiate a weekly |
| avoid a lot of unnecessary strain and maximize your | | | | in-house Pilates or yoga class d. Sponsor a your own |
| productivity. Here are 4 tips:a. Have a direct line of | | | | triathlon group and compete in an amateur |
| sight to your monitor - you should not need to look up, | | | | eventProductivity is not something to 'fix' it requires a |
| down or twist to see your screen. b. Use chairs that | | | | cultural shift in thinking and work habits.[1] American |
| have a tilt function. Sit at 110 degrees (slight recline) to | | | | Journal of Industrial Medicine 2002;41:221-249[3] |
| reduce back strain c. Ensure your wrists are straight | | | | Mathers C, Penn R. Health system costs of injury, |
| when using the keyboard and mouse. d. Keep your | | | | poisoning and musculo-skeletal disorders in Australia |
| feet flat on the floor - use a foot rest if required.2. | | | | 1993-94. Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and |
| Smart StretchingComputer operators who took | | | | Welfare, 1999. AIHW Catalogue No. HWE 12 (Health |
| frequent short stretching breaks, known as | | | | and Welfare Expenditure Series No. 6).[4] Licenblat |
| micro-stretch breaks (~60-90 seconds) every few | | | | B.Sc.(Psych) is a Resilience Expert who helps people in |
| hours, reported that it was definitely effective in | | | | business bounce back fast from pressure, stress and |
| reducing stiffness and muscle aches associated with | | | | burnout in their work and life. |
| long hours at the keyboard, and reported having lower | | | | |