We spend a lot of time at work. After sleeping, it's what takes up most of our time.
And while getting the work done is important, small bouts of self-care throughout the day will lead to increased productivity, less stress & better overall health.
We've consulted the experts & scoured the internet for the best tips & tricks to make sure you're looking after your most precious asset: yourself.
How Healthy Is Your Desk?
How Is Your Desk Set Up?
Why Wrist Gel Rests Do More Harm Than Good
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Things to do during the day
- walk
- water
Stretches
The human body is basically just a giant collection of counter-balancing rubber bands aka muscles. For every muscle, there is an opposite: for every Yin, there is a Yang that keeps us moving. But Darwin didn’t have office work in mind. Evolution didn’t intend for us to be sitting (at a desk) for 8hrs+ a day. And what happens to a rubber band when it doesn’t get stretched regularly/repeatedly? It snaps & breaks, which translates to common aliments like carpal tunnel, chronic lower back pain and an upper back hump.
The 5 Stretches To Do Daily
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Posterior Kinetic Chain
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What: This is the largest continuous connection of muscle groups in the human body. It starts at your neck & runs all the way down to your ankles, and includes all muscles in your back, butt & hamstrings.
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Why: Just one of these muscle groups out of balance can throw off the whole chain, and doesn't just affect muscles but can also impact the functionality of internal organs & stress, anxiety & fatigue hormone responses.
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How:​
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Anterior Hip Flexor
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What are they: They connect to the back of the pelvis to the top of the femur/thigh, and incorporate muscles such as psoas minor.
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Why: Excessive tension through these muscles is actually the most common cause of lower back pain. Repeatedly sitting for a prolonged period, these muscles shorten, and because they attach to the back of the pelvis, pull the lumbar(lower) spin out of alignment. The lower back pain most people experience is actually their lower back muscles working overtime to correct this mis-alignment.
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How:
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Forearm Extensors
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What: These are the muscles that control your wrists ability to move up & down.
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Why: After being stuck behind a keyboard & mouse all day, 5 days a week, with minimal movement/activation, it can lead to weaknesses throughout all forearm muscles, contributing to increasingly common ailments such as carpal tunnel syndrome.
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How:
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Extend your arm in front of you with your palm down.
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Bend your wrist, pointing your hand toward the floor.
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With your other hand, gently bend your wrist farther until you feel a mild to moderate stretch in your forearm.
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Hold for at least 15 to 30 seconds. Repeat 2 to 4 times.
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Pectoralis Major & Minor
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What: Commonly known as “pecs”, these are the powerhouse of the chest, starting on the sternum, and ending on the shoulder.
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Why: Because of where they terminate (the shoulder), and their size & strength in comparison to the shoulder muscle group means even the smallest amount of additional tension through this muscle can overpower the shoulder, and pull them forward (so the chest gradually becomes more concave). Short version: continual shortening of the pectoralis major is what leads most people to develop the upper back hump as they grow older.
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How:
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Sternocleidomastoid
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What: These muscles are in the front of the neck, and connect from the collarbone (clavicle) to the back of the skull.
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Why: Laptops, phones, Kindles… we spend a lot of time looking down. As a result, these are slowly forcing us to gaze at just the pavement. They are also the sneaky, often overlooked contributors to upper back/neck pain & headaches.
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How:
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Chin Tucks
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Forward Flexion
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SCM Stretch
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30 Mins of Sunlight
Getting 30 minutes of sunshine a day has multiple benefits, including vitamin D production for bone health and immune function, improved mood, better sleep quality, increased energy, enhanced immune function, stronger bones, and potential benefits for skin conditions. Remember to protect your skin and seek professional advice as needed.
Sleepy during the day?
- nutrition (avoid sugars, go protein)
- don't underestimate a power nap - George Kastanza napping under desk
Setting boundaries
- at work
- outside hours
