A full-time desk job may seem comfortable, but it actually takes quite a toll on your body. The average person spends the majority of their day at the office, and the majority of that time is spent sitting down. This inactivity at the workplace has led to a rise in obesity for those that have desk jobs. Most employees only burn 120 to 140 calories a day during work hours. It’s not only the physical toll but the mental toll of being sedentary as well. Without proper stimulation, your mind cannot work efficiently. If you are concerned about your desk chair posture, get in touch with Dr. Yashar today. As a premier neurosurgeon in Los Angeles, Dr. Yashar has the knowhow to keep you sitting straight.
Be Aware of Desk Chair Posture
The trick to keeping your body healthy while sitting at a desk for hours at a time is creating proper habits. Desk chair posture is a huge problem because it is easy to have poor posture while sitting in a chair. It might have been cool to slouch when you were in high school, but it’s not cool to have a sore back every day after work. Poor posture can also lead to a plethora of other bodily injuries, which are hard to recover from.
Try to be as cognizant of your desk chair posture throughout the day, and set reminders every 30 minutes to check your posture. Once you have found the sweet spot to sit with good posture, now you need to move your screen. In the 21st century, we do the majority of our work on a computer screen. If the screen is set too high or low, your neck will become strained. Your eyes can become strained from prolonged work on a screen as well. Be sure to look away from the screen to give your eyes a break throughout the day.
Finally, take little breaks throughout the day to keep active. It is recommended to get up every hour for a small walk. It can even just be around the office or to the bathroom. While you walk, take a minute or two to stretch your legs and back. By staying aware of your desk chair posture, you will increase productivity.
How to Keep Your Mind Healthy
The mind is just as important as the body, especially when it comes to productivity at work. First, create an environment that you feel comfortable in. If you don’t like clutter, focus on keeping the clutter off your desk. Make a friend or two that you really feel comfortable with at your job. This will allow you to blow off some steam and vent to someone that actually understands what is going on. By having people at your office that you look forward to seeing will help you keep your mental positivity.
Plan your week with a to-do list or organizer so that mental clutter doesn’t become a problem. Finally, compartmentalizing work life and personal life will help keep the stress of work out of your own time. When you leave work, leave work behind. Each day is a new day, and ending each workday with a clean slate will help you be refreshed for the future.
Lumbar Support is Extremely Helpful
The biggest concern at a desk job is spine health. Sitting at your desk for most of the day puts you at the mercy of your chair. If you have a chair that doesn’t offer lumbar support, you’re just asking for back problems. When you are seated, it puts three times the stress on the lumbosacral discs, which puts stress on the joints around the spine. Getting the proper chair, and pillows will help alleviate some of this load. It is much easier to keep good posture with a proper chair as well. Here are a few things to look for in a chair that will be helpful for your desk job:
- Elbow supports
- The ability to change the height
- High chair back to support the neck
If you are concerned about your desk chair posture or have questions about spine surgery, contact Yashar Neurosurgery today.
