“Am I sitting comfortably?" It's a
question that is really only the starting point, but if the answer to that is
no, then you should certainly look to address the situation.
The next time you sit down at your
computer, genuinely ask yourself the following question. Not for the benefit of
me or anyone else, just for your own health and comfort. Ask “Am I sitting
comfortably?" It's a question that is really only the starting point, but
if the answer to that is no, then you should certainly look to address the
situation. Actually, consider your body for a bit and any aches and pains.
Could any of them be improved by a change in your PC use? You might occasionally
spend more time sitting at a computer than you intend, and you might not
necessarily be comfortable doing so. Stick with me then, because in this
feature we'll look at ways to improve any issues stemming from poor computer
use and, ideally, how to stop more occurring.
How much is too much?
Well, spending rather more time at a
computer than you do, say, in bed is probably too much. And some people
probably do just that. After all, how many of us really get the much quoted
"eight hours sleep" per night? I agree the science suggesting how
much sleep we need might not be bullet-proof, but it's unlikely to be
particularly beneficial to us to spend as much or more time hunched over a
keyboard than lay in a relaxed state.
Made from a few bits of Ikea furniture
I've been guilty of it; spending an eight
hour day at a keyboard with little breaks, I'd head home, eat and fire up the
home PC for a few more hours. It's a very easy thing to do, even if you do have
noble intentions, and it's one of a few reasons as to why I quit MMORPGs. Now I
work at home, I could quite easily spend much of my day in front of my PC, and
I possibly do spend rather too long there.
We should all take a break from our screens
for ten minutes of every hour sat at one. You should also know that if your
employer requires you to work with a VDU (Visual Display Unit), you are
entitled to regular breaks. You could also be entitled to a free eye test, so
do check. There's no legal limit to how long you should work at a computer or
similar device, but the HSE (Health & Safety Executive) suggests regular
short breaks are advisory Should you work continuously at such a device, then
the HSE advises that “longer breaks from your workstation should be
introduced".
Eyes are one thing, and you might want to
consider spending less time at a computer. However, it seems most of us need to
be there at some point. So how do we protect ourselves?
Get up, stand up
Sitting isn't for everyone. Type 'standup
desk' or 'standing desk' into your search engine of choice and allow a moment
for the possibility of quite a work and lifestyle change.
'standup
desk'
Sure, your legs and feet might ache for a
while (advocates recommend taking 'sitting breaks'), but most users believe
that in the long term, standing desks can help reduce back pain, improve
stability and build leg strength. Plus standing seems to be the perfect
antidote to heightened fears about the hazards of sitting.
Inhuman pose?
Some say the human body isn't meant for
chairs. This perceived wisdom often arises and may or may not be true. The
thing is, chairs don't seem to be going anywhere, and the majority of us will
tend to see quite a lot of them in our day-to-day lives. Indiscriminately
during a working or resting day many of us sit for hours on end. That is unless
you're particularly active in either.
In a recent article in the Boston Globe
entitled 'Down With Chairs', Colin McSwiggen - who clearly isn't exactly pro
seating - states that chairs are "here for the foreseeable future, and
designers are going to keep making chairs as long as there is demand for
them". However, the claims by some designers about their products seem
genuine enough, and some chairs are more accommodating than others. Anyway, if
you really want to break the mold, get a stand-up desk (see box out).
Herman Miller Mira chair
Like any product that you will need to get
along famously with to justify its purchase, testing out a new chair is
essential if you're going to spend big. A friend assures me that Herman Miller
chairs, which can cost from a few hundred pounds to just over $1857, are worth
the money, but if you do have such amounts to spend, then you can be pretty
sure that you'll want a test-sit first. Herman Miller does at least talk a good
philosophy; flex zones, ergonomic support and a human-centered design are the
selling points (though I doubt Mr McSwiggen would be seduced). The Herman
Miller's Mira range should also, apparently, support your back, keep it aligned
but allow what the company calls "micro movements". That's any
natural movements during your working day.
