05 Jan Set Yourself Up For Success in Less Than 60 Seconds

Some of you may or may not know that here at PBE, we are a virtual business. This means, we have no office, never have and likely never will.  When someone asks me where I work, I smile and say whereever I can plop down with my laptop, iPad and iPhone.   And that is the truth.

And even within established offices, we are seeing more and more companies embrace working from home some or all of the time, work “anywhere” programs where you give up your permanent desk and work in “hotel areas”.   We are seeing more an more  “mobile” work areas within offices, or what is commonly referred to as soft seating, akin to a cafe, but without the cafe.   In fact, this is so common, that I predict in a few years, this will be the norm.   I call it the cafe culture.

While this is pretty cool and helps to mix things us and allow for difference work areas to work on different projects, a dream come true for creatives, there’s one things that we all fall prey to in this environment which is what I call Cafe Syndrome.  And yes, I’ve written about this before, but this time, I’m confessing that I too have fallen victim to this too.  And actually victim is the wrong word, because every time I guiltily write a blog from a laptop at my favorite cafe, I look around and realize me and my fellow cafe mates are all sitting alike…..crouched over to see our laptop screens, iPads and phones and making the choice to do so.

Now, to my credit, my excuse has been that I gave my foldable laptop riser to a friend (who was having back pain) and my wireless portable keyboard is in need of  repair.   But, um,  that was a few months ago.  I have also been complaining at night that my neck and shoulders are sore and recently my lower back started complaining (which luckily it almost never does) – sooooooo…. today, I’m making a different choice, and I urge you to make this change with me.  It’s simple.  It’s cheap.  It’s easy.  And it works!

So, I bit the bullet and bought a portable collapseable laptop/tablet stand and a wireless apple mini keyboard and whipped out my micrsoft arc touch mouse (though any portable external keyboard and mouse will do).

So here’s how to set yourself up.  Ready?

• Unfold your laptop stand (5 seconds)
• Prop your laptop on the stand and adjust your monitor so you can see.  (15 seconds)
• Set up your portable keyboard at or slightly below elbow level (15 seconds)
• Set up your mouse at elbow level (10 seconds)
• Adjust your seat height or prop yourself up on some books, a cushion or blow up cushion if needed.  ( 10 seconds)

VOILA!  You did it!

Now, please, take a moment to let us know if you:

1. Set YOURSELF up for success
2. If it was easy to do and
3. Did it make a difference in your posture and how you feel when working this way?

Until the next time!

Vivienne