Change your Environment
Hi, Jeanette Cates here with this week's article entitled Change your Environment! You can read it below.
In the category of WHY did she say that and WHO did she say
it to...I told a friend of mine:
"I wish you had not revealed so much information in this
book! You provided entirely too many resources, with great
explanations. You're putting a lot of pressure on your
competition!"
See WHY and WHO I sent this to.
The saying "change your environment" is one we used with our
children any time they whined about something. It meant
everything from change your thinking to change your language
to change your physical environment. The article gives you
- 1 quick check
- 2 things to do today
- 3 typical scenarios
Read the full article below.
Here's to your continued Online Success -
Jeanette
Change your Environment
by Jeanette S Cates, PhD
Quick - check your posture!
Are you sitting straight in your chair - or slouching?
Leaning forward? Sticking your neck out?
Now check your hands - are they resting on the keyboard?
Where is your monitor - on a shelf above your head or below
your eye level?
These are just a few things you need to be aware of when
you're using the computer. And they may be some of the reasons that you are not as effective at your computer as you could be.
Last week I found myself procrastinating on starting a complex task this week. I just kept going back to check email, following links to sales letters for products I didn't need - just putting off doing the work. You know the drill!
When I became aware of it, I noticed that my mouse hand was at an awkward angle. I had plugged in an extra USB cable and for some reason the manufacturer of my computer put it right next to my mouse hand. That meant I had to keep my hand extended beyond the comfort level to avoid the USB plug.
As soon as I removed that USB, I was able to start the project!
Most people are not aware of these subtle differences. But they are impacting your performance all the time!
I had the privilege of designing seven computer labs during my tenure at our local community college. Even though I did my best to be sure each of the 20 stations in a lab were "equal" there were always a handful stations that had a lot fewer users. Why?
It could have been less lighting, a draft or the feeling of being in a corner. When asked, most students could not articulate *why* they preferred one workstation over another - they just did.
So let's get back to *your* work space. Are there tasks you're putting off? Check your desk. Do you have enough space to spread out papers? Are you using an external mouse rather than your laptop's touchpad?
If you're in the habit of using your computer on your lap - get over it! This is one of the worst things you can do to your body. It puts all of your computing parts in the wrong position - from your screen being too far from your face with your neck turned down at an awkward angle to having to cramp your hand in order to move the cursor.
One of the reasons I don't suffer from carpal tunnel after 25 years of using a computer 10+ hours per day is that I never rest my hands on the keyboard when I type. As a former typing teacher, I was a fanatic about proper posture at the keyboard. And it's paid off for me with pain-free computing for many years.
The only time I ever experience a problem is when I play too many games. You see, games, more than any other activity, involve a repetitive motion. So if you do start to feel pain or get a tingling down your arm, it's time to take a break from the games - or switch to the other hand.
The final piece of advice is to move! Set a timer if you need to, but get up from the computer at least once per hour. Stretch your arms above your head. Shake out your hands. Bend over from the waist. No need for calisthenics - just get your blood flowing and give your hands a break.
If you only do two things today, do these:
1. Become aware of how you sit and use the computer.
2. Change your position to ensure painless use over the long term.
If you do those two things, you'll be on the road to
Change Your Enviornment!
----------
Dr. Jeanette Cates is an Internet Strategist who works with independent professionals who are ready to turn their knowledge and their websites into gold. She is the author of Healthy Computing at http://healthy.techtamers.com
In the category of WHY did she say that and WHO did she say
it to...I told a friend of mine:
"I wish you had not revealed so much information in this
book! You provided entirely too many resources, with great
explanations. You're putting a lot of pressure on your
competition!"
See WHY and WHO I sent this to.
The saying "change your environment" is one we used with our
children any time they whined about something. It meant
everything from change your thinking to change your language
to change your physical environment. The article gives you
- 1 quick check
- 2 things to do today
- 3 typical scenarios
Read the full article below.
Here's to your continued Online Success -
Jeanette
Change your Environment
by Jeanette S Cates, PhD
Quick - check your posture!
Are you sitting straight in your chair - or slouching?
Leaning forward? Sticking your neck out?
Now check your hands - are they resting on the keyboard?
Where is your monitor - on a shelf above your head or below
your eye level?
These are just a few things you need to be aware of when
you're using the computer. And they may be some of the reasons that you are not as effective at your computer as you could be.
Last week I found myself procrastinating on starting a complex task this week. I just kept going back to check email, following links to sales letters for products I didn't need - just putting off doing the work. You know the drill!
When I became aware of it, I noticed that my mouse hand was at an awkward angle. I had plugged in an extra USB cable and for some reason the manufacturer of my computer put it right next to my mouse hand. That meant I had to keep my hand extended beyond the comfort level to avoid the USB plug.
As soon as I removed that USB, I was able to start the project!
Most people are not aware of these subtle differences. But they are impacting your performance all the time!
I had the privilege of designing seven computer labs during my tenure at our local community college. Even though I did my best to be sure each of the 20 stations in a lab were "equal" there were always a handful stations that had a lot fewer users. Why?
It could have been less lighting, a draft or the feeling of being in a corner. When asked, most students could not articulate *why* they preferred one workstation over another - they just did.
So let's get back to *your* work space. Are there tasks you're putting off? Check your desk. Do you have enough space to spread out papers? Are you using an external mouse rather than your laptop's touchpad?
If you're in the habit of using your computer on your lap - get over it! This is one of the worst things you can do to your body. It puts all of your computing parts in the wrong position - from your screen being too far from your face with your neck turned down at an awkward angle to having to cramp your hand in order to move the cursor.
One of the reasons I don't suffer from carpal tunnel after 25 years of using a computer 10+ hours per day is that I never rest my hands on the keyboard when I type. As a former typing teacher, I was a fanatic about proper posture at the keyboard. And it's paid off for me with pain-free computing for many years.
The only time I ever experience a problem is when I play too many games. You see, games, more than any other activity, involve a repetitive motion. So if you do start to feel pain or get a tingling down your arm, it's time to take a break from the games - or switch to the other hand.
The final piece of advice is to move! Set a timer if you need to, but get up from the computer at least once per hour. Stretch your arms above your head. Shake out your hands. Bend over from the waist. No need for calisthenics - just get your blood flowing and give your hands a break.
If you only do two things today, do these:
1. Become aware of how you sit and use the computer.
2. Change your position to ensure painless use over the long term.
If you do those two things, you'll be on the road to
Change Your Enviornment!
----------
Dr. Jeanette Cates is an Internet Strategist who works with independent professionals who are ready to turn their knowledge and their websites into gold. She is the author of Healthy Computing at http://healthy.techtamers.com
5 Comments:
Great advice! Attention to ergonomics and getting up frequently make a huge difference. Also, I've been greatly helped by a pair of glasses designed just for computer work.
Shel Horowitz, founder,
Business Ethics Pledge
http://www.business-ethics-pledge.org
I have found that an ionizer helped too as I have a lot of electric equipment in my small office - it just keeps makes me feel more energetic somehow.
Janice Elizabeth Small
http://www.SimplySlimming.com
Thanks Jeanette!
I just raised my monitor and now look straight ahead instead of down. Now I know why I have a "pain in my neck." I felt better instantly.
Jeanette Fisher
EnvironmentPsychology.com
Thanks for all the great ideas, y'all! I'm learning even more!
Jeanette
I discovered I was squinting at my monitor, keyboard, and workplace. So I added some under-cabinet lights from Home Depot under the hutch where my monitor is located. It brightened up my workspace and I'm squinting less.
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