It’s commonly misunderstood that simply sitting at a desk all day doesn’t put physical strain on your body as that couldn’t be further from the truth. Sitting all day puts tremendous strain on your lower back and spine, especially if you’re not maintaining good posture throughout the day.
And since October is National Ergonomics Month, we’re especially focused on helping those that haven’t thought to consider the ergonomic positioning of their workstation. Read on to recognize the 3 most common symptoms of office fatigue and what you can do to improve your desk or computer station to help alleviate these symptoms.
3 Common Office Fatigue Symptoms and Solutions
1. Stiff Body
Let’s face it – sitting in an office chair for 8 or more hours a day doesn’t allow much movement for your muscles. Newton’s first law of motion applies directly to your body: an object at rest tends to stay at rest (while an object in motion tends to stay in motion!) This is important to remember when you experience stiffness or pain in your back or neck throughout the day. Try taking breaks, going for a quick walk around your building, or getting an ergonomic office chair or back support. Investing in an adjustable table or desk is also a great idea to keep your body from slumping into a crumpled position that will cause you pain and problems over the long term.
2. Eyestrain
Focusing for long hours on the lights emitting from your computer screen can cause deep strain for your eyes. Many people that work in offices eventually have to get glasses for this very reason. Other than eyes feeling tired or getting red, other symptoms include headaches or blurred vision. Take care of your eyesight by changing the position of your monitor, adding an anti-glare filter, or attaching a monitor arm. In ten years, your eyes will thank you!
3. Carpal Tunnel
Probably the most common and well-known symptom of office fatigue is carpal tunnel syndrome. Most often, this occurs due to improper typing or mouse techniques and affects the wrists, fingers, and hands. To reduce the strain being put on your wrists or hands, try using a split keyboard, an ergonomic mouse, or using wrist supports for either your keyboard or mouse.
If you know your career is going to keep you working at a computer station or doing regular repetitive motions throughout the day, it would be worth your time to register for an ergonomic evaluation. Many companies or administrative departments offer ergonomic evaluations to help their employees maintain a healthy workstation. Check your company’s website to see if they offer an online ergonomic assessment module or have your supervisor help you identify your Departmental Ergonomic Assessor (DEA) to perform a workstation assessment by your side. Your DEA can evaluate how you usually sit at your desk and provide helpful insight on whether your current situation is correct for your body type. Think about the future of your career and the future of your body, and count on AskErgoWorks to continue providing solutions for your office space.
Photo by Kars Alfrink
