That could have gone better

[eveglass]

A few "feeling sorry for myself" things from today:

1. Realized that the last time I used my ATM card (last Thursday), I forgot my card in the machine for the first time ever. Thankfully, the machine flagged it as lost, so I don't have to worry about anyone making purchases on it. I just need to find time to get a new one tomorrow. Oh, and I had to deal with only having $20 in cash tonight when I promised to take someone out to a cash-only shisha cafe.

2. I've been madly writing stories for a game Ian's going to run. The first two stories went over really well. The one I wrote today... less well. Can't win 'em all, I suppose.

3. The ergonomics of doom are back. My neck and shoulder are really, really unhappy with me. I've *got* to find some way to fix this.

Comments

How's your desk posture?

[loreleiskye.livejournal.com]

See if your company has an "Ergonomic Assessment" you can go through. Explain what you're experiencing, they may have equipment or suggestions.

Not sure if you're sitting at a computer a lot, what you're sitting on, or how long your sitting- but here are some thoughts that helped me when I didn't have a good desk chair. Aim for "Neutral Posture":
0) Check your chair settings. Your feet should stay at a 90 degree angle to the floor, or be out in front of you slightly
1) Foot rests are your friend, and fairly inexpensive to acquire.
2) Wrist rests for both the mouse and the keyboard; tilt the keyboad with the little 'feet' on it if you don't have a keyboard tray.
3) If your chair doesn't have lumbar support, get a small pillow (couch pillow, camp pillow...) to put in the small of your back.
4) Computer screen position- ideally the top of the monitor should be eye level- with a text setting large enough to avoid squinting.
If your neck is straining up/down/forward to read the screen... causes all sorts of fun problems by the end of the day.

Last few tips from a veterin desk-jockey:
- Throughout the day- move your head from side to side; do siimple stretches for your upper back, neck, shoulders, arms... You are exercising fine muscle movement. Muscles get tired.
- Get eye strain? Get one of those 3-D image books and practice on a few of those a couple times a day. If nothing else, change your focus- work on switching your focus from things really close to things really far away. Move your eyes around and blink rapidly once in a while.
- "Check Yourself" once an hour for holding muscles in a tense or odd position. Feet curled up? Shoulder tight? Neck crained? Calves clenched? Return those muscles to a neutral position and make them relax for 3-5 min.
- Hot pads are your friend for muscle strain. Sit/lean on one for 20 min when you get home from work and then do some slow stretches.


Good luck!

Re: How's your desk posture?

[eveglass.livejournal.com]

My company is very helpful with these sorts of things, and we've tried a bunch of possible solutions, and frankly I'm at my wit's end right now. I'm almost 100% certain that the pain comes from the position of my mouse, but I can't figure out how to fix it without removing the number pad on my keyboard (clearly not an option).

But thanks for all the tips. I'll look into it.

Re: How's your desk posture?

[concordantnexus.livejournal.com]

That doesn't sound like a lot of space for your elbows - much less the possibility to keep elbows flat with the desk.

Most of the 7 past years I've been working 40 hr weeks for banks (in call centres) and erm gaming 3-6 hrs a day on top of that.

Without stretches, finger mudras (yoga for the hands), foam/gel wristguards for both keyboard and mousepad, frequent adjustments of body posture and generally keeping my elbows at a flat with the desk angle... My wrists would be shot to Carpal Tunnel/Repetitive Strain Injury Hell.

Relatively ergonomic mice help too, also, typing is better than mousing.

+ what loreleiskye said. ;)