3 Tips For Healthier Computing- Workstation Ergonomics

Ergonomic Essentials

“Ergonomic” is a bit of a buzzword right now around the workplace and for good reason! As more and more jobs become digitized in a variety of ways we are spending more and more time in front of a computer screen and humans were not made to look into a bright panel for 8 hours at a time! The more you can do to make working in front of a computer screen as comfortable as possible the happier and healthier I think you will be! Glasses For me, it all starts with my glasses. Now, some of you may not wear glasses but even if you do not need to wear glasses you can choose to wear glasses while working in front of a computer screen, it’s just that for me there is no choice so I had to do something about them! Our eyes are the most vulnerable parts of our body to the rigours and strains of working in front of a computer all day long. They are particularly sensitive to light, to motion, and the need to focus on small details. As such, we should take care of them. Now, your regular glasses that you might be using to read these very words are not at all optimized for working on a computer screen, they are designed to do most things well but when working in front of a computer screen we need glasses that do one thing perfectly. I recommend buying a pair of what are called Task Glasses, these are prescription glasses specifically designed to focus on objects that are close and up front, right within the typical range that a computer screen might be from your eyes. Task Glasses will alleviate some of the strain on your eyes and you’ll be able to work more comfortably for longer periods of time.

Desks

The science and research is in and it says that sitting for long periods of time can be very detrimental to your health. This is a bit of a problem if you work with computers all day! The smart people that study these things also say that standing while you are working can help to offset these problems. The conclusion? Sit Stand Desks are in! Sit Stand Desks are specifically engineered to be able to be raised and lowered at your discretion, this allows you to go from a prone sitting position to an upright standing position whenever you like throughout the day without having to bend over to still do your work. They are a great way to combat the stiff joints and the unhealthy restrictions to blood flow you may get from sitting for long periods at a time. I have been using a model from Ergotron for some years now, mine is specifically made to fit the type of monitor that I use, so there are plenty of options to customize what type of Sit Stand Desk you may be interested in. I cannot recommend these desks enough!

Chairs

When I began making these videos and really expanding my online presence I had purchase a Ball Chair, basically an exercise ball on a base with wheels. This was a great chair for many years because it improved my core and my posture, and it also did not have a back which was good for screencasting because I could key-out the entire background behind me with ease! However, in the last few months I have gone one step further! Recently I was introduced to the boys and girls at CoreChair and the Waterloo-based company has designed a chair with the same principle as a ball chair, but with added benefits! This chair goes one step further than a ball chair by introducing something called “active sitting” into the equation, the difference is this; instead of sitting on a ball you sit on a seat that sits on top of a sort of gimball. Think of an acrobat spinning a plate on a stick! You have to keep moving to stay upright! The result is that the chair engages all the parts of your core and some studies have shown that this is even better for you than a ball is.

Discount Code for 10% off on a Corechair – dottotech10

If you’re looking to change things up and are looking at healthier and more comfortable ways to get through the work day, I highly suggest you look into task glasses, sit stand desks, and non traditional chairs like a ball chair or a active sitting chair. I can honestly say they have made me healthier and more productive.

Until next time, have fun stormin’ the castle…

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