The healthy way to…Work at
a desk
1.Try to keep your shoulders and upper back in con-
tact with your chair. And follow the basic posture rule
– shoulders rolled back down, abs pulled in and up. If
your chair reclines too much, or if you find it impos-
sible to keep that position, try perching at the edge of
your seat – that will force you to straighten up.
2.Use your armrests! By definition, they rest your arm
and shoulder muscles, and also keep you from scrunch-
ing your shoulders up by your ears. If yours are adjust-
able, make sure they’re high enough to push lightly on
your arms.
3.Raise or lower your seat so your knees and feet are
flat on the floor. Wearing heels? Inch your seat higher
Healthy Living
Small steps towards
GREEN
AT WORK 1. Practice two-sided printing. And always try to email in
stead of sending letter or meeting up.
2. Set up a car pool with your colleagues and save fuel, money
and reduce pollution, possibly even share parking costs.
3. If you are the last person out, turn off the lights, the AC
and even your colleagues’ PC. If you are working alone at the
weekends, only use the light that shines directly over you.
4. Opt for reusable or biodegradable kitchenware.
AT HOME
5. Turn off the AC when you’re out of the home. This includes
hotel rooms too.
6. If you have unused boiled water left in your kettle, use it for
watering your plants.
7. Order the largest bottled water option for your home.
8. Never leave anything on standby. Electronic devices use
energy even when turned off. So unplug everything.
9. Eat your leftovers. Avoid takeaways and their unnecessary
waste. Start growing your own herbs and vegetables in pots at
home (thyme, tomato…)
10. Eat local and in season fruits
IN THE COMMUNITY
11. Have a swap party. You and your friends can shift through
each other’s clothes, DVDs, music, accessories and books.
12. Exercise outside. It’s far better than driving to the gym and
using an electrically powered treadmill.
13. Drive slower. Not only do you use less petrol and emit
fewer fumes, but you’re less likely to have an accident. Exces-
sive speed is the biggest cause of traffic accidents in Dubai.
to keep your knees at a right angle. For Women; try not
to cross your legs!! Crossing shifts your hips to one side
and your upper body to the other, throwing your align-
ment out of whack. If you have to cross your legs, at least
switch legs often.
4.Position your computer monitor at eye level. When you
gaze straight ahead, your eyes should hit a couple of inch-
es below the very top of your screen. Your body follows
your line of sight. So if you’re looking down, your head,
your shoulders and upper back are going to slope down
too. Laptops can be especially problematic. The best fix
is to get a computer stand and use a separate keyboard to
maintain good wrist alignment. Not an option? Go ahead
and keep the laptop on your desk, but tilt the screen back
to lessen forward hunching.
