Too Busy for Your Own Good (16 page)

Buy a shredder for purging documents with sensitive information and junk mail that may contain business or personal information.

To help the environment, recycle paper, bottles, and cans as you purge.

You may not be aware of your body position when you're on the computer, on the phone, or reaching for a file. You may think that the short periods of time you're twisting to see your monitor, leaning over to answer the phone, or being hunched over your keyboard don't matter. Those moments add up to backaches, headaches, and stiff necks that aggravate your busyness. These aches accumulate and lurk in the background of your busyness, slowly draining your energy and making everything seem to take longer.

It isn't necessary to “feng shui” your office, unless you are already a big fan of this ancient Chinese practice of creating harmonious environments and want your office in tune with your “chi.” I do believe that being mindful of ergonomics helps free you of those little insults that can happen to your body and soul while you work. You don't have
to redecorate the entire floor to your liking—and the odds are that you wouldn't be allowed to anyway—but there are some subtle changes you can make in your office or cubicle that will make a big difference. Here are the basics:

Desk
. If you want to discourage interruptions, face it away from the door and have a mirror on your wall or desk that frees you from having to turn to check visitor arrival. Sometimes people will poke their heads in your office to see if you “look busy.” With your desk facing the opposite direction, you will always look busy because nobody will be able to catch your eye without knocking or calling out your name. If people can't catch your eye, they can't snag your mind. If you work in a cubicle, let your neighbors know that you'd like to institute a policy of not shouting over the dividers to each other—then stick to it!

Chair
. Adjust your chair so you're in an upright position with lower back supported, knees equal with or slightly lower than hips, and feet flat. Use a footrest if your feet hang down—I found that a fourteen-inch piece of four-by-four lumber works perfectly. This will help maintain good posture, which is the maintenance of the normal curvature of your spine without undue pressure on joints and nerves. The benefits of good posture are instantaneous because you're preserving optimal organ, muscle, and joint function for energy and endurance. You also achieve greater concentration and mental ability when you eliminate the aching results of poor posture, not to mention promoting a more confident, vigorous appearance.

Computer
. Your monitor should be approximately two to three inches above seated eye level. Twisting to see your screen adds to a feeling of tentativeness, so you'll gladly be
distracted. Adjust your keyboard so that your shoulders are relaxed, elbows are in a slightly open position (100 to 110°), and wrists and hands are straight. Keep the mouse close to the keyboard. Train yourself to use it with your nondominant hand. This leaves your dominant hand free to type quickly and accurately, going back to the resting position on your keyboard. (Most keyboards have a little nub on the J and F keys to rest your index fingers on.)

Copy Stand
. A document holder or copy stand right next to your monitor will keep you from leaning and twisting to see a document flat on your desk. It can be as simple as a stand-up clipboard or small note holder, or a more elaborate document holder that hangs off your monitor and tilts, has a line guide, magnifying lens, and a whiteboard.

Phone
. If you are on the phone a lot throughout the day, it's a good idea to use a headset or speakerphone to eliminate cradling the handset. This makes talking on the phone less of a strain on your neck.

Lighting
. The proper lighting in your office can reduce headaches and eyestrain. I realize that you don't have much control over this if you're in a cubicle, but often a swing-arm desk lamp will alleviate any shadows or darkness on your desk.

Use natural light as much as possible by moving your desk near windows or under skylights.

Reduce the glare and heat from windows with movable screens or adjustable blinds.

Move equipment and computer monitor to eliminate glare.

Use a swing-arm or clip-on lamp to illuminate tasks.

Use a pole light facing upward or toward the wall to increase room brightness.

Consider a full-spectrum light if you've got seasonal affective disorder.

Ventilation
. Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health found that office employees who work in areas that receive less fresh air from the outside are more likely to call in sick than their colleagues who breathe higher levels of outside air. This may result from the transmission of cold and flu viruses and other irritants that are not removed in ventilation systems with moderate airflow.

Maintain air circulation, increasing with the number of people in the room.

Open windows for fresh air from the outside whenever possible.