Daily Health Bits

Sitting in an office all day can be not only dull, but can take a toll on your health.  Here are some tips for creating a healthier workspace, since much of our time can be spent there.

• Get a better chair- A chair with lower back support and adjustable height and arm rests is crucial for controlling back pain and stress in the body.  Proper alignment when sitting all day can make a huge difference in how you feel when your work day is done.  Also, performing stretching exercises especially for the neck and back is good for you too.
• Monitor placement- Keep your computer monitor about 18-28 inches away from you with the top of the screen at about eye level for the best eye and neck comfort.  Also, to avoid tiring your eyes, look away from the screen about every hour or so and focus on something in the distance.  This will help lessen the strain on your eyes.
• Calming color- if you are allowed to paint your office, use soothing colors like blues or lavender which have a calming effect on the brain.
• Wrist support- invest in a cushioned wrist support if you type a lot to prevent carpal tunnel syndrome.  Your wrist should be in a straight, not bent, position.
• Sound therapy- listen to calming music, or music that makes you work better, or use a fan to block out noise from surrounding areas. 
• Green power- Plants can spruce up and office, bringing nature indoors, and adding oxygen and humidity to dry office air.
• Heartwarmers- Surround yourself with pictures of loved ones or places you would like to travel to make a bad day more tolerable, and bring joy every time you look at it.
• Neck-saving phone- if you spend a lot of time on the phone, traditional phones can cramp your neck and upper back.  I use a headset and find that it is more freeing (of your hands) and I don't have that neck pain.

Posted by Cindy Burreson at 07:36 AM | Permalink

Cell phones ringing, laundry spinning, dogs barking, children crying...it's just another day in your home, right?  Well, add to that, fax machines spewing out pages, emails piling up on your computer, business phones ringing and all of the sounds of business coming from your "home office".  Working at home can be tough on the nerves unless you employ some disciplines necessary for making it work!  With this being National Work from Home Week, I thought I'd share with you the following information that I've learned about working from home:

1) Time management is CRUCIAL!

I think management of time is the hardest thing about working from home.  I can always think about what ELSE I should be doing besides making my sales calls and catching up on emails.  How about taking some meat out to thaw for dinner?  Does the dog need to be fed?  Did I make my bed this morning?  Establishing a daily schedule with regard to your business and personal life and how you balance the two is critical to your success.  The same holds true for establishing a "close of business" time.  It is easy to get caught up in the day's activities when it is in the room next door, and an established quitting time will help you and your family recognize some boundaries.

2) Acting like a businessperson

When you get up in the morning, get dressed for work and put yourself together as you would in a regular workplace.  (I have to admit PJs are far more comfortable though....heehee)  Based on your schedule established in Rule 1, be at work, when you've determined you will be.  In a conventional workplace, you would not arrive whenever you felt like it.  Also, take breaks similar to those in a workplace.  Allow yourself time to have lunch and to rest throughout the day.  There are rules in place to promote efficiency and productivity and the same rules can help your success at home. 

 3)  Teaching the others in your home the limits of your business

If you are going to be a successful worker from home, you need to establish some groundrules with the others who occupy your home.  For example, if your office door is closed, there are to be no interruptions, without exception.  Perhaps you have a timeframe when you make phone calls, so that kids will know that that is to be quiet homework time or something.  You have to create rules that everyone understands and can follow to help you in your endeavors.

4)  Organization

Seeing a pile of work stuff is going to contribute to your overall cleaning frustrations within the home.  Cleaning your work area should be done every day.  It will not only help you keep your sanity, but will be one less thing that you have to worry about.  I would suggest getting a file cabinet, baskets, folders, whatever works for you to keep your area tidy and easy to use.  Try not to mix personal papers with work papers. 

5)  Creating a work space

You should have a primary location that is used for your business and solely for that purpose.  This space should be respected by other members of the household and it should be a semi-private quiet area in which you can work. 

Working from home gives you the luxury of time and in my opinion, more efficiency.  I no longer have to sit in traffic, listen to co-workers who would rather gab than work, and I can schedule my day to the benefit of myself and my family.  I wouldn't have it any other way!

Posted by Cindy Burreson at 09:55 AM | Permalink

I work as a server at night and I can tell you firsthand that it is tough on the ole body!  First of all, it is weird to do other things all day and then have to get ready for work when most people are getting ready to sit down for dinner.  It is hard to get yourself mentally "up" when you've already lived a full day.  Secondly, when you get home from work, you are so wired that you stay up for hours on end and cannot go to sleep at a regular bedtime.  It is not unusual for me to stay up until 1 or 2 in the morning.  I don't feel like I ever get really good sleep; I toss and turn, or sleep extra hard and then feel groggy the next day.  Then, I sleep until 10:00 because I am so tuckered out from staying up late!  I don't want to, because I have to get up and get things done, but I'm too tired!  It's a vicious cycle. 

I came across an article in Science Daily that says that people who work rotating shifts like me probably have significantly lower levels of serotonin.  Serotonin plays an important role in the regulation of sleep, and low levels have been linked to sleep problems, anger, depression and anxiety.  In a study of 683 men who worked hours that the body typically expects to be sleeping (shifts starting at 6pm) they had notable lower levels of serotonin than those working day shifts.  Shift work sleep disorder is a circadian rhythm sleep disorder that is caused by a work schedule that takes place during the normal sleep period, thereby confusing your body's internal clock.    The disorder can result in trouble sleeping, severe fatigue, poor sleep quality and not feeling refreshed upon waking.  Rotating shift workers typically sleep one to four hours less on average than day workers.

There are things you can do to try to increase your serotonin levels including eating foods with simple carbohydrates or taking supplements like 5-HTP.  And you can try to retrain your internal clock by establishing a consistent bedtime and wake time and perhaps taking naps to get the extra sleep you are lacking.

Source:  Science Daily August 5, 2007

Posted by Cindy Burreson at 09:31 AM | Permalink