Five Reasons Your Office Is Bad for You

Newsweek Web Exclusive

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  • Posted By: JohnOK @ 12/19/2007 2:55:04 PM

    I believe that the most critical element in maintaining comfort in the office is movement, not just the eyes, but all parts of the body.. Too often office workers will maintain awkward static postures, particularly of the shoulders, wrists, and neck. The lack of blood flow to those static muscles at first fatigues them, and later pain sets in. If you are sustaining a reach for the key board, or talking on the phone while cradling the receiver, or keeping your wrists bent either up or down, eventually the muscles and nerves will begin to object, resulting in pain or numbness, or both. Two fixes are helpful: Get up and move around. As the article suggests, go somewhere to eat lunch. Walk, stretch, stand up. Don't ignore discomfort. Your body is pretty smart, and lets you know when you're abusing it. Listen to what your body is telling you, and heed it. Your life in the office will be a lot more comfortable. Oh, yes: Aerobic exercise, weight loss, and smoking cessation are the biggest favors you can do for yourself. John

  • Posted By: Sassylady @ 12/19/2007 2:53:42 PM

    I thought I was crazy. I work from home and during the day, it's lovely. As soon as the family gets home, I get irritated by the tiniest noises. Even the sound of someone's mouse clicking drives me crazy.

  • Posted By: Sassylady @ 12/19/2007 2:51:00 PM

    I thought I was crazy. I work from home and during the day, everything is lovely, but as soon as the family gets home, I get irritated by the tiniest sounds. Even the sound of someone's mouse bothers me.

  • Posted By: phiomalibumalibu @ 12/19/2007 2:40:28 PM

    I'm considering working from home. I'm in contact with a lady from home-industries.com they have lots of new startup ideas if you want to get out of the rut (9 to 5) like I do. Also, I think the tax write offs are better.

  • Posted By: Sqidhead @ 12/19/2007 2:35:04 PM

    Unfortunately, the problem lies in that most managers refuse to do anything about the problem and often contribute to the problem. At one place that I worked, I talked to my bosses boss, no help as he was soon promoted and a new boss of my boss came in. But that was after my boss became oware that I talked to his boss, who then left. Going to HR didn't help one bit either. Sometimes it's a no win situation. I guess bosses don't care because they think that they are not a baby sitter and they can always get someone else. There is very little loyalty in business it seems and then they wonder why there is so much turnover at the workplace.

  • Posted By: tired of b/s @ 12/19/2007 2:33:52 PM

    I think you mised one...working with too many family members...nepotism at its best...

  • Posted By: westphalen @ 12/19/2007 2:32:15 PM

    I just left a job with a boss that insulted people. I can't tell you how much better I felt after I left. It was as if the world was lifted off of my shoulders.

  • Posted By: CCMonicarique @ 12/19/2007 2:30:50 PM

    If I starve , Live in a cardboard box, go naked I will NEVER work in a Office again! It was a Terrible Experience and I was Bullied , Talked down to , Treated Poorly, Overloaded with work no one else wanted to do, Threatened .... Humilated , Everyone in the office all went out together, played together, A Total Cohension !! I was told You dont Fit in !! Basically they all had thier heads in each others navel... You know what I mean ! I wouldnt recommend it to anyone !!

  • Posted By: sammy2007 @ 12/19/2007 2:10:21 PM

    What is the best solution for reason #5, bad vibes? Would quitting be the only solution for every job you go to. I'm in a very bad position and am willing to move on, but what if this happens again? What would make a boss move towards intimidation and bullying?

    • Posted By: phiomalibumalibu @ 12/19/2007 2:26:55 PM

      Hi Sammy, sometimes bad luck will follow you from place to place. What I do to counteract and bad vibes is I make money at work by taking surveys (only on my lunch hour) The extra cash helps fight the blues. My favorite site for surveys is surveysforcash.net Try it!

  • Posted By: wnderful1 @ 12/19/2007 2:24:19 PM

    I found # 5 to be very interesting...besides quitting; what does one do in that situation?

  • Posted By: Hotmama40 @ 12/19/2007 2:19:42 PM

    I worked for a boss at a mortgage company who was verbally abusive to everyone except for her team or her favorite flavor of the month. She was a terrible terrible person. She was manipulative, a liar, an instigator, a drama queen, a bully, and a forger to top it off. She hated anyone who was happily married in the office and tried to ruin their marriage in any way she could because of her failed and miserable marriage and life. She was just a horrible person. This took up 70% of our business day and the other 30% was work, which she was really good at. It's too bad that we could not be productive 70% of the day instead. Her payback was that her office was shut down and everyone left her. She couldn't and stil doesn't get it.

  • Posted By: PamperedSoul @ 12/19/2007 2:13:45 PM

    I would suggest you have a wellness day. In appreciation to the employees, It would really help on Job perfomance and help with stress. You could have a Massage Therapist come in like once a month or maybe even twice a month and Give corporate Chair massage. The Benefits of a Chair Massage really helps out alot. Not to mention the emplyeee feels like they are being appreciated and wants to do their job with out griping about it. talk to Human resources. Or the maager . to see if thi will work....Good Luck

    Adrianne
    Certified Massage Therapist
    PamperdSoul247@aol.com
    Pamper your Mind ,Body and Soul......

  • Posted By: suzannemaria @ 12/19/2007 2:08:53 PM

    Not to mention Carpel Tunel. I have had 2 surgeries and if you wern't bullied before in the work place wait until you file a workers comp claim and see how you are treated. It doesn't matter if you were an inocent victim or not. They don't care.

  • Posted By: suzannemaria @ 12/19/2007 2:07:33 PM

    Not to mention Carpel Tunel!!! I have had 2 Surgeries and believe me if you weren't bullied before wait until you file a workers comp claim for Carpel, you can expect to never be welcomed back at your job again.

  • Posted By: vagabundo @ 12/19/2007 1:57:52 PM

    Beware, of the being on the computer and having the phone between you shoulder and your ear! After, years of this bad posture it finally came to a head and I have suffered horrible back of the head headaches, mucscle spasms, and an overall locked-up and fixed neck issues. Get a head set- use it.... when off of work , watch your posture at home and when using your cell phone- multi-tasking can take it's toll!

    • Posted By: gottahavegadget @ 12/19/2007 2:05:26 PM

      You are 100% correct!! Need a headset? Shoot me an e-mail at mconrad@hellodirect.com and I will put you in touch with one of our corporate representatives who can offer some great specials for the month of December!

  • Posted By: gottahavegadget @ 12/19/2007 1:57:51 PM

    You forgot pain in the neck by using a handset. People should look into corded or wireless headsets. Check out www.hellodirect.com For more information send me an e-mail at mconrad@hellodirect.com

    • Posted By: phiomalibumalibu @ 12/19/2007 2:02:27 PM

      great site thanks for the info. we got our handsfree system at -- earbud.mobi

  • Posted By: skinnyminny2 @ 12/17/2007 9:10:35 PM

    Thank God I have a career out in the field. All the heavy physical labor and scientific data collection are a relief compared to the monotonous, political daily crap of an office job.
    I'd rather deal with rotator cuff damage than sitting in a 'badly designed chair' all day (horror of horrors) and getting fat from being sedentary all day.

    • Posted By: paulsenra02 @ 12/19/2007 2:02:01 PM

      Yah if you're fat from sitting in an office and noshing on snacks ALL day long... it's not hard to see the solution: Get Your Fat @$$ to the gym! Stop eating so much! Consume less fat! Remember those photos of when you were in high school/college and you looked so thin and happy? You consumed too much beer and ate too many 2a.m. pizzas. Time to increase the metabolism and so something about it-instead of blaming your job.

  • Posted By: Sqidhead @ 12/19/2007 2:01:41 PM

    I agree in that it seems to be a common occurance. I work in IT and I've been at jobs where co-workers goofed off 70% of the time. It was like trying to work with jr. high school kids. Working was an afterthought most times. Major mistakes were made, jobs not getting done all because of the playing around. A worker was often eating potato chips while talking to customers on the phone. Sexual jokes and comments about women co-workers were the norm. Supervisors would rarely do anything about this type of behavior. And if you said anything to a co-worker about it, they would get so upset. I've seen it over and over. You're always told to just ignore it or deal with it.

  • Posted By: gottahavegadget @ 12/19/2007 1:59:12 PM

    One thing you didn't mention was neck strain from being on the phone all day. A great way to avoid this is by using a corded or wireless headset. Check out www.hellodirect.com or send me an e-mail at mconrad@hellodirect.com

  • Posted By: sudhir @ 12/19/2007 1:59:01 PM

    I have a 7th problem. I feel lonely sitting in the office late hours and that leads to fear of being alone. A light music from ipod does help a bit.

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