7 Ways to Keep Work from Destroying You

Your body is always responding to the way you use it, whether it hurts you or not. Your body is a living thing that operates within and outside of your consciousness, and it will bend itself to your needs however it can even if its taking you somewhere painful. By regulating the positions, and stimulus your body is getting (especially in things you do more often, like work) you can reduce the stress on yourself and maximize your potential by saving yourself the trouble, injury, pain, and a host of other uncomfortable, distracting sensations.

Pictured below is an Indian monk of sorts, who has raised his hand above his head for 38 years. He could not lower it if he wanted to! The tissues have tightened, and the unused functions of his arm and shoulder have been pruned away. Any aspect of your body can behave this, use it or lose it!

1. Audit your Desk, Monitor, Mouse Position.

Having a desk that is a good height, so your shoulders can relax as you’re working on the surface of it is important. Your wrist should be relatively relaxed and straight when you are typing or mousing. Looking at a monitor high and centered enough that you don’t have to crane your neck or look down is important.

If you are spending significant time in a stooped, twisted, or craned position you are telling your neck, thoracic spine, ribs etc – “I want you to be ready to stay this way” and they will. Reducing or splitting up the time is helpful, improving the position, even marginally – will change things for you. A 5 or 10% improvement WILL add up.

2. Be Mindful of your Chair Choice. 

Having a chair that is right for you can quite literally make you or break you. You must have a chair that is very slightly above your knee height. Too low or too high can cause knee problems. I have a client that has been navigating knee issues for over a year because they spent a few months in a very short chair. Having armrests that don’t impede your natural shoulder position can be very important. While comfortable, reclining chairs often cause a poor position in the low back. If your low back is flexed out(reclined), your upper spine is also flexed out, and you are reinforcing a hunched forward head position. A great chair is one that can help you sit up properly and be comfortable.

3. Manage your Hydration

I know I talk a lot about this, but I feel like you need as many reminders as possible as hydration is ALWAYS relevant. You can’t just say, oh I’ve had enough water this week. If you aren’t hydrated you are going to feel less effective, less positive, and less willing to do what you need to do to be amazing. Drink an amazing amount of water daily, incorporate getting water into a ritual that is part of your day. Don’t slip up on your water intake, it’s the easiest way to wreck your day.

4. Limit your Blue light exposure.

We are all exposed to blue light, it’s a natural part of the light spectrum that we can see. Blue light in particular, as it naturally comes from the sun, tells our brains that it is day time. When you are looking into various screens for large parts of the day (without a device based, or lens based blue light filter) you can take in much more than a natural dose. There is debate about how much this really damages your eyes, or effects your sleep, or disregulates your mood, or leads to dopamine addiction… but why chance it!? Use the blue light filters on your screens and devices, or purchase some blue light filtering glasses for day time or night time. I would do pretty much anything to improve my sleep quality, and regulating the blue light you’re exposed to is a no brainer in my book.

5. Acquire a Foot rest.

If you are standing,(or in some situations sitting), having a place to rest your foot is extremely important. Standing in one place for a long time is not ideal for your body, and if you aren’t standing symmetrically you are going to develop new compensations in your hips and back. By having a stool, box, lacrosse ball, or foot pedal – you can significantly vary your standing position. Kelly Starret has an organization called stand up kids and they ONLY look at desks with foot pedals because the effectiveness for sustainability and attention is so much greater. These items can also be helpful to change a sitting position, but not as important. I love lacrosse balling my feet when I am sitting and working.

6. Identify Available, Adaptable Positions.

Having a choice to sit, stand, or even hang out on the floor while you work can be invaluable to your body. Spending too much time in any one position is going to give your body a signal you don’t really want to send. They say sitting for 8 or more hours is just as bad as smoking cigarettes regularly. Being able to, and even having a system for changing you work positions can be extremely beneficial for the way you feel and your productivity. I work at my home, and I have 3 or 4 areas that I can choose and pick between on a daily basis. Especially since so many people started working from home, I have seen a huge increase in people with issues related to their work positions – vary yours!

7. Assisting your seated position

My greatest ergonomic solution, sitting with a strap. I call it getting strapped in. You get a strap that does not stretch, and fasten it around your thighs with a few inches between your knees. It will keep your femurs straight and supported, which sets your pelvis up to be neutral, thereby reducing your tendency to slouch. It has been life changing for many people I know! I am sitting like this right now!

Dialing in on one or more of these things can do more than help you work longer, more efficiently, or comfortably. They can help you enjoy your free time more, with less discomfort, more energy, and confidence. Making things easier on your body also makes things easier on your mind. Any discomfort you feel is a result of the sensory perceptions of your brain interacting with the positions and environments you spend time in, many aspects of which are under your control. You literally get to decide how you want to feel! The more optimal your positions are, the easier time you are going to have in general. 

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