How Physical Activity Can Improve Your Life

Posted on September 9, 2014 by OfficePlus

As we all know, it is important for us to be active to improve our health. But what we might not know is what exactly physical activity does for our bodies. As said in this document, we need to try to fit in as much physical activity as we can. Adults should be getting 30 minutes of moderate activity every day to meet the body’s requirements.

Moderate Jogging

Here is what physical activity does to our bodies:

Helps to prevent heart disease and breast, uterus, and colon cancers
Strengthens your lungs and helps them work more efficiently
Tones and strengthens muscles
Builds stamina
Keeps your joints in a good condition
Improves balance
May slow bone loss
Improves energy
Helps with relaxation and stress
Allows for better sleep
Helps you feel more lively
Improves your mood

As we can see, there are many benefits of physical activity, and each one helps improve both our personal and work lives. It can help us become more efficient workers as stress is easier to handle, our moods will be improved, and fatigue won’t slow us down. There are also many ways to be able to meet the daily 30 minutes without having to go for a run. Some examples of moderate activities include:

Housework – that’s right, vacuuming the house does count towards your daily physical activity!
Gardening and yard work
Stretching
Hiking and walking
Biking
Dancing
Weight lifting
Golfing

Most of these activities can also be considered vigorous activities depending on how intense the activity is. Most sports are considered vigorous activities as well as yoga and pilates. You can go even further and fit in exercise during work as well, check out our previous post on ways to exercise at work to get some ideas. Exercise is enjoyable for all, so try to find a sport or an activity that you enjoy and give your body the exercise it needs!

Back to School (and Business) Planning!

Posted on September 2, 2014 by OfficePlus

Father Seeing Kids Off To School Before Work Ah, the sweet sound of the school bell. If your kids have been home all summer, you know the relief that comes when September strikes. You also know that back to school season can be bitter sweet. This time of year brings about a lot of change, which means adjusting schedules and planning, planning, planning.

When it comes to change, nothing works like a good strategy. Forethought is your best friend here, which means it’s never too early to get your ducks in a row. Whether you’re returning to work after a long summer holiday or are about to send the kids back to school, prepare yourself with these time management strategies.

Use a calendar AND a planner. It’s important to have a household calendar, one that everyone has access to. This can be posted on the fridge, by the breakfast table, or the front door. A household calendar will allow you coordinate plans with family members, thus avoiding the dreaded double-booking. In addition to your household calendar, get a personal planner. This is a great tool for setting deadlines and personal reminders. Between a calendar and planner, you’ll have personal and family plans under wraps.
Always give yourself more time. Think it’ll only take 15 minutes to drive the kids to school and get yourself to work? Give yourself 30. By allowing buffer time, you’ll avoid the stress of last-minute delays.
Create a daily routine. Repetition is the best practice for honing in on time management. If, every morning, you make the coffee, walk the dog and wake the kids in the same order, you won’t have to constantly check the clock; after a week, you’ll know how long these tasks take you, and you can organize your morning without constantly checking in on your time.

For more ways to tackle time management and back-to-school schedules, check out LifeHack.org.

The Benefits of Computer Ergonomics

Posted on August 19, 2014 by OfficePlus

Have you ever thought about how much time you spend sitting at the computer? In today’s workplace, we often sit at our workstation for eight hours a day, five days a week. Little things like typing, slouching or neck turning can add up over time, and if your workstation isn’t ergonomically optimized, you might be wind up with a repetitive stress injury.

Repetitive stress injuries (RSIs) are caused by the minute movements that we perform over and over again. How can you prevent them? Simple: invest in an ergonomic workstation. By reducing strenuous movements throughout the day, you can improve your posture, your productivity and your energy. In fact, when a workstation is ergonomic, studies show that employees report a 20-40% increase in overall productivity.

It’s never too late to change your workstation and better your posture. Here are two simple changes to make your computer more ergonomic:

Adjust your monitor position. Is your monitor sitting at the proper height? If not, you’re probably slouching and straining to see the screen. This can lead to poor posture, as well as pain in the neck, back and shoulders. To adjust your monitor, consider a single- or dual-arm monitor adjustor, like a 3M™Easy Adjust Monitor Arm. If you use a laptop of tablet, consider a Fellowes I-Spire Series™ Lift.
Add a privacy filter. Privacy filters don’t just keep unwanted eyes off your screen; they make sure you’re looking at it head-on. By applying a privacy filter to your screen, you will instantly know if you are sitting askew of your workstation. A filter will remind you to adjust your chair and your neck, preventing neck tension or a more serious RSI. Consider a 3M™ Widescreen or Laptop Privacy Filter to get the job done.

Learn more about what you can do to make your workstation more ergonomic using the image below: