A study conducted by Cornell University found that working while cold severely decreases your productivity. When people have cold fingers while typing, they make twice the number of errors and type more than 50% slower. Unfortunately, cold fingers and toes are just a part of winter for many office workers. Try these tips to help keep you warm and productive at work.

Get Up! When you sit for too long, your circulation slows down and your extremities start to cool off; yes, this means cold fingers and toes. Every few minutes wiggle your toes and make a fist with your fingers to raise the blood flow to these extremities. And get out of your seat at least once an hour to walk around for a few minutes.

Decrease your coffee intake! It is so nice and warming to drink hot coffee on a cold day, but caffeine constricts blood vessels decreasing the circulation in your fingers. After your cup or two in the morning, try switching to decaf or an herbal tea.

Try these heated tools. These have to be some of the best winter products ever, and they only use about as much electricity as a light bulb.

• A heated keyboard – This warming keyboard warms your fingers as you type, resulting in less errors, faster typing and increased productivity. The heating element can be turned off during the summer months, or turned from low heat to high for those extra cold days.
• A heated footrest – The heated foot rest is a fast, easy way to keep your feet warm at work. Take off your shoes and warm your feet directly on this pad, or tip it up to use it in radial heat mode.
• A mouse hand warmer pouch – This pouch, or pocket is perfect for keeping your mousing hand warm. Slip your mouse inside and warm your hand whenever you reach for your mouse.

Try these tips for those days when you just can’t keep your fingers and toes warm at work. And check out the available products, such as the heated keyboard or the heated footrest, that can keep you warm and help recover your lost productivity.

Adjust Your Ergonomic Chair for Maximum Comfort

Do you have achy, tired muscles after sitting at your computer? One of the problems may by your posture. A “neutral,” ergonomic typing posture is all about minimizing the amount of work  required by your muscles. The less stress and strain on your muscles, the more energy you have for your work, and the less pain and discomfort you experience. A ergonomic chair that is specifically adjusted to fit you will help support and encourage ergonomic sitting.

Evaluate your chair. Before trying to adjust your chair, you need to be sure the seat pan (the part you sit on) fits your properly; while most parts of your chair can be adjusted for a better fit, it the seat pan is too small or too deep, there is no adjustment that will make it better. 

First, it should be wide enough with at least an inch to spare. Second, it should evenly distribute your weight with no pressure points after sitting for half an hour. Third,  confirm that the seat does not catch the back of your knees, cutting off circulation to your legs. If your chair doesn’t fit properly, consider finding a better-fitting, ergonomic chair.

After assuring that your chair fits properly, try these simple adjustments to get the most comfort out of your chair.

• Place your feet flat on the floor. Raise or lower your chair until you feet are firmly on the floor. If your desk is higher or you need additional height,  use a foot rest to provide proper support. Don’t pull your feet under your chair or cross your legs; this will put pressure on your back and knees.
• Adjust the back support. Move the entire back rest up and down until best fit the natural curve of your spine. You can also add portable lumbar support if you need more padding for your lower back.
• Recline a little. Move the back rest to lean back slightly from a straight-up position. You back relaxes better when reclined and this will also decrease the pressure on your spine.
• Move your armrests. Don’t rest your elbows while you are typing; this can compress the ulnar nerve at your elbow. Instead move your armrest to the side or lower them for free arm-movement while typing. Only rest your arms while you are not actively mousing or typing.
• Position your keyboard properly. The keyboard is best placed where your forearms remain parallel to your legs while you are typing, about an inch or two off your lap. The most comfortable place for your keyboard is about an inch or two off your lap, with your forearms almost parallel to your legs. Try using a keyboard tray that allows the keyboard to rest at a slight tilt downward, away from your body.

With a good, ergonomic chair that is adjusted to fit, you can maintain ergonomic posture and reduce muscle strain. And for a better fit you can add a foot rest or additional lumbar support. You can improve your comfort at work by simply adjust your chair for better support and correcting you posture.

Do you find your shoulders sore after a day in front of your computer? Shoulder pain is frequently triggered by poor posture and overuse of these muscle groups. We often sit in awkward positions for long periods of time while typing. These tips can help relieve pain by improving your posture and habits.

Restore good posture at your desk. A good ergonomic chair is specially designed to support your body and encourage good posture. Make sure any chair you use is personally adjusted to fit you. First, lower the seat the height until you feet are firmly placed on the floor or a sturdy foot rest. Next, assess the back rest of the chair. Raise or lower it to best fit the contours of your spine. You can use a rolled towel or portable lumbar support if your lower back needs more support. Lastly, move your arm rests low enough to allow easy arm movement while typing. When not typing, you can rest your elbows on the armrests, but confirm that they don’t cause you to raise your shoulder or agitate the nerve in your elbows. And keep your arms close to your body while typing, to lower the pressure on your shoulders.

Rest and stretch your sore muscles. Take frequent breaks during repetitive tasks such as typing. Get up from your chair and stretch your shoulders. Try these stretches recommended by the National Institute of Health.  If you have other types of tasks to do, such as making photo copies, spread these throughout the day. Another good time for a break is while returning phone calls; try standing up while talking on the phone.

Rearrange your work space. Begin by evaluating your keyboard placement; if it is too high, too low or at a bad angle, this will add strain to your shoulder muscles. An adjustable keyboard tray can lower your keyboard into optimum position, slightly below elbow height at an inch or two above your lap. Next, use a monitor stand to ensure that your monitor is at eye level and only an arms-length away from your eye. Also, if you find yourself holding the phone between your shoulder and ear, consider using a headset for your phone, freeing your hands without straining your neck and shoulders.

Shoulder pain is often caused by straining your muscles in awkward positions.  Improve your posture with a well-adjusted ergonomic chair that helps you maintain good posture all day long. Maximize your work space arrangement with a adjustable keyboard tray and a monitor stand. Changing your posture and habits at work can help relieve shoulder pain and prevent injury in the future.

We frequently talk about working with good ergonomic principles and having a work space that really works for you.  This is easier said than done, though.  We know that.  So we thought we'd high light the changes one reader told us about.  He is a PhD student, a parish worker, and a father of 2- thus, it's essential that he gets the most efficient use of every device possible.  There's simply no time to spare between studies, work, and family time.