Just wanted to share a little food for thought this Sunday evening. A very important article has been written by the New York Times showing the hazards of being a web worker. Without boundaries and carefult attention to our Internet usage, we can quickly find our health declining. Prolific blogger Om Malik, who suffered some life-threatening health problems late last year, shares some insights his doctor gave as to why web workers have health problems.
Why my doctors told me that if you are going to spend inordinate amount of time in front of a computer screen at night, you might have tough time going to sleep. The screen-flicker makes your eyes and your mind think it is day time, hence you have trouble sleeping. If you drink too much coffee, you are going to have trouble sleeping. If you don’t sleep your heart works longer hours and has to pump more blood and is under stress. Problems get compounded when you are a smoker, are overweigh, lead a sedentary life (phone/computer) and/or are on a plane constantly.
These are problems ALL web workers are faced with. Sitting and staring for hours is never going to be good on our health, so it’s imperative we find ways to take care of our bodies.I love the creative approach Jonathan Fields has taken with his own working environment. He literally turned his treadmill into a desk and walks while he works. Brilliant.
If you’re looking for other ways to keep a healthy and manageable online work routine, we’ve got you covered. I’ve compiled some previous posts below that all deal with healthy web working.Remember: it’s definitely possible to be a productive, creative AND healthy web worker as long as we don’t let the work control us.