Technology
Anyone who owns a smartphone knows how it can make your life easier. And over the last couple of years the mobile phone industry have done a fabulous job in making the designs sleeker and more attractive while adding welcome multimedia features like music players and cameras. So what could be so bad about a device that delivers messages at a considerable speed, lets you surf the Web at any given moment, keeps your schedule and allows you to be entertained between meetings. In fact if your not careful, it can take over your life.
When we think of laptops there are a few immediate advantages that come to mind. The flexibility and mobility of laptops increase access time. they tend to nowadays be lightweight – thus mobile and the ability to communicate and research at multiple levels. Carrying a laptop means having instant access to information, whether it’s from saved files or from the internet. Immediacy allows better collaboration between co-workers. So again what could be so bad about a device that allows us to work ‘on the move’. The problem is that laptop computers were designed to be used ‘on the move’ but we are increasingly using them for long periods of time and as our main point of call. The smaller screen size of many laptops means users tend to strain their neck to get closer to the screen causing neck pain. Maintaining these postures for a long time or repetitively puts you at risk of work related upper limb disorders (WRULD’s).
How Will It Help?
Frequent and repetitive use of our mobile phones can cause some health problems. Frequent bending of your elbow to hold your phone to your ear and repetitive tasks of texting and e-mailing can affect nerves in your arm. If you’ve felt a tingling sensation in your arm or your thumb has started to ache; this discomfort may be exacerbated by the frequent use of your mobile phone.
Less frequent use of your phone, use of your phone’s speaker device and waiting until you are near a computer to type a long e-mail are some ways to combat the rising problem of “cell phone elbow”.
Laptops are increasingly being used as our main visual display unit (VDU) in the office, at home or on the way to a meeting. It allows us to work whilst ‘on the move’ and be instantly updated. However maintaining a posture that causes us to bend our necks or slouch to view the screen is inevitably going to cause us aches and pains.
Consider using a laptop stand, separate keyboard and mini mouse when working on your laptop. This will encourage you to sit in a more comfortable posture, and minimise the amount of stretching you do when these extra accessories aren’t in place. Having the accessories in your bag, will add very little weight, and benefit you tremendously whilst working ‘on the move’.
