10 Ways To Evaluate Your Work Station

From time to time, you need to stop and evaluate your work station. It's easy to develop bad habits without even realizing it. Occasionally stopping to think about how you are functioning within your work place will help you identify problems before they become chronic. This can refer to organization, health, and communication. Being able to access things, sometimes with the help of others, will enable you to be the most productive, healthy and successful.

1. Do you like your office? This can refer to décor, arrangement of furniture, smells, sounds and other things that affect and intrude work spaces. If there are things in your office that you don't like, you need to make some changes. A simple paint-job can help make the room feel more natural and warm. It's easy to get used to things and not even realize that you are being irritated each day. Stop and think about what might need to be changed to make your office a better place to work. Sometimes, just simple, inexpensive changes can make all the difference.

2. How is your lighting? Your lighting should make it easier for you to see and you should have the ability to make changes to your lighting if necessary. Natural light is the healthiest, as it will help you be more productive and reduce your stress and fatigue. Using full-spectrum lighting rather than fluorescent lights will help you feel more energized.

3. Do you have enough room? Sometimes, things get moved into the office and before you know it, you don't have much room to move around. Your office can get overrun with odds and ends such as boxes and unnecessary pieces of furniture. When you walk into your office next time, see if there is anything that needs to be either put away or discarded. Extra things in the office just makes clutter and confusion.

4. Are you organized? You are going to experience more stress if you are not organized. Not being organized means searching for papers and files, getting frustrated, and feeling quite inadequate. Because staying organized is a never-ending process, everyone struggles with it. However, making some simple changes in the way you handle things can help you avoid problems later. You will find that stopping long enough to get organized is time well spent.

5. How do you feel at work? If your health is suffering and you aren't feeling well by the end of your workday, you need to find out what is causing the problem. If your legs are sore, take the time to evaluate why. It could be that your legs aren't reaching the floor because your desk chair is too high. Are your arms and hands feeling cramped? Again, think about what changes you can make to give your body the support it needs.

6. Do you take enough breaks in your day? Regardless of how focused and determined you are, you need occasional breaks to give your mind and body a rest. You will find yourself energized and refreshed in both body and mind by taking a short walk outside. The change in environment will help you return to work with greater energy and clarity of mind. Both your attitude and work performance will improve if you take occasional breaks.

7. Are you using ergonomic products? You will enjoy better health by using ergonomic products. Your office chair is a very important piece of furniture if you spending most of your day at the computer. Your chair should be comfortable and provide your body with the support it needs. Your back, neck, arms, legs, hands, shoulders, and feet all need to be protected from too much stress through repetition or incorrect positioning. Your body will get the support it needs by using ergonomic products.

8. Are things easy to reach? Your phone needs to be close by if you use it often, so you are reaching for it all day long. If you use the same files throughout the day, bring them closer so you can avoid stretching and bending. Anything that you use frequently - copy paper, tape, a stapler, paper clips, folders, pens - they should be near where you work so you can get to them without causing stress and strain to your body.

9. Are you staying hydrated? Although coffee is the preferred beverage of the office, it has been proven that coffee can in fact cause your body to become dehydrated due to the effects of the caffeine. Water is the best thing you can drink during the day. You will cleanse your body of unwanted toxins and help clear your mind by drinking water throughout the day.

10. Are you eating properly? Of course, along with the coffee, office workers are known to indulge in sweets such as doughnuts and muffins for breakfast. These types of food should not be your usual breakfast, although it is okay to have them for a treat sometimes. Eating some food with protein and complex carbohydrates such as fruit will help stabilize your blood sugar, helping your brain to function better and giving you more energy to get through the day.