User's Manual

particular attention to adjusting your posture in the afternoon when you may tend to get fatigued.
Avoid leaning into a posture resembling a turtle, with your neck in an awkward position, your head out
of alignment with your spine, and your back unsupported by the chair. Moving through standing and
seated postures and breathing deeply is good for your spine, joints, muscles, lungs, and circulatory
system. If you don’t have a sit-stand workstation, think about standing while talking on the phone or
having a walking meeting instead of sitting in a conference room. Bottom line: you can consciously
move to stay comfortable and productive, or without awareness, you can slip into an uncomfortable
and less productive posture.
Throughout the day, you decide.
STAY AWARE Scan for awkwardness and discomfort. Don’t slip into awkward, uncomfortable and
less productive postures like “The Turtle.”
Adopt healthy habits
Build positive relationships at work and at home and find healthy ways to reduce stress. Breathe
deeply and regularly. Every 20 minutes, take a brief break— stand up, move around, stretch, and shift
your gaze to a distant point. Partner with an “ergo buddy,” observing one another’s posture and
reminding each other to make adjustments and move.
The comfort and safety of working at the computer can be affected by your general state of health.
Studies have shown that a variety of health conditions may increase the risk of discomfort, muscle
and joint disorders, or injuries. (See
Monitoring your health habits and exercise on page 23.)
Avoiding adverse health conditions and exercising regularly to improve and maintain your physical
fitness can improve your overall health and tolerance for sedentary work. Respect any medical
conditions or health factors you may have, and monitor your personal limits.
2 Chapter 1 Let comfort be your guide