DON'T BECOME SEDENTARY Working from home has truly become a revolution in business. More and more of us are opting for telecommuting on our current jobs, or building our own businesses at home. The elimination of commuter stress is hard to beat, not to mention the convenience and comfort of the home environment. The ergonomics of home offices, while helping to increase efficiency and reduce injury, can encourage a sedentary existence. It means that we hardly ever move. While keeping good ergonomics in mind, make sure your office is setup so that you have to get up and move around. In other words, do not make your home office too comfortable. Sitting for long periods can cause fatigue and poor mental performance. STAND, STRETCH, AND FLEX Once every hour get up and move around. Take a five-minute break to stand, stretch and flex. Tensed muscles are deprived of oxygen which is needed for their proper functioning. Standing, stretching and flexing periodically will keep your muscles flexible and decrease the chance of cramping and other muscular discomfort. Stretching and flexing for a few minutes each hour will help your muscles to relax while restoring its vital blood flow. Time can pass so very quickly once we become engrossed in work, making it easy to lose track of time. Doing these stretches once an hour throughout the day will most likely increase your productivity. To help keep track of the passing hours I use a talking clock that I installed on my computers. I have found AlphaClock particularly useful. Here are some simple stretches to try: Stand-up - Stand with your feet apart. With your hands on your hips bend forward slowly as far as you can and hold for 5 seconds. Slowly straighten and then place both hands on your lower back and bend back gently. Hold for five seconds and repeat. - Stand up straight and spread your arms out to the sides, with your palms facing forward. Stretch your arms as far back as you can and hold for 5 seconds. - Open your hands as far as you can, spreading your fingers apart as far as they will go. Close and repeat 10 times - Slowly stretch your arms over your head and hold for 5 seconds, repeating hand stretch. Neck stretch Face forward. Gently turn head to right. Place your right hand on your left cheek, with your left hand reaching behind your head touching your right ear. Gently press your head to the right. Switch hand positions for the left side. Face forward. Tuck in chin. Tilt head toward right shoulder. With right hand on head, press down gently. Repeat on left side. Face forward. Bend head down toward floor. With both hands on head, press down. Glut Stretch Standing up bring first one knee up to your chest as you can and hold for 5 seconds. Switch legs. Repeat several times. WORK AT HOME AND STAY FIT A fitness routine is even more important for those of us who work from home. Sacrificing our health for our convenience should not be an option! These stretches are only a small, but important part of keeping fit for home office workers.
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