Well summer is officially over, kids are back in school, and it’s time to get back in gear after our summer activities. Halloween is looming ahead which means cooler weather for those of us in the midwest and northern parts of the U.S..  This equates to more time inside and more time in front of our computers.

I’ve been out of commission for a few weeks due to overuse of the computer which has manifest itself as a severe pain in my right arm due to back strain and stress. Thanks to rest and theraputic massage I am slowly getting back to the computer and some long neglected tasks including  this blog.

I offer this information not for sympathy but rather as a warning to get up and move around. Change your position at your computer peridoically and do some things like change your chair height and computer monitor height from time to time, so you are not spending day after day in the same position. Not doing this can cost weeks of productivity which believe me has been very frustrating.

In fact consider doing that right now. Raise or lower your chair a bit. Raise or lower your monitor if you can. Probably it is too low and your are bent over trying to see it. Not good for your spine. I put my monitor on a 4 inch phone book. Good use of a phone book in my opinion. And if I do need it I know where it is. 

Stand up for a second. Stretch your arms and shake your hands a bit. Now doesn’t that feel better?  Don’t forget about your eyes. Look out the window (if you have one) and focus on something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. Also blink a few times. I heard recently that those of us who spend long hours on the computer blink less often than normal which dries your eyes and makes them tired.

Use the 20/20/20 rule. Every 20 minutes, focus on something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. This is also a good time to stand and stretch, or walk away and get a drink of water.

One good way to get away from your computer is to attend a networking group to get out and mingle and move your limbs. Also think of at least one or two ways to pass out a business card everyday. That is a task that is difficult to do while sittling on your behind in front of the computer.

Wishing you a happy and healthy post-summer season. By the way the word is ARM.