Curing the Desk Chair Blues
If you’re like many entrepreneurs, your desk is probably like a second home to you. Mine sure is!
It’s where you get the bulk of your work done. Whether you’re planning the next quarter’s marketing strategy, researching client information, virtually directing your team or upgrading to the latest software suite, it’s the heart and soul of your operation.
It’s your combination command bunker, media stronghold and artistic canvas.
Since you spend so much time there, it’s also the source of many of your headaches, backaches, and your neck and shoulder pain. If being deskbound has got you down, I’m going to share some exercises that may help.
- Shoulder circles. This is one of the most common desk exercises. Simply relax and rotate your shoulders forwards perhaps ten times and then repeat the procedure going backwards.
- Neck stretch. Relax your shoulders. Then gently tilt your head and neck to one direction and feel the stretch on the opposite side. Hold each stretch for 10 to 30 seconds. Repeat as needed and remember to do this gradually and gently without jerking.
- Chest stretch. With a straight arm, place your hand against a wall just below shoulder height. Turn your body and shoulders away from your hand and the wall until you feel a stretch across your chest. Hold for 10-15 seconds and then switch arms.
- Shoulder stretch. Stand and hold one arm parallel to the floor and move it across the front of your body, with the upper arm coming in towards the chest. With the other hand, gently pull the crossed arm towards the opposite shoulder and hold for 5 seconds.
- Wall pushups. Another classic ‘deskercise.’ While standing straight, place both hands on the wall. Keep your feet flat on the floor, gently lean your body towards the wall then push back until you’re standing straight.
While these exercises may help combat the onslaught of pain and stiffness long hours at the desk can cause, they’re not the only solutions. You can make small adjustments to your environment that can make a world of difference. Your chair and your computer monitor might seem like your best (and sometimes only) friends during a long day, but if they’re not properly adjusted, they can cause you a world of hurt.
- Desk Chair. Make sure you get a quality chair with proper lumbar support. This is one area you don’t want to skimp on to save a few bucks. Adjust the height so that your thighs are perfectly parallel to the floor and your feet are sitting comfortably and flatly on the floor.
- Monitor. You don’t want to have to crane your neck to see what you’re working on. What you’re looking for here is for the top of your monitor screen to be at, or slightly below, eye level. Your eyes should look slightly downward when viewing the middle of the screen. Position the monitor no closer than about 20 inches from your face.
There might not be a cure for the Summertime Blues, but you can put an end to the ‘Desk Chair Blues’ with these exercises and proper adjustments to your office equipment.