If you are like me, you feel drained at the end of the day and struggle to finish your work on time. Here are some tips for helping you reduce the energy drain throughout the day and recover some of your lost energy. Here are some tips to reduce the amount of energy wasted at work and help recover some of your lost productivity.

Sit up straight! Maintaining good, ergonomic typing posture minimized the movement and work required by your muscles and keeps you from wasting energy on strained muscles and a sore back. Start with a good, ergonomic chair that is adjusted to fit your body. Adjust the height so your feet rest firmly on the ground. Make sure you have enough support for your back or add more lumbar support. And lower your arm rests to allow free arm movement while you type or use your mouse. Improving your posture will increase your energy and productivity throughout your day.

Stay Hydrated! Drink more water throughout the day, instead of or at least in addition to coffee. Don’t wait until you feel thirsty, or you will already be dehydrated. Your body and your brain are primarily made up of water; even slight dehydration will decrease your energy and productivity by at least 20%. A  general rule of eight full glasses of water each day is a good place to start.

Try an ergonomic keyboard. Like poor sitting posture, bad arm and hand posture wastes so much energy and places significant strain on your muscles. Ergonomic keyboards are specially designed to help improve hand posture, making your typing more efficient and more comfortable. There are several different styles to choose from. Try several keyboards to find one that fits your hands and feels comfortable as you type.

Try using white noise. Most people lose up to two hours a day from interruptions and distractions. Working to block out these distractions can significantly drain our energy and increase our stress levels. Turn on a personal white noise machine to block out office conversations and work with focused energy.  

Limit Energy-Draining Tasks – We all have to do tasks, or work with people, that leave us feeling drained. Determine what or who they are for you and be deliberate about how you approach them. Find a good time of day for you, when you are not hungry or tired, and spend only 10 or 15 minutes on this work. When you finished, work on something that energizes you.

We all encounter things that drain our energy, but we can minimize this energy loss. Try using a white noise machine to block out office distractions and interruptions. And upgrade to an ergonomic chair that provides the support you need. Small changes can help restore wasted energy and boost your productivity.

Most computer users suffer from aches and pain on a regular basis. Sitting in one position all day, whether reading or working on a computer, puts pressure on your entire body. If this pressure is coupled with poor posture, it will quickly convert into pain and will drain you of precious energy. The goal while sitting should be to maintain a natural posture to lower the wear and tear on your muscles. Your chair is the most important tool you have to help correct your posture and increase your productivity. A good, ergonomic chair that is properly adjusted will provide comfort all day, restore wasted energy, and actually encourage you to maintain good posture while sitting.

Here are some tips to help personalize your chair adjustment to best fit you:

1. Seat Pan: The seat pan is the part of the chair on which you sit. The pan of your chair should be wide enough for a comfortable fit, with at least an inch to spare. Your weight should feel evenly distributed across the pan or you will begin to feel pressure points after a few minutes. Your chair should still feel comfortable to you even after sitting for a few hours. Also confirm that the seat depth is correct for your height and does not catch the back of your knees. If this initial test reveals any problems, you should strongly consider finding a better, ergonomic chair that is the right size for you.
2. Chair Height: Adjust you chair height so that your feet rest firmly on the floor. You can use a foot rest to provide additional height if necessary. If you are looking for a new chair, try to find one that you can adjust while you are seated; this will provide the fastest, most accurate adjustment for you.
3. Back Rest: Some back rests are adjustable, making the chair more flexible, but this feature is not critical. If you are not able to move your back rest, make sure you have a chair that fits your curves. If you have this feature, raise or lower you back rest to find the best fit to the contours of your spine. Remember that the most important aspect of your chair is the lumbar support. If your chair does not properly support your lower back, consider adding a rolled towel or portable lumbar support.
4. Arm rests: Are you arm rests too high? Your arms should have free movement at the elbow while typing, with your shoulders fully relaxed. If your shoulders are sore, you may have your arm rests too high, causing you to hold your shoulders up, in a shrugged position, for long periods of time. Only use your arm rests for short periods of time to support the elbows and arms while you are not actually typing. The more movement you have in the arm rests, the better posture you can achieve. It can also be helpful to occasionally move them entirely out of the way to decrease pressure on the ulnar nerve in your elbow.

 A good, ergonomic chair that fits properly and adjusts to meet your needs can impact your energy, comfort, and productivity each day. Use these tips to carefully evaluate and adjust your office work chair, and add additional lumbar support if needed. If your chair doesn’t actively encourage good posture, consider finding a new chair. Maintaining good posture will benefit you far into the future.