Do you find yourself feeling tired and worn out at the end of a work day? Now is the perfect time to set some goals to establish new, healthy habits that can help you feel better. These simple changes can increase your energy and decrease the tension and pain in your muscles.

1.       Exercise! Take a break from your work, get up from you chair and walk around. During your breaks, or even more frequently, stretch your muscles. Try these stretches recommended by the National Institute of Health, or these quick stretches. It is also important to establish a regular exercise routine. Consistent aerobic exercise has been shown to relieve stress and relax muscles. It has also been found that certain strength-building exercises, such as weight lifting, increases endurance and energy.

2.       Drink more water! Any athlete knows the importance of water, so why do we think we are any different? The average body is 60% water, and the brain is 75% water. Dropping just your water levels by only 4% decreases performance and energy by 20%. If you feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated.  A general rule to remember is eight full glasses of water a day; this will vary based on weight and activity level, but it is a good start.

3.       Sit up straight! Good posture one of the most important changes any computer user can make. This includes adjusting your chair and your work space. The ultimate goal is to maintain a neutral typing posture while using your computer more productively.

Start by adjusting your chair to fit you specifically. First, evaluate the back rest. It should comfortably fit the curvature of back while providing good lumbar support. Sometimes a rolled towel or other support may be necessary. Next, adjust the chair height so that your feet are flat on the floor and the back of your knees to not touch the edge of the seat. Lastly, lower the armrests to provide easy movement of the arms while using a keyboard or mouse.

The improper placement of your keyboard and mouse can also contribute to sore muscles and decreased energy. For the most flexible positioning, use an adjustable tray to place your keyboard slightly below the height of your elbows, an inch or two above your lap. It should also be angled slightly downward, away from your body. You should also pull your mouse as close to the center of your body as possible, to avoid wasting energy and straining muscles every time you reach for it. Consider using a mini keyboard that does not have the number pad allowing you to bring the mouse closer.

In this new year, set some new habits that can help increase your energy and make you feel better.  Establish a new exercise routine, or just start taking regular breaks to stretch. Keep yourself well hydrated. And try out some new ergonomic products; a well-designed, ergonomic chair can encourage good posture and a mini keyboard can decrease the energy used with each keystroke.

Have you been thinking about trying some ergonomic products, but hesitate because of the hassle of all the wires you deal with? Check out the newest wireless options that can help you feel better with the full flexibility of cordless living. Two of the most common wireless products are the wireless keyboard and the wireless mouse.

Wireless Keyboards

There are numerous ergonomic keyboards out there that are designed to help you maintain healthy wrists and hands. Some of my favorites are the new mini-keyboards. Mini keyboards are designed to eliminate the need to stretch and strain during typing by bringing the keys closer together. Many styles include a touch-pad to remove the need for an external mouse. Best of all, mini keyboards are entirely portable, so you can enjoy the benefits of good ergonomics from any location.

There are also wireless options in the standard split keyboard style. The specifically designed curve of a split keyboards encourages a more natural hand and arm position, alleviating both fatigue and stress. You can also find designs that include a touchpad.

Left-handed keyboard are another great, ergonomic option, and not just for the left-handed user. These keyboards move the number pad from the right to the left; for right-handed users this allows your mouse to be closer to the center of your body. You no longer have to stretch for the mouse every few minutes or seconds.

Wireless Mice

Every mouse user really should consider an ergonomic mouse. For a casual user, a touch pad is a great option to eliminate the reaching and straining that often comes with an external mouse. If you are a heavy mouse user, you would benefit more from a trackball or other contoured mouse. Sample several designs and find one that best fits your hand and your usage. A wireless mouse will allow the maximum flexibility of bringing your mouse toward the center of your body during heavy use time.

Ergonomic computer products are designed to support good posture, maintain healthy keyboard and mouse use, and maximize comfort for the user. With the variety of wireless options now available, you can now enjoy these benefits easily and, best of all, anywhere you go!

Struggling to stay (or even get?) organized?  Maybe you resolved that 2011 would be better, and yet, by the end of the first month, you feel overwhelmed and have no idea how to stay on top of it.  You know that getting organized will help you stay on top of where everything is and make you more productive as a result.  However, where to start?  Over at I'm an Organizing Junkie, the organizing guru exhorts us to write down 52 organizational things that need to be accomplished over the next year, such as cleaning out the freezer, or re-purposing a book shelf, etc.  Then, each week, tackle one job.  Why not apply the same principle to organizing your work space?  

Keyboard/Mouse Set-up

A crucial step in getting organized is your actual set-up.  Putting your keyboard and mouse in the best place is essential in getting everything else placed well and even getting the most out of your work day.  

• Your keyboard should be centered in front of your torso and your mouse should be directly next to it (not inches away, and definitely not on a separate, raised surface).
• Ideally, your keyboard and mouse should be at a small angle away from your body so that you can type with your forearms, wrists, and hands sloping downward as well.  This allows for the most comfort and fewer strain injuries, such as sore shoulders or Carpal Tunnel.

Tips for Achieving It: Keyboard Trays, Left-Handed Keyboards, & Mini Keyboards

That's the basic set-up.  there are several ways to achieve it, the main one being clearing the space directly in front of you and getting the keyboard and mouse positioned properly.  In addition, you can allow for good ergonomic practices and also preserve desk space by implementing a keyboard tray which attaches beneath your desktop.  Another option is to try a left-handed or mini keyboard.  Left-handed keyboards move the number pad to the left and out of the way for righties who don't use it, thereby allowing a snugger fit for your mouse.  A mini keyboard is just that- mini.  Its compact size allows for easy, front positioning which then better accommodates the mouse.

Check back next week for another easy organizational tip!

Does your back ache after a long day of work? Many people experience muscle tension and soreness from long hours sitting at desk. The most common cause of pain in the work place is poor posture. We slouch or twist our bodies into strange positions and are not even aware of the strain we place on our muscles until we suffer from pain and discomfort.

Tips to Avoid Back Pain

These tips can help you find relief from back pain and to prevent future soreness:

• Take a break to stretch your muscles. Start a new habit of stopping briefly to get up once each hour and walk around, if only for a few minutes. During your breaks, stretch your tight muscles to relieve some of the tension.
• Apply hot or cold packs to the sore area. If the area is inflamed, use cold packs to numb the pain and reduce any swelling. Hot packs will relax tense muscles and increase blood. You can use hot or cold about once an hour for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Evaluate your chair for proper support and fit. Good posture is one of the best ways to prevent back pain. Your chair is the more effective tool you have to encourage and maintain good body position. Does the shape of your chair fit your body properly? Does the back rest support the curvature of your lower back? Additional lumbar support can easily be installed to relieve muscle strain and improve posture. Confirm that the height of your chair allows your feet to rest flat on the floor, or add a footrest. If your chair is too narrow or wide, or if the seat catches you behind the knees, you may need to find an ergonomic chair that better fits your needs.
• Rearrange your desktop and keyboard. Back pain is frequently caused by improper placement of keyboard and mouse. An adjustable keyboard tray easily allows for optimum keyboard position, an inch or two above your lap, just lower than your elbows. The mouse should be as close to the keyboard as possible so you never have to reach for it. An ergonomically designed mini keyboard brings the mouse in closer, further reducing muscle strain.

Back pain in computer users is often caused by poor posture and overuse of muscles. Taking breaks and stretching will bring some immediate relief and decrease future pain. But the best long-term solution is to restore and maintain good sitting posture. Adjust your chair and work space to provide quick relief, and try the right ergonomic products to encourage healthy habits to benefit you well into the future.

Are you suffering from shoulder pain?  Does your shoulder ache at the end of the day, or even throughout the day?  While shoulder injuries are quite common through sports and accidents, shoulder pain comes on more slowly and much more subtly.  In fact, shoulder pain comes in the form of repeated, every day, ordinary activities.  

Tips for Avoiding Shoulder Injury and/or Pain

• While it may not be as fun, try to eliminate contact sports so you can avoid unnecessary injury.

• A good rule of thumb is to never reach to the point that you can no longer see your hand.  This includes reaching around the driver seat for your purse, brief case, or even a dropped toy for your toddler.

• The same principle applies at work.  Never reach awkwardly for out-of-reach objects.  Instead, rearrange your work space in order to put them within easy reach.  When this is't possible, stand up and move to reach them properly.

• Additionally, make sure you keep your keyboard at a downward angle, sloping away from you as you type.  This will relieve strain on your neck and shoulders.  A keyboard tray is an easy way to keep this positioning.

The main idea is to protect your shoulders by changing how you move them.  Instead of taking seeming short cuts by over-extending your reach, take the extra time to move your whole body.  It may take a little extra effort and even time, but avoiding an injury is always the most efficient use of your time.  The same is true for major body movements, such as sports and heavy lifting.  Just by rethinking how you use your shoulders, you can avoid a lot of undue strain.  Your shoulders will thank you and so will your boss- no one wants you to miss work.