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This week’s blog post is focused on your physical health and how all the technology we use today may be hindering your productivity.  It’s a perfect compliment to this Halloween season!

Enjoy the rest of your day, and don’t forget to keep your eyes open for all the amazing possibilities within and around you!

Sincerely,

Ahhhh the ever changing world in which we live. More like ouch! The more we go mobile with our laptops, netbooks, iPhones, etc., the more we limit our range of motion. “That’s crazy!” you say. I say it’s a Halloween Horror that happens year round!

What happens when a human being spends 4-10 hours a day (28-70 hours per week) using a device as small as a 3”x5” that wrecks posture, creates undo physical stress, quickens fatigue, and limits our range of motion by as much as 70-80% – body, eyes, and brain?

What happens when a human being spends the majority of the day with an evil phone held to their ear? What if we combine that task with writing (2 simple things)? Pain starts to occur, creating stress until we find a way to balance that repetitive stress. Simple 15-30 stretches combined with deep breathing at your desk or on the go can negate this pain completely. Switching hands periodically is a huge relief to the dominant over worked muscles, and it reduces fatigue and recovery times. Was your arm chopped off by Jason in Friday the 13^th part XLVIII? No! – Become ambidextrous.

You get paid to be more productive, right? Get paid to stretch and eliminate daily back, shoulder, neck, hand, and arm pain. It will become a thing of the horrific past. You will be more comfortable, concentrated, and productive.

If you are updating a status or spending a few minutes at a time on one of these devices, you are not at risks of aches and pains. If you spend hours at a time or do the same repetitive task all day…and night, you are at high risk for Carpal Tunnel and Repetitive Stress Injuries. More importantly you will be uncomfortable on a daily basis, taking away from the natural ability to concentrate or focus on the present task.

What happens when we drive and use these devices? A new study says you 21% more likely to wreck if you are texting while driving. How many of those wrecks cause disabilities or worse fatalities? Use a headset to increase the range of motion of your neck and eyes.

When we sit with our ears in front of our shoulders it creates pinch points at the neck and base of the spine. This blocks blood flow and nerve impulses that carry nutrients to the spine to maintain a healthy, happy skeletal structure. Imagine what happens when we have our ear to our shoulder. Often it is our eyes that cause us to lean or prop ourselves. Most people do not even notice this pain causing trend.

Every one of the devices listed causes us to sit with our ears in front of our shoulders. There is a billion dollar industry built on ergonomic equipment to raise laptops to proper level, monitor arms, external mouse and keyboards, keyboard trays, wrist pads, etc. These are only a small piece of the pain puzzle.

The answer is always balance. When you know the daily tasks that accumulate physical stress and create a weekly program that counter balances the current repetitive stress, you organically help your body reduce the daily aches and pains that slow you down or impede your productivity. 

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Tobias Hiller specializes in helping professionals utilize flex-stretch programs that naturally keeps their body aligned, eliminating the need for expensive ergonomic equipment and promoting increased health and wellness over a lifetime.  As one client said, “Until I met you, I never would have imagined that a few simple changes to my office equipment and some stretches could make such a difference in my personal comfort (and productivity)! Thanks again!” To learn more about how to start a flex-stretch program of your own, click on www.tobiassolutionsllc.com or call 770-881-8493.

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Kris Cavanaugh is a C.E.O. Catalyst & Life Coach with Shift Inc. (www.begintoshift.com). Her passion is to empower people with the ability to take back control of their lives and successfully overcome any obstacles to achieve a “Thriving” quality of life more consistently, personally and professionally. Kris believes the foundation for this begins by taking on a C.E.O. mindset in both the personal and professional aspects of their lives. If you would like more information about how to achieve a thriving quality of life, click on the following link to learn how to receive a copy of her E-Book at no charge: “Living Your Life On Purpose – Three Powerful Steps to Achieve a Thriving Quality of Life.”