The American workforce went home and got behind the screen, that is, the screen of their laptop.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, remote working has doubled in an already inactive country, making us all slower. Before adopting a life insurance for overweight people politics, take a minute to find ways to make your laptop a healthy lifestyle.
How much time do you spend on the Internet?
Whether it’s for fun or for work, it’s time we were honest with ourselves about how much screen time we use. Living in an age when technology has taken over every aspect of our lives can make us forget the value of our natural resources.
Between cell phones, televisions and laptops, many studies have reported an average of six to ten hours of screen time and internet use per day. I love social media, TV shows, and remote working as much as anyone else, but like you, I’m worried about my health.
Cutting off screens and the internet completely isn’t a realistic goal unless you’re prepared to chop wood and opt out of the network altogether. Fortunately, we don’t have to go to extremes to regain control of our time and our screens.
What is the best position for using a laptop?
Ironically, the correct position for a laptop is not in your lap.
If you want to climb on your laptop to de-stress after a long day at work, you should really do this at a desk. It may not be the perfect picture of relaxation, but it could save your health.
The use of laptops is now common. However, the aches and pains that result do not necessarily have to be. Here is a list of actions to take before turning on your screen to ensure proper laptop use:
- Location, location, location – Bring your laptop to the right place. If you’re always in bed or in an awkward position, you won’t be as productive. Not preparing for success will only prolong your working time and further damage your physical health.
- Sit as if your grandmother is watching – Sitting upright at the table is not the only place to heed posture warnings. Whenever you use your laptop, make sure you are in a neutral position.
Ideally, you want your spine to be straight with your neck aligned. You shouldn’t have to lean or lean forward to work or view your screen.
- Watch your back – The goal is to feel relaxed while being supported while on your laptop. Even if you start off on the right foot, we all tend to slouch, so stay tuned to your posture and use support when you need it.
- Don’t be so tense – Relax your shoulders. Holding a hunched or stretched position causes strain on the neck, chest and back.
- Position yourself for success – If you are seated in a well-positioned position, your elbows should be able to bend comfortably at an angle of 90 and 120 degrees. Sticking at these angles relieves and prevents wrist and back fatigue, making them ideal for laptop use.
- Don’t disappoint your college teacher – Do you remember “home row”, the expression used to refer to the place where expert typists place their hands to reach each key?
Hopefully these college teachings have stayed with you, as the way you type can greatly affect your health. To avoid health problems like arthritis and carpal tunnel, keep your wrists and hands as straight as possible.
How to live healthy while working remotely
The way you use your laptop is becoming a habit, but whether that habit becomes harmful or beneficial to your health is entirely up to you. Once you’ve set the posture, there are other steps you can take to make sure that laptop life doesn’t take over your health.
Make traveling a regular habit
Working from a laptop, whether at home or in the office, can make us stagnate. Stationary lifestyles are linked to multiple health issues such as heart disease, diabetes, etc. However, despite this knowledge, most of us don’t put in the effort to move if we don’t need to.
Set a timer as you work to remind yourself to get moving. It could be something small like walking outside or stretching for a few minutes, but no matter what you do, your body will thank you.
Keep what you need around
When you’re working at a desk and want to maintain a productive workflow, keeping what you need close at hand reduces distractions. Often while working we forget the basic necessities of life like eating and drinking.
To make sure you eat and stay hydrated at home or at work, keep some healthy snacks and water nearby. Keeping these things on hand prevents you from getting distracted and making unhealthy choices.
Give your eyes a break from the computer
Just like the large parts of your body, your eyes also need breaks. However, that doesn’t mean you have to look away from your laptop to your phone.
If you don’t have an uninterrupted space where you work because of kids or coworkers, there are a few fixed ways to rest your eyes. Take a break from eye strain by meditating, reading a book, or simply blinking more to avoid overloading your eyes.
Buy accessories
A product that looks cool isn’t always enough to get us to buy. When it comes to our health, spending on savings should be less of a concern in order to reap the long-term benefits.
Whether you can find attractive products for eye strain or back and neck support or not, you need to use tools designed to relieve fatigue. In the long run, it’s better to spend $ 100 more on accessories than thousands of dollars on medical treatments.
Remember to log out and stop
Spending time apart is healthy for you and your laptop. Computer batteries wear out if they never rest, much like our brains.
Staying awake because you’re feeling anxious about completing a project or catching up with your friends online will tire you out faster than a marathon. Turn off your computer at least 30 minutes before going to bed to rest your mind.
You can even help ward off depression, which may impact life insurance rates if you take the time to relax before going to sleep.
Allowing yourself to adjust before trying to force sleep will help you fall asleep faster and deeper. Computers can affect the quality of our rest, so while working from bed seems fine, you should put your laptop aside for bedtime.
How many hours do you have to stay online?
Everyone’s level of work is different. Depending on what you are doing, the reality of limiting computer time can vary widely, but you should be aware of the computer time you are digesting.
Taking a break from social media to focus on work and spending time with friends has been proven to benefit your physical and mental health. As easy as technology can make life, you don’t want the negative effects coming back to you tenfold.
Don’t feel guilty about limiting your days or hours of work and be honest about what you need from your employer and, most importantly, yourself.
Danielle Beck-Hunter writes and does research for the life insurance site, Assurancesanseffort.com. Danielle is an insurance expert with a passion for healthy lifestyles.