Keep It Safe, Keep It Moving!
Keep it Safe…..Keep It Moving!
Whether your loving the quick commute to your kitchen table or a designated desk in the spare room, you should know that how you set up your work-space matters. Obviously, we can’t simply pick up the phone and call procurement for that perfect ergonomic desk chair and for most of us this is a temporary situation.
Here are a few home-office set up suggestions (inexpensive) making your new normal much more comfortable for you back.
Laptop positioning – Your monitor should be just below eye level to relieve strain on your neck and your keyboard should be so that your arms are at a comfortable 90-degree angle with your wrists straight. Impossible with a laptop. Solution: Raise your laptop with books, a box whatever you can find and invest in a wireless keyboard and mouse. You can find them on Amazon for as low as $22. Your neck will thank you.
Padding is a plus Working at the dining room table with a solid wooden chair? Do your butt and back a favor: add a pillow or plush towel to that seat!
Lumbar support Speaking of towels, you need to protect your lower back with lumbar support. A thick towel rolled up, placed between your chair and lower back goes a long way. If you want to get “crafty” you can cut up your kid’s pool noodle and use that too!
Put your feet up Support your feet on an elevated surface for a little more comfort and to increase circulation. Have an old shipping box and another fluffy towel? What else do you have around your house? A Bosu ball works—and it’s handy for some quick exercise as well!
Take breaks When we are in a traditional office, we often have to get up to see co-workers or to complete a task. At home undisturbed you might get in a zone and find that you’ve been sitting for HOURS! Don’t, you’ll pay the price in aches and pains later. Set a timer and be sure you get up and move every 30 minutes!
Keep it Moving!!
Staying fit is challenging enough, but staying fit while staying in might seem impossible. Beginning next week, we will feature a quick but effective workout from a local expert trainer with a link to a free video. We’ll switch it up from Yoga to Pilates, to Boot-camp and even stretching. This week, because most of us have been sitting for a few weeks now, we are going hardcore with four moves that can be done quickly for a full body workout from Michael Lenox, owner and personal trainer at Xhilarate Fitness.
Body Weight Squats – 10 reps Bend at knees as if to sit in a chair, keeping back straight. Stand back up and repeat.
Fire Out High Plank- 10 Reps: Start in high plant position on hands. Bend knees and push hips back toward heels and fire out back to original plank position
Inchworm Walkouts- 5 Reps Stand with hands and feet shoulder width apart. Bend at waist and place hand on floor. Walk hands out as far as you can keeping core engaged and back flat. Then walk hands back in to feet and stand.
High Knees – 50 Reps a fun high intensity cardio move—jog in place but bring those knees up high to a 90-degree angle with your hips.
You can follow Michael and Xhilarate Fitness on his Facebook Page or YouTube Channel.
Suzanne Norton Davis
NaviPay Business Development Consultant
Owner, Coastal Business Evolution