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Your Environment Impacts You More Than You Think!
Your Environment Impacts You More Than You Think!
What is environmental set-up and why is it so important?
What is environmental set-up and why is it so important?
Environment set-up plays an essential role in supporting participation in daily activities. Here are some tips to establish a supportive environmental set-up & work environment.
Environment set-up plays an essential role in supporting participation in daily activities. Here are some tips to establish a supportive environmental set-up & work environment.
90-90-90 positioning is where your hips are at 90 degrees, as well as your knees and your feet. This will help you be more alert and oriented when attending classes.
Get the Screen Set-Up Appropriately
Get the Screen Set-Up Appropriately
Screen placement can have an impact on overall comfort. It can be challenging looking down at a laptop all day. It helps to have the screen at your eye level to avoid tension in your neck and have proper lighting in the room to stay focused. Not only that, it will help you with your posture!
Screen placement can have an impact on overall comfort. It can be challenging looking down at a laptop all day. It helps to have the screen at your eye level to avoid tension in your neck and have proper lighting in the room to stay focused. Not only that, it will help you with your posture!
With your laptop, a good item to have would be a laptop table. Not only will it lift your laptop higher, but it will allow your screen to be eye level. Don't have one? No worries! Stack stable items (textbooks, box, whatever is convenient) under your laptop until it is eye level. Your neck muscles will thank you.
With your laptop, a good item to have would be a laptop table. Not only will it lift your laptop higher, but it will allow your screen to be eye level. Don't have one? No worries! Stack stable items (textbooks, box, whatever is convenient) under your laptop until it is eye level. Your neck muscles will thank you.
Keep Both Feet Flat on The Floor
Keep Both Feet Flat on The Floor
Ideally, your feet should be flat on the floor (90 degrees) to properly support your body ergonomics. It may seem more comfortable to sit cross-legged or with one leg up, but it is not good for your body positioning. Your chair should allow your feet to touch the floor. If the chair is too high, placing something underneath your feet to keep them flat would be best. You can use anything you think will work best for you.
Ideally, your feet should be flat on the floor (90 degrees) to properly support your body ergonomics. It may seem more comfortable to sit cross-legged or with one leg up, but it is not good for your body positioning. Your chair should allow your feet to touch the floor. If the chair is too high, placing something underneath your feet to keep them flat would be best. You can use anything you think will work best for you.
If anything, you can even stand! It will help you be more aware of your posture and keep your muscles working.
If anything, you can even stand! It will help you be more aware of your posture and keep your muscles working.
Cut Down on Distractions
Cut Down on Distractions
This can look like a number of different things. This can be a distraction due to clutter on the desk, or noise happening around you. Your environment will play a role in your participation. Work with what you have to create the best space to help you focus.
This can look like a number of different things. This can be a distraction due to clutter on the desk, or noise happening around you. Your environment will play a role in your participation. Work with what you have to create the best space to help you focus.
It is important to have a space that has minimal distractions to stay more focused and engaged on given activities. This means any audible distractions as well as physical distractions. Use headphones/earphones to block any potential noise. Designate a schedule with family members to reduce any outside distractions. Clear your area and keep it organized. A cleaner area is less stressful to look at.
It is important to have a space that has minimal distractions to stay more focused and engaged on given activities. This means any audible distractions as well as physical distractions. Use headphones/earphones to block any potential noise. Designate a schedule with family members to reduce any outside distractions. Clear your area and keep it organized. A cleaner area is less stressful to look at.
Take note of what are distractions for you and find ways to reduce, or even rid, of those distractions.
Take note of what are distractions for you and find ways to reduce, or even rid, of those distractions.
Personalize Things
Personalize Things
You can't work all the time! You deserve to have breaks in between your work sessions. Do things to help you relax, rest your eyes, or even something to help you focus during class. Examples would be (and are not limited to)
You can't work all the time! You deserve to have breaks in between your work sessions. Do things to help you relax, rest your eyes, or even something to help you focus during class. Examples would be (and are not limited to)
- Have a drawing pad nearby to draw on
- Have a stress ball to squeeze during classes
- Get up from your chair and stretch (This is very important. Especially if you have not moved from your spot after a while)
- Don't like being inside anymore? Go outside! If you have a table and chairs, use that time to enjoy the outside (safely)
After doing work, dedicate at least 5-10 minutes of resting your eyes and moving your body. Being stiff isn't fun, take good care of your body.
After doing work, dedicate at least 5-10 minutes of resting your eyes and moving your body. Being stiff isn't fun, take good care of your body.
Don't have a desk?
Don't have a desk?
No worries!
No worries!
What's important is how you place your body and your comfortability. If you are on the floor, make sure you have cushions to support areas that receive more pressure (i.e, a cushion to sit on/lie on). If you can go outside safety, take advantage of it and get some sunshine.
What's important is how you place your body and your comfortability. If you are on the floor, make sure you have cushions to support areas that receive more pressure (i.e, a cushion to sit on/lie on). If you can go outside safety, take advantage of it and get some sunshine.
ALWAYS have support for your body.
ALWAYS have support for your body.
After a certain amount of work time, you should still give time to stretch your body to wake up those muscles and be more alert. If anything, it is more important for you to utilize more stretch breaks because your body is not sitting in a chair.
After a certain amount of work time, you should still give time to stretch your body to wake up those muscles and be more alert. If anything, it is more important for you to utilize more stretch breaks because your body is not sitting in a chair.
Designate Your "Rest" Environment and Your "Work" Environment
Designate Your "Rest" Environment and Your "Work" Environment
It may seem easier to do work all in one place to reduce moving or just because laziness is kicking in. As easy as it may seem, it actually makes your productivity harder.
It may seem easier to do work all in one place to reduce moving or just because laziness is kicking in. As easy as it may seem, it actually makes your productivity harder.
Separate where you do your work and where you relax/sleep. Your brain associates different environments with different work ethics. For example, your brain knows it is time to sleep once you are in bed and under the sheets. If you do work on your bed, your body will associate your work time in bed. So as time goes on, your brain (as well as your body) may not be able to relax in bed anymore because it is used to doing work.
Separate where you do your work and where you relax/sleep. Your brain associates different environments with different work ethics. For example, your brain knows it is time to sleep once you are in bed and under the sheets. If you do work on your bed, your body will associate your work time in bed. So as time goes on, your brain (as well as your body) may not be able to relax in bed anymore because it is used to doing work.
Train your body to associate different spaces with different productivity. It is encouraged to NOT work in the same area you relax in. Once you find the right spots for you, utilize it to the best of your ability.
Train your body to associate different spaces with different productivity. It is encouraged to NOT work in the same area you relax in. Once you find the right spots for you, utilize it to the best of your ability.
An example of a "work" environment
An example of a "rest" environment
References
Pearson, C. (2020). How To Set Up A Home School Environment That Works For Your Kid. Retrieved October 30, 2020, from https://www.huffpost.com/entry/how-to-set-up-a-home-school-environment-that-really-truly-works-for-your-kid_l_5f3f2594c5b6763e5dc112a3.
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