Ergonomic laptop stands have been a mainstay of various office setups for a long time. And for good reason! It’s an effective tool in mitigating the risks of various musculoskeletal issues that results from prolonged laptop use. Most of us are aware of the immediate effects of laptop stands on our wellbeing and work productivity. But what of its advantages for the future which, we’d argue, is when we can experience and enjoy its full effectivity? There’s also the discussion on the connection between comfort and our interpersonal relationships.
With this article, you’ll be able to glean insights on the long-term benefits of ergonomic laptop stands in a holistic way: preventing Musculoskeletal Disorders, its productivity implications, and positive impact on relationships.
Based on a true story?
Imagine yourself at work. You’re having a hard time keeping focus on that graphics that your manager wanted done yesterday. The clock is literally ticking and all you can think of is that nagging pain in your neck that numbs parts of your shoulders.
Imagine yourself playing with your child on a playground. It’s a warm summer day, the sun is shining, the birds are chirping. You’re trying to lift your kid when, suddenly, your back gives out.
Or imagine yourself as a copywriter for a small company known for promoting long-term comfort and productivity by offering ergonomic laptop stands. You work daily with chronic neck pain due to a lifetime of bad posture that had developed into spinal issues. Which may or not be an ironic yet true story here at Standivarius!
The bad outweighs the good
Musculoskeletal problems are a general source of pain and discomfort, and that oftentimes stems from our work lives. Due to hybrid work being the norm, the laptop has been the main tool we use. It’s a lot smaller compared to a desktop computer and is very portable. But for all the conveniences that a laptop brings, it brings along with it a lot of health problems.
When working long hours with a laptop, we sit in a posture wherein we’re forced to slouch, and our head bears uneven weight on our necks and backs. There’s no proper spinal and core support. We might as well carry along our desktop computers everywhere!
Work is affected
There are real life consequences to poor posture that we often overlook. While poor posture seems so mundane of a reason for the consequences, it is a major factor – not because of posture in of itself, but what the constant crooked posture leads to.
Work productivity is badly hindered by the persistence of pain and discomfort. Our jobs are at risk because of the sub-par work that, while unintentional, is hindered. Focussing on our tasks is next to impossible when we’re in agony. Deadlines are missed due to sick leaves, and work is left undone because of absenteeism.
Relationships are compromised
It’s not just work that’s at risk, but our interpersonal relationships as well. Spending precious moments with our loved ones is also severely affected when we suffer from chronic pains brought on by the effects of our bad posture. We’d have a difficulty spending time with them when all that we want to do is rest our body. We also would have a hard time enjoying their company when we’re in pain.
Our health is directly connected to our relationships with our loved ones. It’s not enough to be just present in their lives, but we must also be at our best for them. And to be at our best, our health should be given priority.
Understanding laptop stands
It’s widely known that bad posture caused by long hours of laptop use does agonising damage to our musculoskeletal health over time. Ergonomic laptop stands exist to help reduce strain on the body. These stands encourage users to have, and to also develop, good posture – which then reduces the risk of postural abnormalities. Examples of these are “forward head posture” (nowadays called ‘text neck’), which is the positioning of the head in front of the shoulders, often associated with excessive screen time or poor ergonomic setups; and “rounded shoulders,” which is the drooping of the shoulders, contributing to a slouched posture.
By raising the laptop and its screen, a laptop stand prevents you from having to hunch over, reducing future pains to the neck and the back. Stands promotes working with a straight posture, with the head and upper body aligned. This reduces the possible risks of long-term spine issues. With using a laptop stand like the Standivarius Oryx evo D, the long-term effects of better posture at work can be experienced.
Shifting the consequences to our favour
We can’t stress enough the stresses (pun unintended) of the lifetime effects of bad posture on a body. It is indeed painful and will disrupt the day-to-day quality of life. But we can still lead healthy lives. We can still be productive at work. And we can still give our loved ones the best versions of us. By reflecting on the long-term benefits of using ergonomic laptop stands to our health, work, and personal relationships, we can start living a healthier and more fulfilling life!
Those “sit up straight” remarks from your mother when you were young suddenly makes sense, don’t you think?