Many of the problems that come from working in an office are caused by repetitive movements and fatigue. Your muscles will tire after doing so many of the same movements or staying in the same location for hours on end.
These seven ergonomic tips will help you fight off fatigue and increase your comfort levels at work.
7 Ergonomic Tips for Avoiding Fatigue
If you’re an office worker who wants to avoid fatigue during the day, there are a few simple things you can do. These tips will help you improve your office work station and put you in a position to work all day without becoming fatigued or discomforted.
1. Keep your head positioned properly.
Your head in the wrong position can fatigue neck muscles and cause neck pain. Watch your head position and make sure you don’t crane your head and neck forward to get closer to the computer. Keep the weight of your head directly above your neck so the neck is able to support the weight without getting tired.
2. Support your arms.
Your arms can get heavy and your arm muscles will fatigue after hours of use. Make sure you support the weight of your arms at all times during the day. Otherwise, you’ll have some very tired arms and tense neck and shoulder muscles by the end of the day.
3. Watch your posture.
Slouching might feel good temporarily but it puts pressure on the discs and vertebrae in your back causing problems. Skip out on slouching and use the lumbar support of your ergonomic office chair to sit properly. Properly position your chair at your desk so that you won’t lean in or reach and can keep good posture all day long.
4. Avoid reaching often.
Excessive reaching will strain your shoulders and arms. Keep your keyboard and mouse close to you during the day so that you don’t have to reach out to find them for working. If you do find yourself reaching for something often, bring it back closer to you so you won’t keep repeating the action.
5. Protect your eyes.
Avoid eye strain during the work day by making sure your monitor is positioned properly. It should not be too close but just close enough that you can see easily, normally an arm’s length away. Make sure your screen has no glare on it from windows or bright backgrounds in order to protect your eyes from strain and fatigue.
6. Rest your eyes.
Your eyes get an extreme workout during the work day. While you are working on the computer for hours they are constantly working and can easily get fatigued by this constant activity. Prevent fatigue by giving your eyes a break periodically. Every so often, at least once an hour, give your eyes a break by looking at something in the distance away from your computer.
7. Rest your feet.
Make sure your feet are not dangling when you are seated at your chair. If you are short and your feet do not comfortable touch the floor or you feel pressure on your legs, use a footrest. You can also lower your chair and keyboard so your feet touch the ground. Letting your legs dangle will fatigue and strain your leg muscles and ultimately cause more problems than you want!
Using these ergonomic tips for the office you can eliminate a lot of the fatigue problems that often occur. You can also do a lot of things that will help by living a generally healthy lifestyle. This means doing things like drinking water, exercising, taking stretch breaks, using a standing desk and avoiding prolonged sitting. Living a healthier life overall will help keep your body in tip top shape and avoid fatigue!