Photo by: Viktor Gladkov via Canva
After a few weeks of facilitating virtual workshops, I woke up one morning with a horrible headache, lower back pain, hip pain, and overall fatigue. I asked myself, “Why do I feel this horrible? I haven’t done anything except sit in my office all day.” Well, there was my answer.
Transitioning from traditional instructor-led training to virtual classroom training had some challenges, but I never thought those challenges would be health-related. Essentially, I went from standing on my feet and moving around a classroom for 8-10 hours a day, to sitting in front of a computer for 4-6 hours a day. My body did not like that adjustment at all! So, I did some research, made some changes to my daily habits, and now I feel much better.
Care for Your Eyes
Eye strain and fatigue are known to cause headaches (specifically migraines). Here are a few things you can do to reduce eye strain and fatigue:
- Invest in a pair of blue light eyeglasses.
- Use the blue light filter on your computer or laptop or purchase a blue light filter for your screen.
- Do palming exercises for your eyes. Follow these steps:
- Warm up the palms of your hands by rubbing them together for 15-30 seconds.
- Place your palms over your open eyes and make sure there is no light penetrating your hands.
- With your eyes open and your palms on your eyes, relax your mind and eyes for 30-60 seconds.
- Repeat as needed throughout the day.
- Follow the 20/20/20 rule: every 20 minutes remove your focus from your computer screen and look at something approximately 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
- Have a light in your office that is brighter than your laptop.
Practice Proper Posture
- Invest in a good ergonomic chair or purchase a coccyx cushion and lumbar support. (Sitting directly on your tailbone for long periods of time can cause inflammation in your spine which can lead to hip, pelvic, leg, and sciatic nerve pain. Using a coccyx cushion helps alleviate pressure on your spine/tailbone.)
- Use proper posture when sitting:
- Sit up with your back and shoulders straight.
- Use a lumbar support or a rolled-up towel to help maintain the normal curves in your back.
- Distribute your body weight evenly on both hips. (Using a coccyx cushion will help with this.)
- Keep your knees even or slightly higher than your hips. (Use a footrest or stool if necessary.) Do not cross your legs.
Take Regular Breaks
- Take a 5-10-minute break away from your computer every 60 minutes.
- Conduct desk yoga* throughout the day focusing on your shoulders, back, and neck. Here are some sequences to try:
- Sit straight, move shoulders away from ears, inhale to arch back, and exhale to round out spine.
- Sit straight, twist body to the right, place right arm on the back of the chair, and hold for 10 seconds. Repeat on the left side.
- Interlace fingers behind back, arch back, and hold for 10 seconds.
- Sit straight, hold right hand on the chair seat, take left arm and stretch over your head and hold for 10 seconds. Bring both arms up, bend at the elbows, hold hands together behind back, move shoulders down, and release. Hold left hand on the chair seat, take right arm and stretch over your head and hold for 10 seconds.
- Lean forward placing elbows on desk. With arms and hands facing the ceiling, place palms and elbows together. Pull shoulders down and hold for 10 seconds.
- Put hands behind head and interlace fingers. Gently push your head down and hold for 10 seconds. Slowly transition to an arched back and hold for 10 seconds.
- Place left hand on top of your head, gently pull to the left, and hold for 10 seconds. Repeat with the right hand.
If you’d like a guided yoga experience to follow along with, check out my video below on stretches you can do at your desk:
Before and After Training
- Walk or exercise for at least 20 minutes 3-5 days a week.
- Purchase a light therapy lamp if sitting in an office without natural light.
- Use a foam roller to stretch sore legs and hip and back muscles.*
- Use a massage gun or lacrosse ball to relax tight pressure points in your neck and shoulders.*
- Use a neck/cervical traction device to stretch neck muscles.*
*Always speak with your physician before adding these items to your routine.
What healthy habits do you practice to ensure a positive virtual classroom experience?
Check out The Virtual Trainer workshop to learn the most common issues for a new VC trainer and how to overcome them, how to run proper rehearsals before you go live, and more!
