Updated for today’s virtual learning: I just made a discovery. My glasses make me throw back my neck as I work. They are progressive bifocals and the portion of the lenses I use for the computer is low enough so that I lift my head when looking at the screen. Right now, that hurts my neck, thanks to a klutzy recent head bump.

I tried a pair of nonprescription +1.50 reading glasses and that solved the problem. I don’t lift my head with single vision lenses. I also increased the size of print on the screen slightly.

So here is a new tip for your home office: Check your glasses and see if you are moving your head into an awkward position. It doesn’t help that some administrations are effectively plunking teachers and students down for up to seven hours straight with minimal breaks, but watching how we use our body while remembering to stand up and move regularly can protect mental and physical health.

Teachers, I recommend https://www.eduhonesty.com/tip-1-sleep/ to start.

Then I recommend oodles of physical breaks and working on ergonomics.

Teachers ask, “Why am I so tired?” I am certain part of that tiredness results from sitting. I always loved the physical freedom of classroom teaching. I could sit, but mostly I stood or walked. I usually stood to review material or explain new concepts. If I was tired, maybe I sat on my tall stool. Then I walked around the room checking to make sure my students were on task and understood the day’s old and new ideas.

At this moment, I am sitting in a tall, blue office chair that was honestly built for Papa Bear. Baby Bear and I were never meant to occupy this chair. If I were going to be doing online learning indefinitely, the first thing I would do is replace this chair. Ergonomics is easy to ignore in a crisis — but this is exactly the wrong time to put up with uncomfortable furniture or office lay-outs. Even with a pillow behind me, this chair may be hard on my back if I sit here for hours straight.

My chair is rescued by my footrest.

The clunky piece of gray plastic above is maybe ten years old and was made by Rubbermaid. You can raise and lower the platform to three different settings, and the platform tilts forward and backward, letting me shift my feet up and down while working. I completely love this thing and I strongly recommend it to anyone who sits for much of the day. Try a search under Rubbermaid footrest. The price may seem a bit high, but I have had a steady decade of use from my footrest, under teaching desks and now under my home desk.

If a person were skilled at woodworking, I think it might be fun to try to make a footrest like this. It’s a platform that can be pushed forward and back, sitting on top of a sturdy base. If craft projects de-stress you, you might research designs or just study pics of the product above and make a trip to Lowes or Home Depot. The key will be getting the height right, unless you want to try to put in the three settings for height — which seems too far above my Home Depot skill set, but might not be outside yours, reader.

I also recommend lumbar pillows behind the back and, depending on your chair and sitting position, a possible neck pillow. These pillows can be expensive, but I would put the pillows in the category of necessary things — and you should be able to make them at home. Teachers have always been masters of the crafty repurposing of objects. You can make what you need with pillow cases, string, or ribbon, winter clothing, old sleeping bags, and other items that may be waiting inside your charitable donation bags.

Eduhonesty: Virtual teaching? Get up. Get up. Get or make one of those little devices that lift your computer so you can stand up and work. Strolling between desks is energizing. Sitting in front of a screen is the exact opposite. While it’s impossible to tease out all the sources of stress that may be contributing to teacher fatigue right now, I am certain long spells in chairs form a big part of our problem.

Teachers and other home workers, when you have a few minutes today, take a break to look at the ergonomics of your workspace. How is your regular sitting position as you work? How can you discourage slouching or excessive leaning? Where is your head? Where is your neck? Are you bending your neck forward or backward to look at a screen? The fix for unnatural neck positions is usually as simple as lowering or raising a laptop or monitor. Sometimes you might lower a chair or add a cushion.

I suggest you watch your usual wrist and hand positions too. Your keyboard’s location should not encourage you to bend or drop your wrist. Carpal tunnel is a real thing that teachers mostly avoid by doing so many different activities during the day, but keyboard minutes are soaring during virtual teaching. If your wrists hurt, consider splints. Splints come in left- and right-handed versions, so be careful not to buy two left-handed splints by mistake :-). You can also make splints in a pinch.

You don’t want a back, neck, or wrist ache right now. Going to the doctor in COVID times? Doctor visits are only slightly more fun than running away from giant, nuclear-enhanced reptiles that breathe fire. Since we don’t know how long these times will last, preventing injuries from sitting and repetitive motion will be key.

Hugs to the many teachers who have become home-office workers.

Inspiration for this posted on April 6, 2020 in biographyjar.com. Author Jocelyn the Plaid

Please forward to those teachers and friends creating their home offices.

P.S. Teachers, I hope students are joining your virtual classroom. Admins and teachers, the plans where students leave their cameras off? Umm… I can see possible good reasons, but I still vote no. How do you even know whose body is behind that black screen? Or that black and white picture of Godzilla? My feed defaults to Godzilla if I choose not to be seen. But if you are looking at Godzilla, I might be out making tea. And I chose to be in the Godzilla Zoom. If I were nine, I might choose not to be in any virtual classroom. Our kids can get all sorts of fun freebies at the app store. No camera? No camera = phone game for too many, I’m sure. With luck, a few of our kids are quietly reading while they ignore their laptop.

Incidentally, if I were not retired I would be flashing Godzilla into the classroom every so often. Perhaps you want your own spirit animal to wake up the crowd? Or a cheery Pooh Bear? Surprises will help you hold your audience.

I predict what I now see as an inevitable widening in the achievement gap. But this post is meant for the here and now. Many teachers are asking for help because they are exhausted.