After watching the video, find more exercises you can do at your desk:
Working out can seem like quite the chore, but our Ergonomics Consultants at Solutions Northwest, have compiled a list of exercises that you’re able to do at work – and better yet, you can do most of these exercises while sitting down on your office chair.
Check out this playlist of exercises that strengthen your core, improve your posture while sitting, and provide enough strength to make it through a sedentary, office workday.
Ergonomics Exercises you can do at your desk Playlist:
Our ergonomics experts have assembled these workouts for you in order to help make your office an injury free work zone.
Be sure to share these tips with your employees, especially if you work in the Human Resources or Office Administration department. For more guidance on all work related health and safety issues, visit SolutionsNW.com or Contact Us for more detailed information.
Don’t forget to subscribe to our blog for more ergonomics tips from Solutions Northwest Inc., ergonomics consultants located in Washington State, Northern California, Oregon, Seattle, Olympia, Tacoma, and Portland.
After watching the video, try reading one of our Related Blog posts about ergonomics safety in the office or at the workplace:
After watching the video, find out how Posture can affect your mood and success at work from our previous blog:
“Just sitting up straight, a simple power pose, may increase self-confidence.”European Journal of Social Psychology
The Mind-Body Connection
The mind-body connection refers to the ways our mental state and mental processes affect our physical body. For example, when you’re happy you smile or when you’re upset, you may frown. Research has revealed that the reverse may be true as well, thus the mind-body connection. In a 2010 study, “people who sat or stood in expansive poses for just one minute not only felt more powerful and in charge, they also had an increase in testosterone and a decrease in the stress hormone cortisol.” Psychological Science.
Knowing that it’s possible to affect the mind by being more aware of what your body is doing, let’s explore some of the ways we can apply this body-mind connection to the office or work place.
Mind Posture in the Workplace
“By simply changing physical posture, an individual prepares his or her mental and physiological systems to endure difficult and stressful situations.”- Psychological Science
Your posture can be a very powerful too in the work place. It turns out that your posture may not only affect how people perceive you, but how you perceive yourself. People that sit up straight or stand with good posture may experience a boost to their self-confidence. In a study conducted by the European Journal of Social Psychology a group of people were asked to write down their strengths, weaknesses, and a description of themselves during a mock job interview. Participants that did the task while sitting up straight with their chests out in a confident posture rated themselves higher and had more confidence in their self-attitudes than those who sat slumped, with face looking down at their knees in a doubtful posture according to European Journal of Social Psychology.
Having an increased feeling of self-confidence can lead to success in the work place. According to the job interviewing and recruiting team at RIVS, self-confidence helps you “run successful meetings; dictate what type of work you do and how you do it… you can develop a greater sense of autonomy and easily convince your manager to let you work flexibly or remotely.” Furthermore, self-confidence will help you get those promotions or pay raises.
What is Good Posture?
With all of its benefits, what is good posture? As CYH defines it, “Posture is the position in which you hold your body and limbs when standing, sitting or lying down. To have good posture means that you need to be aware of always holding yourself in a way that puts the least strain on your back, whatever you are doing.”
Because having good posture means that you are putting less strain on your body, it has many benefits beyond just appearances. It can reduce the chance of injury in the workplace.
If you feel you may not be strong enough to maintain good posture due to workplace injury or lack of strength, you should consider exercising to build your strength. At Solutions Northwest, we have assembled a YouTube series which features exercises you can do at the office with only a desk or a chair. Check out this link to learn more
Be sure to share these tips with your employees, especially if you work in the Human Resources department. For more guidance on all work related health and safety issues, visit SolutionsNW.com or Contact Us for more detailed information.
Don’t forget to subscribe to our blog for more ergonomics tips from Solutions Northwest Inc., ergonomics consultants located in Washington State, Northern California, Oregon, Seattle, Olympia, Tacoma, and Portland.
“Just sitting up straight, a simple power pose, may increase self-confidence.”European Journal of Social Psychology
The Mind-Body Connection
The mind-body connection refers to the ways our mental state and mental processes affect our physical body. For example, when you’re happy you smile or when you’re upset, you may frown. Research has revealed that the reverse may be true as well, thus the mind-body connection. In a 2010 study, “people who sat or stood in expansive poses for just one minute not only felt more powerful and in charge, they also had an increase in testosterone and a decrease in the stress hormone cortisol.” Psychological Science.
Knowing that it’s possible to affect the mind by being more aware of what your body is doing, let’s explore some of the ways we can apply this body-mind connection to the office or work place.
Mind Posture in the Workplace
“By simply changing physical posture, an individual prepares his or her mental and physiological systems to endure difficult and stressful situations.”- Psychological Science
Your posture can be a very powerful too in the work place. It turns out that your posture may not only affect how people perceive you, but how you perceive yourself. People that sit up straight or stand with good posture may experience a boost to their self-confidence. In a study conducted by the European Journal of Social Psychology a group of people were asked to write down their strengths, weaknesses, and a description of themselves during a mock job interview. Participants that did the task while sitting up straight with their chests out in a confident posture rated themselves higher and had more confidence in their self-attitudes than those who sat slumped, with face looking down at their knees in a doubtful posture according to European Journal of Social Psychology.
Having an increased feeling of self-confidence can lead to success in the work place. According to the job interviewing and recruiting team at RIVS, self-confidence helps you “run successful meetings; dictate what type of work you do and how you do it… you can develop a greater sense of autonomy and easily convince your manager to let you work flexibly or remotely.” Furthermore, self-confidence will help you get those promotions or pay raises.
What is Good Posture?
With all of its benefits, what is good posture? As CYH defines it, “Posture is the position in which you hold your body and limbs when standing, sitting or lying down. To have good posture means that you need to be aware of always holding yourself in a way that puts the least strain on your back, whatever you are doing.”
Because having good posture means that you are putting less strain on your body, it has many benefits beyond just appearances. It can reduce the chance of injury in the workplace.
If you feel you may not be strong enough to maintain good posture due to workplace injury or lack of strength, you should consider exercising to build your strength. At Solutions Northwest, we have assembled a YouTube series which features exercises you can do at the office with only a desk or a chair. Check out this link to learn more
Be sure to share these tips with your employees, especially if you work in the Human Resources department. For more guidance on all work related health and safety issues, visit SolutionsNW.com or Contact Us for more detailed information.
Don’t forget to subscribe to our blog for more ergonomics tips from Solutions Northwest Inc., ergonomics consultants located in Washington State, Northern California, Oregon, Seattle, Olympia, Tacoma, and Portland.
After watching the video, try reading one of our Related Blog posts about ergonomics safety in the office or at the workplace:
After watching the video, find out what Planks do for the body:
Why are Planks such a wonderful exercise?
According to Shape: “The plank is one of the best exercises for a flat, toned stomach because it works all the muscles in your core, including the rectus abdominus (the “six-pack muscles” you can see), transverse abdominus, internal and external obliques, hips, and back.”
According to Wikipedia “Muscles involved in the side plank include:
Primary: transversus abdominis muscle, gluteus medius and gluteus minimus muscles (abductors), the adductor muscles of the hip, and the external, and internal obliques.
Secondary: gluteus maximus (glutes), quadriceps (quads), and hamstrings.”
Being able to do Planks in the office, at your desk is such a unique idea. We hope you enjoy the video, if you’d like to see more videos of exercises you can do at your desk, be sure to subscribe to your YouTube Channel.
As always, be sure to share these tips with the your fellow office workers or employees. For more guidance on all work related health and safety issues, visit SolutionsNW.com or Contact Us for more information.
Subscribe to our blog for more ergonomics tips from Solutions Northwest Inc., ergonomics consultants located in Washington State, Northern California, Oregon, Seattle, Olympia, Tacoma, and Portland.
Produced by: Solutions Northwest, Inc. (Ergonomics Experts serving Washington, Oregon, and California)
“65% of American workers say they eat at their desk or don’t take a lunch break at all.”– Right Management Human Resources Survey
In an era of multi-tasking at work, it may be tempting to “save time” by eating alone at your desk or in your office. But is it really more efficient to eat alone at your office desk or is it a bad habit?
If you eat at your desk, you are not alone. Studies show that 65% of American workers eat at their desk or skip it altogether, that means only 1 in 3 workers take an uninterrupted lunch at their job.
3 reasons why you should avoid eating your lunch alone at your desk:
1) Eating lunch with co-workers is a networking opportunity. Eating can be a social activity and one you can share with your co-workers or staff on the job. Connecting with your fellow employees could help you get that job promotion in the future or stay in the mind of others for other work opportunities.
If you must work while you eat, consider scheduling the lunch with your co-workers in advance, so that you can all work and eat together.
2) Social Isolation is bad for your health. People with strong social relationships may increase their odds of a longer life by as much as 50% according to plosmedicine. Being isolated or alone could negatively affect your health, leading to “compromised immunity and inflammation, heart disease, and other chronic issues.” National Institute on Aging
3) Uninterrupted meal breaks are a great way to reset the workday. According to Lyle Sussman of the University of Louisville, “taking an uninterrupted meal break is healthy, increases job efficiency and improves morale.” Increased job efficiency and a healthier you will not only be good your personal health, but for the company itself. After your uninterrupted lunchbreak, you will feel refreshed and be able to finish the workday out without feeling so overwhelmed and stressed out.
In Conclusion
Being unhealthy in the workplace can lead to loss of focus, which could lead to errors or injury at the work place. As ergonomics experts, Solutions Northwest wants to make sure your workplace remains a safe and healthy environment for all. Be sure to share these tips with the rest office workers or employees. For more guidance on all work related health and safety issues, visit SolutionsNW.com or Contact Us for more information.
Be sure to subscribe to our blog for more ergonomics tips from Solutions Northwest Inc., ergonomics consultants located in Washington State, Northern California, Oregon, Seattle, Olympia, Tacoma, and Portland.
