How’s that Office Chair?
Thinking about office work from a Feldenkrais® perspective

I did a bit of digging to find out exactly what is meant by “worker productivity.” This phrase is often code for “able to sit in one position all day and work relentlessly with no price to pay.” Yet, more and more we’ve been hearing that sitting is the new smoking. How do we balance the need to get stuff done, with the need to maintain one’s health? Clearly, we need to think outside the chair.
Standing desks are trendy and cool, and can be a great solution. However, standing can be as problematic as sitting if you have a temperamental low back, or sore feet, knees, or legs. So, let’s question the basic assumption that people are supposed to be able to sustain ANY position — be it sitting, standing, or lying down — for up to eight hours at a time, and be OK. Humans are meant to MOVE. Expecting anyone to behave like a machine is obviously dehumanizing. It also disconnects the human from their ability to be effective. We are meant to adapt, continuously, to our environment. This adaptability keeps us moving, thinking, feeling, and sensing. Perhaps that can be a new definition of productivity?
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Thinking about ergonomics from a Feldenkrais perspective means that “feeling better” doesn’t have to involve a bunch of new furniture, gadgets, or doodads. Rather, relief can be found in altering how we move through our daily tasks. There are always ways to increase the efficiency of action as well as comfort and sustainability. You can learn how to move, to vary your positions, and to create health for yourself. If only this could be a trend! Thankfully, more and more employers recognize that true productivity is not simply a matter of getting work done, but also of living well and feeling well to work another day.
