These items have helped my body improve its conditions caused by working and studying from a desk all day.
Happy beginning of the week, friends! I’m extremely excited about how close we are to Christmas. Soon you’ll see how excited I really am… So, be on the lookout because this holiday season is going to be epic. Well, at least mine will. I'm committed to that. Haha! Anyway, as our first full online semester is (finally) coming to an end, I want to share six things that have been extremely helpful to me while working, studying, and running my blog from home. Let’s jump right ahead.
Note: None of these items are sponsored. Some I’ve acquired during the process of complying with my needs from this new reality; others I’ve already had and they've been incredibly helpful to me as well. With the exception of the percussion massager and the wireless mouse, all items were bought on Amazon.
1. Wireless Mouse
Since my job consists of creating reports for a company and having to go back and forth frequently between documents and excel sheets, using a wireless mouse has sped up that process and I’ve loved it. It has also prevented my hand from getting numb for being in the same position for way too much time.
2. Seat cushion and lumbar support pillow
One way in which my body usually reacts to stress is with back spasms. I experienced one this semester that lasted me about three weeks. Not to mention, the poor posture I was developing from my lack of physical activity contributed to the pain.
To help improve my situation, one of the things I did was placed a seat cushion and lumbar support pillow on my desk chair. It has helped tremendously.
If you haven’t already, I recommend buying a desk chair that fits your particular needs. If not, adding a seat cushion and lumbar support pillow is a good alternative.
3. Percussion Massager
Another tool I used to help improve my back spasm was a percussion massager, which helps bursts tension stored in any of your body's muscle tissue.
Thankfully, this has been in my house for years and it was at the tip of my hand when I needed it the most.
My parents and my sister usually help me use it, but when they're unable to, I do it myself, even though is not as effective. Haha! But you gotta do what you gotta do.
4. Under desk foot rest
Let's be real, I’m not the tallest person on the planet and, although I love my height, I don’t like my feet dangling in the air when I’m seated. Besides, posture is important, especially when you're spending so much time at a desk.
Making sure your back and hips are comfortable, your shoulders fall naturally on your desk instead of being shrugged, your back and neck are straight, and your legs are at a 90 degree angle ensures better posture. The under desk foot rest helps me achieve that last recommendation because it allows my feet to actually touch a surface and create the appropriate angle (see in the picture below).
5. Lap desk
Even though having a designated workspace is ideal, I encourage you to switch it up during the day if you have the opportunity to do so because it gives your body movement. If I work on the couch, the floor, or on my bed I use a lap desk to stabilize my computer and avoid feeling the heat that it generates after a while of use. It allows comfort and movement flexibility as well. (I also use it to paint my nails and I'm glad you can't see the stains on the photo. Lol.)
6. Cell Phone stand
This has been life changing. I bought one for my family and me for Christmas and it’s the thing we’ve used the most. It’s been very beneficial for watching videos in a comfortable way that doesn’t involve searching for cups, boxes, pencil holders or whatever to recline my phone on. Now that I’m getting into cooking, it’s also been helpful for having easy access to them as opposed to losing my phone in the chaos.
If you watch YouTube videos, the news, movies, or read from your phone or tablet, I definitely recommend it. There are a variety of phone stands, including one you can adjust according to the height you want.
7. Adjustable laptop stand
I saved the best for last. This last item has been a game changer for working from home. Again, a lot of these things I’ve acquired as a result of looking for ways to improve my back and posture situation. By using an adjustable laptop stand, my neck is not looking down, thus damaging the spine and causing back and neck pain. On the contrary, it elevates your screen so that it remains at eye level or at least higher than what you’re normally used to. Since getting this, my neck pain is less frequent and my posture has improved. If you could only get one thing out of the six I shared here, I recommend this item, not necessarily the same one, but the same concept. I’m in love with it.
That’s it, friends. I hope you found these items useful for working from home. Be sure to let me know which one was your favorite or if you end up buying any of them.
Until next Monday, keep finding your beat while dancing to the rhythm of life. 💛
Updated on January 21, 2021.