Internet marketers know that spending a lot of time in front of their computer screen is just part of the job. Everyone could probably stand to be a little more productive in their job. I know I could sometimes. But could something as simple as your work space cause injuries and decrease your productivity? Yep, it can.
Getting Injured without Leaving Your Desk
Sitting behind a desk in front of a computer is not easy stuff. I know because I do it every day. As a marketer, you know that you have to spend a huge amount of time analyzing trends, researching the market, and doing a ton of reading. You might think that stiff necks, painful backs, and aching heads are par for the course, but they can actually be signs of injuries.
Not long ago, I was right at the end of finishing up an important project for a client when I suddenly noticed that my hands weren’t doing what they were supposed to be doing. Typing was painful. My wrist throbbed as though it had been broken. The culprit? Typing on my computer at the wrong angle. The pain set me back at least a week.
Of course, this is an extreme example but sometimes little inconveniences in our work space actually cause disruptions to our overall productivity. Harsh office lighting can cause glares that can lead to headaches. The wrong kind of chair that doesn’t support our postures might cause backaches. Having office supplies that we use regularly too far out of reach might cause a strain.
Creating Ergonomic Work Spaces
Changing things to make them easier and more comfortable to use is one way of using ergonomics to our advantage. In this field, you can always use an advantage.
While ergonomics is usually associated with gadgets and technology, it’s actually a science concerned with most effectively fitting the job at hand to the worker involved. In other words, anything you do that increases productivity is really an ergonomically one, even if you’re not using specific equipment. You can look at ergonomics in the work place as broadly as taking breaks or as specifically as having a special chair that corrects your posture.
To make the most of our productivity, we might combine our breaks with work spaces that also force us to stand from time to time. Or, we might consider changing our postures regularly in order to give ourselves a break.
There is also equipment out there that is ergonomically friendly and can increase our productivity levels. Take a keyboard, for instance. An ergonomic keyboard requires less exertion than regular ones and can even help prevent subluxation which can cause a lot of pain in the shoulder.
While there are fancy chairs out there for sale, an ergonomic one helps support your posture so that you’re less likely to experience back pain. Who wants to sit at their desk for hours at a time if their back hurts? Not many. I sure don’t! In a video entitled “Workstation Ergonomics”, Dr. Amy Grabowski states that you want “a chair to do the work”, rather than you having to do the work to sit in the chair.
Don’t forget that your computer screen might also be causing you to be less productive, too. The United States Department of Labor cites improper screen glare as a possible hazard and says that eye fatique and even headaches can be caused by areas of your computer screen that have different light and dark contrasts on the screen. Not only can you wind up with headaches, but it can make it difficult to read important information, too.
I know that the more comfortable I am, the more amount of work I tend to produce. I used to be afraid of complaining about not feeling comfortable at my desk because it sounded just like that: complaining. Now, however, I do my best to make the changes that I need in order to be more productive as well as safer.
About the Author:
Jason Munroe is a freelance writer currently living in Nevada. With many projects under his belt, he is now working with the help of a clinic that specializes in Chiropractic in Steinbach, Manitoba on researching more ways to make workstations more user-friendly. His workspace is now almost as comfortable as his living room! Making little changes can have huge benefits!
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