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Taking Breaks Makes You More Productive at Work

Taking Breaks Makes You More Productive at Work

Post By: Celeste McLaughlin, Ergonomics Manager
Produced by: Solutions Northwest, Inc. (Ergonomics Experts serving Washington, Oregon, and California)


Ergonomics TIps: Taking Breaks Makes You More Productive at Work

“Adults employed full time report working an average of 47 hours per week, which equates to nearly six days a week”Gallup 2017

For a lot of American workers, taking a break can come with a feeling of guilt when your boss or co-workers work through their breaks. In fact, the average full-time employee reports working an average of 47 hours per week, according to Gallup.

Even more telling, “54% of employees left vacation days unused in 2016” according to Travel Association research. Skipping breaks and vacation is leading tErgonomics Consultants | Solutions Northwest Inc.o high stress in America’s workers.

Overworking is bad for your health

Overworking yourself will leave your body tired and your mind stressed out. Stress is bad for your health, the University College London found that stress can even impact your heart when studying 10,000 London workers. UCL found that “white-collar workers who worked 3 or more hours longer than a normal, 7 hour day had a 60% higher risk of heart-related problems than white-collar workers who didn’t work overtime.” Moreover, not everyone copes with stress well, which could lead to developing poor habits to manage a stressful work day.

When you factor the risks of constant stress, with being over tired due to lack of breaks – your work quality declines and you put yourself at risk for injury and poor health.

Overworking is bad for your work

If your health isn’t enough to sway you, consider that overworking doesn’t necessarily mean you’re doing a better job.

According to the University of Illinois, most people will lose focus on their task and their project will suffer if they work non-stop without breaks.  “The breaks we take to recharge, eat meals, or spend time with the people we enjoy help us step back from our work and stay mindful of how our work contributes to our goals,” the study shows.  These breaks improve our ability to finish tasks and contribute to overall better performance at work.

Find ways to take breaks during the day

Using professional sports as an example, coaches rest their players to keep them useful during critical times of the game. Knowing this, it is important to find ways to rest from the daily grind throughout the day to improve your overall performance.

If you sit in an office all day, make sure you find moments to move your body. Visit the water cooler, grab a coffee, go eat lunch outside in the sun, or just restock the printer with some new paper.

If you do repetitive tasks at work, stretch your back, neck, or hands. Try some desk exercises you can do while at work to keep your body strong and take your mind off work.

By the end of your work day, you will have enough focus and rest to finish the work day strong.

In Conclusion

Don’t feel guilty taking your breaks, it will help you do a better job in the long run. If you’re a supervisor or managing employees, be sure to let them take their breaks, so you have a rested and focused staff.

Hopefully these tips can help keep your workplace a safe work place. 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.

 

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3 Back Stretches for Desk Workers

3 Back Stretches for Desk Workers

Post By: Celeste McLaughlin, Ergonomics Manager
Produced by: Solutions Northwest, Inc. (Ergonomics Experts serving Washington, Oregon, and California)

Ergonomics Tips: Back Stretches for Desk Workers

31 million Americans experience low-back pain at any given time. … Low back pain is the single leading cause of disability worldwide, according to the Global Burden of Disease 2010. Back pain is one of the most common reasons for missed work.” – GBD 2010

While every office admin should consult with an ergonomics consultant to ensure the workstation is properly set up, prolonged sitting at your desk may still lead to workplace injury if you do not properly care for your body.

Beyond making sure to take breaks by getting up and moving, try these 3 back stretches our ergonomics experts have collected from the CCOHS.

1. Middle-Upper Back Stretch

Sore back from hunching over a computer screen? Hold your left arm with your right hand, right above the elbow and gently push your elbow toward your right shoulder. Hold this stretch for 5 seconds and repeat with the right arm.

Middle Upper Back Stretch

2. Back/Side Stretch

This next stretch is great for your back and side aches: Interlock your fingers and lift your arms over your head, be sure to keep your elbows straight and slowly lean the left and then to the right. In a similar way, you can also bring your arms in front of your body, or behind to stretch the shoulder blades and chest.

Back and Side Stretch

3. Back Curl

A back curl stretch will stretch your mid back as well as your legs. To do this stretch, grasp your shin, lift your leg off the floor and bend forward (curling your back), reaching your nose to your knee. Repeat with the other leg.

Back Curl Stretch

In Conclusion

Be sure to print these out and post them near your workstation for yourself or your co-workers. Staying proactive by stretching at your workstation is a great way to avoid workplace injury. If you are in serious pain, be sure to consult with your doctor to see if it is serious. And for more tips check out our blog featuring advice from our ergonomics experts.

For an ergonomics consultation, 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 (Arcata), Oregon, Seattle, Olympia, Tacoma, Kent, and Portland.

Contact our Experts

Ice versus Heat for Lower Back

Ice versus Heat for Lower Back

By Celeste McLaughlin, Ergonomics Manager
Solutions Northwest, Inc. – Arcata, California

Ice VS Heat for Lower Back Pain Relief

“More than half of Americans (54%) who experience low back pain spend the majority of their workday sitting.” TheGoodBody

Whether your workstation has been designed by an ergonomic specialist or not, constantly sitting at your work desk can lead to lower back pain. In fact, 54% of Americans with sedentary jobs experienced low back pain.

After a long day of sitting at work, you may want to treat your back pain, but should you grab the ice pack or the heating pad?

After Injury, Apply Cold Therapy First

If you injure your lower back, it is best to apply cold therapy during the first 24 to 72 hours. Cold therapy will help minimize inflammation and swelling, which reduces pain and can decrease tissue damage. While there are special ice packs designed for cold therapy, a frozen towel or even a bag of vegetables will do.

However, it is important to be careful when using ice packs as they can burn your skin. Try using a cloth between your skin and the cold source. Do not use cold therapy for more than 20 minutes at a time and do not use it more than 10 times during a 24 hour period.

Apply Heat After Initial Swelling and Inflammation has Subsided

After you use cold therapy to bring down swelling and inflammation, begin using heat therapy to encourage the healing process. Heat therapy increases the blood flow to your injury, bringing more nutrients to the injured area while flushing out the injured debris. Heat also increases tissue elasticity, which helps relieve tension and knots.

For minor back tension, 15-20 minutes of heat therapy may be enough. For more intense pain, 30 minutes to 2 hours of heat therapy may be needed.

Apply dry or moist heat (whichever you prefer) with over the counter heat pads, creams, saunas, or hot tub. An easy home remedy is to fill an old sock with rice or oatmeal, tie or sew it shut, and put it in the microwave for 1-3 minutes.

Use caution to avoid burns, as you should be experiencing warmth and not intense heat.

Ice vs Heat for Chronic Lower Back Pain

What if you don’t have a new injury, but just have chronic lower back pain from sitting all day at the office? In this case, there really is no right answer when it comes to hot versus cold. Everyone is different, so trial and error may be in order.

However, some experts suggest that you should use heat therapy to loosen up your muscles for the work day and use cold therapy afterward to help with any pain and inflammation.

In Conclusion

Remember, when it comes to any kind of pain or injury, always consult with your doctor first. Also, be sure to get up and walk around every 20 minutes while at work and live an active life to help avoid any workplace injuries. For more health tips, exercise ideas, and suggestions to keep your workplace a healthy environment, check out our blog featuring advice from our ergonomics experts.

For an ergonomics consultation to keep your workplace safe and healthy, 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 (Arcata), Oregon, Seattle, Olympia, Tacoma, and Portland.

 

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3 Shoulder Stretches for Desk Workers

3 Shoulder Stretches for Desk Workers

Post By: Celeste McLaughlin, Ergonomics Manager
Produced by: Solutions Northwest, Inc. (Ergonomics Experts serving Washington, Oregon, and California)

3 Shoulder Stretches for Desk Workers

”In a typical working day, people spend an average of 7.7 hours sitting” – 2008 Vanderbilt University study

Many workstations require workers to sit and look at their computer screens for hours every day. While every office admin should consult with an ergonomics consultant to ensure the workstation is properly set up, repetitive and strenuous work may still lead to workplace injury if you do not properly care for your body.

Beyond making sure to take breaks by getting up and moving, try these 3 shoulder stretches our ergonomics experts have collected from the CCOHS.

1. Shoulder Roll

Tight or tense shoulders? The shoulder roll will help you relax your shoulder muscles. Sit back in your office chair, and slowly roll your shoulders backward 5 times in a circular motion. Next, roll your shoulders forward.
Shoulder Roll Stretch

2. Shoulder Shrug

Sitting all day at your workstation can lead to tightness or tension in the shoulder and neck area, try the shoulder shrug to relax the muscles. Begin by raising the top of your shoulders towards your ears until you feel slight tension in your neck and shoulders. Hold this feeling of tension for 3 to 5 seconds, then relax your shoulders downward into their normal position. You can repeat this 2 or 3 more times.
Shoulder Shrug Stretch

3. Neck Relaxer

Relax a sore, computer neck with the neck relaxer stretch. Begin by dropping your head slowly to the right, trying to touch your right ear to your right shoulder. Repeat on the left side. Then, slowly drop your chin to your chest, turn your head all the way to the right, then turn all the way to the left.
Neck Relaxer Stretch

In Conclusion

Staying proactive by stretching at your workstation is a great way to avoid workplace injury. If you are in serious pain, be sure to consult with your doctor to see if it is serious. And for more tips check out our blog featuring advice from our ergonomics experts.

For an ergonomics consultation, 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 (Arcata), Oregon, Seattle, Olympia, Tacoma, and Portland.

Contact our Experts

12 Ergonomics Exercises you can do While Sitting at Work

12 Ergonomics Exercises you can do While Sitting at Work

Watch Solutions Northwest Inc.’s Ergonomics Exercises video series:
Exercise at your desk, 12 Video Playlist” by clicking play on the image above or visiting our YouTube channel.

We have compiled videos of 12 exercises you can do at your desk:

Ergonomics Consultants, Office Assessments, | Solutions Northwest Inc.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:

  1. Outer Hip Exercises
  2. Stomach (abdominal) exercises
  3. Forearms, Wrists, and Hands
  4. Neck Exercises
  5. Spine Exercises
  6. Chest + Back Exercises
  7. Lower Back exercises
  8. Foot Exercises
  9. Planks from your desk
  10. Hip Exercises
  11. Posture Strength
  12. Inner Thigh Stretches

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 ergonomics 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.

Subscribe to our ergonomics blog for more ergonomics tips from Solutions Northwest Inc., ergonomics consultants located in: Seattle, WA, Tacoma, WA, Olympia, WA, Vancouver, WA, Kent, WA Renton, WA, Beaverton, OR, Portland, OR, Salem, OR, San Diego, CA, Carlsbad, CA, La Jolla, CA, Irvine, CA, Costa Mesa, CA, Newport Beach, CA.

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