Working with Laptop on Your Lap and Other Unhealthy Work Habits You Need to Replace Now
Experiencing fatigue, body pains, and low productivity at work? One of the first things you should check is your working environment—is it conducive for healthy work? Next, pay attention to your daily work habits—are there specific habits that may be causing the problem?
In this post, we’ll share with you 3 of the common work habits you need to break and replace with healthier ones to ensure that you are healthy and well. Are you ready?
Unhealthy Work Habits You Need to Let Go
Working with laptop on your lap
This is pretty common among those working from home who prefer to work on their couch while, perhaps, watching television. At the onset, it appears safe enough—but how bad is it to place your laptop on your lap while working? While this might work towards giving you a more relaxed working environment, it can cause a slew of other health issues such as the following:
- Increased exposure to radiation, which can cause problems like fatigue
- Thigh burn (this can happen after prolonged exposure to the heat from the laptop)
- Poor posture, which can lead to back pain
- Eye strain due to incorrect monitor angle and height
The solution: Invest in a sufficient workstation with the right ergonomic desk and chair. This will help you focus better and protect you from the risks mentioned above. An adjustable sit-stand desk and an ergonomic office chair will help you maintain proper posture while working so you can work long hours without experiencing fatigue and body pain.
Excessive coffee consumption
Ah, coffee—something we all need to get through the day. A cup or two are fine, especially if you’re facing deadlines and a toxic schedule. But if you’re guzzling upwards of five cups of coffee a day, you might need to cut back a little. Apart from palpitations, excessive coffee consumption is also associated with up to 22% increase in the risk of heart disease, according to WebMD.
The solution: First, cut back on coffee. This doesn’t need to be instant. You can start cutting back one cup at a time until you reach a number that works for you and is still a healthy amount. Another thing you can do is to substitute a healthier drink to coffee. Why not cut back on coffee and load up on fruit juice instead? Or even better, water is always a healthy option, and there’s no intake limit.
Excessive sitting
Prolonged sitting appears to be one of the most dangerous habits that plague many people today. It causes both short-term and long-term health issues, from simple back pain to more serious illnesses such as hypertension, diabetes, and heart problems. If you’re working in an office and spend majority of your time working in front of your computer, make sure you’re intentional about breaking prolonged sitting.
The solution: Alternate between sitting and standing while working. Invest in a standing desk. Also called a sit-stand desk, it is an adjustable desk that can go up or down with a press of a button. It will allow you to stand while you work so you can keep moving throughout the day. Find small opportunities to stand, walk around, and move as you work to keep your body active.
Are you ready for a healthier work lifestyle? Start by breaking the three habits we mentioned above--placing your laptop on your lap while working, consuming too much coffee, and sitting for hours. In place of these, find time to move more, try a standing desk at work, and replace your coffee with fruit juice or water, even if only partially.
Check our MotionGrey Instagram account for more tips, or browse our catalog for high-quality ergonomic desks and chairs to help you work healthy and well.
About Us
MotionGrey is a Canadian standing desk company that specializes in ergonomic furniture. We supply and install only the best quality standing desks and ergonomic chairs in the country.
Our products are designed with wellness as the focal point. From our electric standing desks to our office and gaming chairs, we deliver best value by putting your health, safety, and comfort as top priority. Boost your creativity and level up work performance. We want you to create great outcomes so we’re providing you only the best tools to make them possible.
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