Lower-Back Pain
Low back pain is an office health risk that’s extremely common among both men and women. Sitting for hours isn’t doing your posture any favors, and results in slouching that can put strain on the lower back. But constantly pushing your shoulders back into a straight, awkward position can also have negative effects. To prevent this, be aware of your posture while you sit, and don’t forget to stand and stretch every so often to give your back a break.

Other Muscle & Joint Pain
We’ve mentioned this before, but 85 percent of Americans suffer from muscle or joint pain at some point during their lives. Pain doesn’t discriminate, men and women are equally effected, and in more than one place on the body. The most common areas include the knees, neck and joints. These office health risks can be avoided, if you remember to switch from sitting to standing periodically throughout the day. The key is small movements at designated intervals. Once you’re home for the night, take a walk around the block and perform a few stretches before bed. It will help both physical and mental stresses.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
If you’re constantly at a computer, chances are you’re typing the majority of the day. If you’re not, then gripping a pen and scribbling notes can eventually cause carpal tunnel syndrome. Any motion that’s repeated isn’t ideal for the wrists. Before you have to result to prescriptions or surgery, stop and stretch your wrists during the day. If you have a keyboard platform, you can adjust it so the wrists are in the most ergonomic position to prevent any kind of strain.

Eyestrain
Beyond damaging your wrists, eyestrain is another common office health risk experienced among desk workers. After staring at your computer for several hours, you may notice your vision start to blur and your eyes become more sensitive. Headache, neck strain and dry eyes are another symptom of eyestrain. Prevention starts with making sure the computer screen is an adequate distance from your eyes. You can use one (or both) of our monitor arms to help you achieve the best placement. We’ve covered eyestrain prevention extensively in a previous post, so learn more HERE.

Stress
Stress—it’s probably the most common office health risk experienced today. It’s the biggest cause of employee illness and absences, which means productivity loss. Less serious stressful situations can be controlled by breathing and relaxation tools. Another option is to walk away. Leave your desk and take a break, then face the problem head on. In case you missed it last week, check out our post on “How to Cope with Office Stress” to learn more about how to deal with difficult work situations.

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You can first start to manage office stress by getting your body back in shape. It’s no surprise that stress affects both the mind and takes a toll on our physical health. To begin to cope with stress, eat healthy foods like green vegetables and foods high in omega-3 fatty acids, like flax seeds. Skip the greasy hamburger for a grilled salmon salad and watch your mood lift in the afternoon.

Of course, don’t forget to exercise regularly and move as often as possible during the workday. Make sure to stand for at least thirty minutes every hour, or take short breaks to stretch and walk around the office. At the end of the day, head to bed early. Office stress is only intensified by sleep-deprived minds, so shoot for 7-8 solid hours each night.

Another option to deal with office stress is to make your workspace feel more like home. Bring in family photos or small nick-knacks to place on your desktop. Add a few plants to spruce up the environment and help you relax.

According to the Huffington Post, hospital patients with indoor plants reported having lower stress levels than patience without them. Of course your office isn’t a hospital room, but plants will have the same effect nonetheless!

Although it may seem impossible, it’s important to learn how to say no. Taking on more than you can handle can leave you overextended, overworked, and overstressed. If you feel a project is starting to be more than you can handle and someone asks you take on just one more thing, calmly but firmly say no. Then you’ll have more time to focus on producing quality work on time.

Being glued to your desk for hours on end really does have an effect on your stress levels. So with that in mind, schedule a portion of your day that’s just dedicated to you. If you don’t have time for a full lunch break, try to carve out at least 20 minutes to walk around the block, read or sit outside. But the main thing to remember is to get out of the office for at least a little while. You’d be surprised how far a little sunshine can go in relieving office stress.

To follow up with getting out of the office, make it a field trip and bring a few coworkers along. Spend time together not talking about impending deadlines and projects, but instead try to get to know each other. Having quality social time allows you to unplug for a bit and relax your mind.

Office stress will never fully be eliminated, but there are tools to help you manage it that can lead to fulfilling, long-lasting careers. How do you cope with stress at the office?

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Learning how to have productive habits and keep them up for the entire workday is an art form. Of course, moving from sitting to standing can be your biggest productivity booster. But there are other productive habits to have that keep your workday flowing.

Productive practices like limiting email replies to one minute, and even eating healthy foods throughout the work week can have major effects on how much work you get done in one day. You can even have a routine wardrobe and wear the same thing on a daily bases, although if you choose to do this we recommend buying multiples of the same shirt—no one wants to be the smelly guy, no matter how productive he is.

For more tips on how to keep up productivity during the day, check out this infographic from Entrepreneur:

See the original article from Entrepreneur, here.

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These options are designed for the grab and go office worker. These are for the employee who barely has time to eat between meetings, phone calls, and running around town.

1. Salmon Salad
Most tuna packets can contain extreme levels of sodium (so much so that you may start to see your limbs start to swell!), so opt for salmon instead. Salmon is high in omega-3 fatty acids that prevent heart disease and improve memory. Imagine eating a delicious salmon salad as a healthy lunch and experiencing a creativity and memory boost when after-lunch lethargy is supposed to hit. Throw a few bell peppers and cucumbers in a mix of power greens and you’re good to go! Stick with vinaigrette as dressing.

2. Quinoa Salad
Quinoa has been named the “Supergrain of the Future,” according to Forbes Magazine and we couldn’t agree more. It contains all nine essential amino acids, and has twice as much fiber as other grains (meaning it keeps you fuller, longer). Try this version from All Recipes. It makes a ton, for healthy lunches you can enjoy all week long.

3. Cheddar Apple Sandwich
Just less than 280 calories, this cheddar apple sandwich is the definition of a quick, healthy lunch. All it takes are thin apple slices, mustard and cheddar cheese to create a lunch that can be enjoyed any day of the week. Pair it with a side salad or carrot sticks for a complete meal. Get the recipe, HERE.

4. Turkey Wrap
Who needs a plain sandwich when you can experience a wrap? This turkey and avocado version is the perfect healthy lunch for spring and summer (and maybe even eaten outside if there’s time). Start with a whole wheat tortilla layered with red pepper hummus, avocado, and pickles and complete it with lean turkey. Break this out when it’s time for lunch and you’ll be the envy of your office coworkers.

5. Chicken Salad Sandwich
Did you have chicken last night? Perfect! Take the leftovers and turn it into a quick chicken salad sandwich. This recipe uses Greek yogurt instead of mayo to turn traditional chicken salad into a delicious healthy lunch (and packed with more flavor). Red onion, dried fruit and almonds are added into the mix.

These health-conscious lunches, paired with your adjustable height desk, are sure to give you the energy boost you need to work productively throughout the day. Bring a few of these recipes to the office and let us know how it turned out!

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To follow up with last week’s post about yoga poses that lessen the effects of a desk job, we’ve gathered a list of simple office stretches you can perform sitting or standing behind your adjustable height desk. The key to getting the most out of your standing desk is making those small adjustments throughout the workday. And these stretches are geared toward helping you stand and move most of the day.

1. Neck Stretches
This is the most basic stretch, and can be performed while sitting or standing. For this office stretch, let the chin drop down to your chest, and then start to move the neck slowly back and forth. Stretch from the right ear to the right shoulder, backwards and then the left ear to left shoulder. Don’t forget to keep your shoulders relaxed and loose to prevent strain. When you’ve finished, shake out your shoulders a few times.

2. Shoulder Stretches
Moving away from your neck, these shoulder office stretches are quick and easy to do when you start to feel your shoulders tighten. First, with your desk adjusted to the standing position, stand with your feet shoulder width apart and your shoulders relaxed. Then place one hand under your elbow and lift it across your chest. You should feel the upper back shoulder start to stretch. Stand still and hold for 30 seconds, then repeat the other side.

3. Wrist Rolls
It’s important to adjust your keyboard tray so your arms can rest at a 90 degree angle. This position is ideal for preventing strain and discomfort after typing all day, but as added protection, wrist office stretches should keep wrist pain completely at bay.

First, lower your desk so it’s level with your stomach. Stand up and place your wrists facing your computer with your fingers at the edge of the desk. Then lean into your wrists and flatten your palms. Hold for a few seconds and repeat. Another exercise is simply rolling your wrists several times throughout the day. This is a great stretch for office workers who spend the majority of the day typing.

4. Leg Stretches
Once you start standing most of the day, you’ll begin to notice your legs and feet start to strain. Instead of taking a seat, leg stretches are a great way to loosen those muscles and build resistance.

To stretch out your thighs, stand behind your standing desk and hold on lightly for balance. With one hand on your desk, use the other hand to grab one of your ankles and pull your leg behind you and up toward the ceiling. Stand upright and keep your knees parallel and hold for 30 seconds. Relax and repeat with the other side.

5. Back Stretches
Back pain is a huge complaint among office workers who sit all day, but this basic stretch is easy enough to perform in your chair.

With your desk adjusted to a comfortable seated position and you’re seated in a chair, place your hands on the edge of the desk and slowly push the chair back until your head is between your extended arms. Hold for several seconds and slowly pull yourself upright. Repeat five times.

These office stretches are only the beginning to stretching and moving throughout the workday. To learn more about how to switch to a standing desk, click HERE.

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You can perform these poses at the office, but if you want to avoid strange looks from your boss, they’re really easy to do in your home.

One move is the standard Downward Facing Dog, which is used to decrease anxiety and increase your hand and wrist strength (it’s great for constantly typing hands!).

If you’re really feeling inspired, check out these other poses from the Huffington Post, here. These are also geared toward relieving a long day behind a desk.

Try these out after work today and tell us what you think!

[Infographic Via]

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After a bit of research, we’ve come up with a few tips on how to manage stress at work, from sprucing up your workspace to having better time management skills.

Practice Time Management
When you first arrive at the office, take a second to settle in and prepare yourself. Take a few deep breaths or read a news article instead of diving into things head on. Then develop a priority list of tasks and work through as much as you can. For pressing deadlines or large projects, block a portion of your day to focus on that without any interruption.

It may not be extremely appealing, but try to tackle the task you don’t want to do first to remove some stress at work. Then it’s out of the way and you won’t have to worry about it when the mid-morning rush picks up or the day starts to come to a close.

Organize Your Workspace
Think of it this way: mess equals stress. If papers pile up around you, or regular junk, you may notice your stress level at work start to rise. Focus becomes difficult when your desk is littered with cards, papers or anything else that’s unnecessary.

Before you’ve even developed a list of things to do, organize your desk and have everything you need within arm’s reach. Then you won’t have to stress about finding that lost phone number or random Post-it note. It’s always calming to have familiar things around you, like family photos or personal touches to make your workspace your own.

Take a Lunch Break
We’ve mentioned this before, but a lunch break will greatly reduce office stress. You may not have a full hour or even half an hour, but 20 minutes of stretching, walking and eating a healthy lunch can completely turn around a hectic workday for the better.

No matter your time limit, get away from your desk. Your mind and body will thank you for it once the afternoon hits.

Improve Your Communication Skills
Improving communication skills to help eliminate office stress starts with bettering how you view yourself. Instead of seeking approval or blaming yourself for things that are out of your control, try to focus on the work itself. Then learn to actively communicate your needs, or talk with a trusted coworker about the stress you’re experiencing. They may have some great advice about how to handle it head-on.

Leave it at the Office
Occasionally it’s unavoidable to not take work home, but for the most part try to leave it at the office. Many workers suffer from a lack of work/life balance, which ultimately affects productivity and your stress level. Once the day comes to a close, look back at the things you’ve completed and take note of your accomplishments.

The commute or public transit ride on the way home can be rough. Before you leave, spend a few minutes in your office in silence without frantically worrying about everything you didn’t accomplish. There is always tomorrow.

How do you manage office stress?

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But is it healthy?

The lunch break has slowly become a thing of the past, with two thirds of office workers eating behind their desks, or choosing to eat standing up. But deciding to eat standing up behind a desk can decrease productivity. It’s important to take a break midway through your workday and check out of the office.

Doctor Chris Cunningham, a professor of Industrial Organizational and Occupational Health Psychology at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, has an interesting view on the effects of choosing to eat while standing up, or skipping lunch altogether.

Reboot Brain Function
“Taking a lunch break away from the desk lets people separate themselves from the source of that drain,” Dr. Cunningham said. “And that offers the opportunity to build back some of those resources in the middle of the day – rather than just at the end when work is over.”

So with that, step back from the standing desk and don’t eat standing up, even if it’s for a moment. Dr. Cunningham reports that rebooting time is specific to each person. You may need a full hour, while your coworker needs 20 minutes. If you can’t manage to leave, don’t choose to eat standing up. This could force you to scarf down meals and ingest more calories.

Since you’re at an adjustable height desk, all you need to do is press a button to lower your desk, minimize the 30 open windows on your screen, and take a breather.

Rediscover Your Natural Habitat
Instead of opting to eat standing up in the break room, talk a walk, go outside and get some fresh air. With the beautiful fall weather in full force, enjoying a meal outdoors will make you feel refreshed. We know that sitting is bad for your health, but choosing to eat standing up isn’t doing your body any favors.

If you can’t take a walk, thankfully adjustable height desks have the flexibility to move from sitting to standing. This isn’t advocating the choice to eat standing up, but at least switch the position of your desk for a few moments to take a break, or walk down to the water cooler and grab a drink.

Partake in the Buddy System
“If you’re a service rep or a call-center employee, I could understand why you wouldn’t want to take a social lunch,” Dr. Cunningham said. “But for some of us, it’s different enough from what we’ve been spending our days doing, and we get a lot out of it.”

On slow days, grab a few coworkers and head to lunch. The only catch – don’t talk about work. Friendly conversation is surprisingly refreshing. If you can’t leave, don’t take a loophole and eat standing up around the conference table. That defeats the purpose! Instead of deciding to eat while standing up, head to the break room with friends for a quick meal.

Other suggestions instead of choosing to eat and stand include enjoying your meal and switching up your space. Take time to appreciate your surroundings, and that includes reexamining the leftovers from last night.

It’s also recommended to switch up your focus to reenergize. This could be something small like changing from sitting to standing, or taking a quick stroll around the office.

We love standing desks, but what we love even more is the flexibility that an adjustable height desk gives you. Switching positions gives the boost you need to keep going throughout the workday. But, don’t forget to take a well-deserved lunch break and don’t choose to eat standing up. Your mind and body will thank you.

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The majority of desk jobs today require you to stare at a computer screen for a marathon period of time, but if you’re not looking for a career change, how do you prevent this from happening?

Read on and we’ll tell you.

Eyestrain is a common ailment among workers throughout the country, and symptoms can range from sore, dry eyes to a lack of focus and headaches. If you’re experiencing more severe symptoms like a noticeable change in vision or double vision, it’s time to see a doctor.

Not only does eyestrain occur from the extended use of a computer screen, but also from exposure to bright light, dry air and stress – all things workers come into contact with on a daily basis (those harsh fluorescent lights above your standing desk aren’t ideal for eyes).

Thankfully, eyestrain doesn’t have long-term consequences, which means you won’t go blind anytime soon. But it is an unpleasant complaint to deal with when you’re trying to focus at work. That’s why it’s important to learn how to prevent eyestrain before it starts, and to know what to do once your eyes start to blur.

Check out these steps on how to prevent eyestrain:

• Look Away
According to the Mayo Clinic, to prevent eyestrain you should give your eyes a break every 20 minutes. They suggest the 20-20-20 rule: look away from the computer every 20 minutes, and stare at something that’s 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. Take this opportunity to make a phone call, switch from sitting to standing, or make a trip to the water cooler.

• Update Your Space
Having a flexible workspace is vital to health, happiness and productivity. And you can do this easily with an adjustable height desk. Sit to stand desks give you the freedom to move, make adjustments to fit your needs, and ultimately give those tired eyes a much needed break. So get moving and improve your workspace!

• Chill Out
It’s easier said than done, but take time to relax! Everyone experiences negative stress, but take a deep breath, close your eyes and chill out. Stress induces eyestrain, and increases your risk of heart disease, stroke, and other harmful physical complications. Practice relaxation exercises to calm down when you’re feeling tense. And if that’s not enough, check out these songs to help you relax during a stressful day at the office HERE.

• Franken-Four-Eyes
In honor of Halloween yesterday, we had to insert a cheesy joke somewhere! Ok, let’s move on. If you have to wear glasses or contacts, make sure they’re the correct prescription and tailored to work at a computer screen. If you want to get really fancy, you can invest in hi-tech computer glasses. They use anti-reflective coatings to reduce the glare from the computer screen. Check out this option HERE.

• Blink and Repeat
When was the last time you blinked? It sounds like a weird question, but think about it: you stare at a computer screen most of your day when you’re concentrating on work that needs your attention. And consistent staring leads to dry eyes and eyestrain, so don’t forget to blink! Blinking produces tears and moisture to lubricate your eyes and lessen the chance of strain.

The next time you find yourself with painful eyes, stand up, walk away, and come back and reread this post on how to prevent eyestrain before it starts. We can’t emphasize enough the benefits of using a flexible workstation as a preventative step. Having the freedom to sit, stand and move around does wonders for irritated eyes.

Try out these tips and let us know how it worked!

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Standing desks, treadmill desks, and adjustable height desks have been shown to act as a great outlet for nerves, stress, or extra energy. When you’re sitting all day and something comes along—a sudden deadline! An overdue report! A broken printer! Whatever!—it is no wonder that you get stressed out.

Your body goes into fight or flight mode, your muscles tense, and all you want to do is run! Well, with a standing, adjustable height, or treadmill desk, you have an outlet for that energy. Then you can focus on the task at hand—and not the idea of running out the door!

Aside from a treadmill desk, adjustable height desk, or standing desk, there are many other ways that you can relax and reboot at work—without even leaving your office.

• Listen: Listen to your surroundings, the type of your coworkers’ keys, your breathing.
• Sweep: Practice a mental sweeping of the chalkboard of your mind. Pause intentionally and visualize an eraser ridding any overwhelming thoughts.
• Look: Look at a picture of your family, pet or a vacation spot you love.
• Count: I think Thomas Jefferson said it best: “When angry, count to 10 before you speak. If very angry, count to 100.”
• Take in relaxing sounds: Listen to calming music or a recording of soothing ocean waves, rain, or whatever sound floats your boat (perhaps the sound of a boat?). This will calm you down—plus, studies show that classical music can improve brain function.
• Organize your desk. If you are surrounded by clutter, it is no wonder your mind might feel cluttered as well. If you’re stressed, take a moment, breathe, and clear off your desk, thus clearing your mind.
• Workout. Who needs an hour and a half to sit down and eat anymore? Use that time more wisely and hit the gym, go for a run, get to yoga, or just move! You can eat in a few minutes when you get back. Work that stress out.
• Meditate. The beauty of meditation? It requires nothing—nothing at all. You don’t need to be at any special place, in any special position, or in any special state of mind. Just close your eyes, focus on your breath, and merely observe the thoughts that flit around in your mind, like leaves blowing in the wind. They’ll start to slow. And so will your stressed-out heart rate!

If you’re stressed at the office, try some of these de-stressing tips (note—these de-stressers work just as well at home too!). And get up, stand up, and get moving with a treadmill desk or even a standing desk to prevent anxiety in the first place. Remember, things don’t stress you out—it is all about your reaction to them. It’s your choice.

Do you use an adjustable height desk or treadmill desk at work? Have you noticed a difference in your stress levels? Share your thoughts!

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