Get those wires under control!

Take a look under any office desk and it looks like someone dropped their spaghetti. A variety of solutions are available to get things back under control. Plastic ties are great if you are keeping things in place, but as soon as you move anything, you have to cut them and use a new tie.  Velcro straps allow you to bundle your cables up and are easy to undo anytime you want to move cables.  The same job can be done using a plastic card with holes to slot your cables through. Either way, you begin to get the cable monster under control.

Never spill a drink again

Anyone who’s ever tipped hot coffee over a keyboard knows how costly simple mistake can be when it comes to having drinks around. So keeping drinks away from the table altogether is the way forward. A cup holder that clips onto the side of your desk like a giant clothes peg keeps the mug out of harm’s way. No more coffee ring stains or searching for coasters.  It sits deeply, so knocking it won’t affect it. It looks stylish too, available in a choice of elegant colours.

Stability ball

Inflatable exercise balls have become popular alternatives to conventional office chairs. Sitting on a ball is said to keep your core strength muscles in your stomach gently working as your body works to keep stabilizing itself. By continuously activating and strengthening the stomach muscles, the strain is supposedly taken away from the lower back. People with ongoing lower backpain have reported improvements when switching to a ball. A counter argument is that our lower back benefits from the support of a chair and that ongoing use of a ball puts too much pressure on the lower spine.  It’s not for everyone and needs to be adapted to slowly as the stomach muscles build up slowly.

Height-adjustable standing desk

With so much awareness on employee health, many are making the transiton to standing while working for at least part of the day. Rather than buying an entirely new desk unit, an adjustable desktop platform can be set for the right height for your ergonomic comfort.  It sits on top of your desktop, and acts as a platform for all your usual items. A spring-assisted vertical adjustment mechanism allows you to adjust the height of the unit in a few seconds. People prefer to spend some time standing and some time sitting at their desk, so an adjustable desk platform allows you to make the transition throughout the day at the touch of a button.

SmartLED Lamp.

Different times of day require differing qualities of light. It is now understood that the type of light we are exposed to throughout the day affects our well-being and mood. A smart light has four settings for your different lighting needs.  Reading setting emits mid-range colour and encourages concentration and protects against eye strain. Study setting has more high-range colour, stimulating concentration and alertness. Relaxation setting encourages relaxation and elevated mood with low range colour temperature.  Bedtime setting emits a gentle soft light that encourages deep sleep. Uses under nine watts of power and lasts for an average of twenty five years.

 

Why A Good Desk Is Important

Desks, like beds are the places where we spend a majority of our lives, but often end up being a poor compromise. Having a good desk can be the difference between sloppy, unfocussed work time and a highly efficient and productive output. The right desk should lure you towards it and activate your creativity and encourage you to get down to business. Ultimately a desk is just a worktool, like an artist’s easel or a blacksmith’s anvil and should be approached as such, with maximum efficiency in mind.

A good desk looks after you

Human resource departments are finally waking up to the fact that comfortable desks and seating are actually linked to productivity and workplace health. This helps in reducing the workers compensation insurance amount. This also helps in saving the productive time, otherwise wasted in hospitals!

Traditionally, purchasing decisions for desks are based on price, namely the cheapest available.  Now a movement towards ergonomics is acknowledging the bigger picture.  With back-pain being one of the leading causes of missed days at work, employers can no longer ignore the comfort of their staff and this means where and how  they sit.

Anyone who sits for several hours a day is immediately in the higher bracket for susceptibility to neck back and shoulderpain, Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI), tendonitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, headaches, eye strain and other sedentary-related conditions. Sitting in an unnatural position, perhaps such as holding a phone between your neck and shoulder can lead to problems.  Investing in a comfortable desk and chair will pay dividends on your long-term health but you need to do your research and find out what is right for you.

Understand ergonomics

Ergonomics is the study of efficiency, health and comfort in working environments.  Most cities now have ergonomic office furniture stores that will offer expert advice and its worth paying a visit to talk to an expert and ask them for some free literature.  A few basic ergonomic principles include having your screen an arm’s length from you, having the top of the screen at eye level and your elbow effortlessly resting slightly wider than a 90 degree angle.

The price of an ergonomic desk and chair arrangement is a one-off purchase that you will reap the reward from long-term. One thing that is understood is that changing positions frequently gets more blood to the brain and to muscle tissues. An example of an ergonomic desk is one that has a motorized height adjustment so you can find the perfect posture and even switch between sitting, perchingand standing at your desk throughout the day.

However, no amount design can give you the benefit of moving your body at least once an hour, stretching, walking, shaking  -get your blood moving.

Tidy desk – tidy mind

Organization is another key factor in creating an ideal workstation.  Get your clutter sorted with a desk that gives you space to keep your paperwork, gadgets, good luck trinkets and whatever else you surround yourself with. Whether it is built-in desktop storage or shelves surrounding you, get it out of the way so you can be free to think without staring at your clutter.

Choose your shape

Based on the space you have available, you have various options for choosing your workspace arrangement. Typical styles are: U-shape, L-shape, corner desk, along-the-wall desks and desk that stand alone in the centre of room. Each has its differing benefits and you need to assess what will really work for you. Again, this is where visiting a specialist will get your mind thinking in the right way.

Ultimately your desk is blank canvas for you to create the optimal working environment. Exploring your options carefully will make for a happy and creative work time, so get help and don’t compromise.