Lying Down: Transforming poor performers into productive workers

Jim starts to make typo after typo until his work becomes useless. He wanders off for a cup of coffee and a chocolate bar. That helps for a while but, soon, work comes to a complete stop as Jim starts on a string of unnecessary personal emails. Next day, Jim is off with a bad back.

Do your employees' minds seem to wander around the office as aimlessly as planets? Have you noticed your employees' productivity slowing down to a crawl around 3pm?

…but what's mind-wandering got to do with taking the next day off with a bad back anyway?

The connection between mind-wandering and a bad back

The mind-wandering is just the first symptom
…the first symptom of a deeper malaise
…and this malaise is rampant in most offices.

What is this mysterious malaise and how can you sort it?

The malaise in your office

Sitting all day in front of a computer is not easy. People sag.
People squirm. Their minds wander. Their backs hurt. They can't work.

Hence ergonomics. Ergonomics looks at the work set-up and tries to correct it.
…but the set-up is only a small part of the problem.

Ergonomics is not the answer. If people don't know how to sit easily, they will sag — and squirm. Their minds will wander. Their backs will hurt
…and no amount of adjusting the set-up will solve the problem.

Instead, athletic training is required.

Your workers need to get into training

It's just like an athlete doing interval training.

To train to run the 400 metres faster, a sprinter needs first to run
…then to rest. (Until they've had that rest, their muscles are flagging, too tired to keep going).
Then the sprinter can run again — and again put everything they've got into it
…then they rest again
…then they run some more.

Two things happen as a result. First, the athlete can keep training and keep running: keep putting their best effort in. Second, because they're able to train more, their muscles build strength, flexibility and stamina much faster than they ever could if they didn't get all that training in.

Sitting well for long periods is indeed an athletic exercise

The untrained worker simply cannot do it. Hence the mind-wandering, the bad backs — and the repetitive strain injuries.

To sit and work efficiently at a desk for eight hours a day, a worker needs to get into training. Give them the means to do it and you will get better work and far fewer health issues.

Do you have any athletes in training?

If you have a worker who is learning the Alexander Technique, then, yes, you do. They're making the effort. All you need to do is to support them in their effort.

You know the saying: “You can take a horse to water but you can't make it drink”?

So, of course, you can't make a worker do what's good for them
…but if they decide to do it themselves, you can support them in that.

If your horse wants to drink, then make sure you provide the water.

Providing the water

…or more precisely, the water trough.

What your staff need is a place where they can lie down on the floor, just briefly, every so often.

They need no fancy equipment to do this. Just a very small space where it's safe to lie down — and permission to take mini-breaks.
(Done often enough, 60 seconds at a time on the floor is usually all they need).

“There's no space in the office”

“Anywhere I allowed them to lie down, there would be people stepping over or around them. It would be a serious trip hazard. The health and safety people would not allow it.”

Yes, I realise space is an issue in most offices. However, remember the benefits if you take the trouble to create a safe place for lying down: better work and far fewer health issues.

Do you think it might be worth that trouble?

“How often will they need to lie down?”?

Even once or twice a day is far better than not at all. I've made a detailed recommendation in an earlier article: “How to sit at a computer for eight hours without pain”. Even once or twice a day is far better than not at all. I've made a detailed recommendation in an earlier article which you can read here.

Remember what you get in return for providing your workers with this little space: better work and far fewer health issues. Do you think your health and safety people might be interested in a simple scheme to reduce the incidence of back pain and repetitive strain injuries?

So, when Jim starts learning the Alexander Technique, give him the space to lie down — and watch his productivity soar.

Stand back and watch as an aimlessly wandering planet slowly transforms into a star performer.

• If you liked this article, why not get my new articles as soon as they're written? Subscribe to Back in Action.
• Do you have an idea that would make these articles even better?
  Share it.