Boost productivity and minimise tension in 3 minutes with these 5 easy steps

While spending a lot of time sat at a desk might be unavoidable, proper posture and basic exercises can not only reduce the risk of injury, but also significantly boost energy levels and productivity.
As specialists in office wellbeing and corporate massage, we’ve got a lot of (excuse the pun) ‘hands-on’ experience helping workers spending a lot of time at their computers. We hear about the same symptoms again and again.

Step 1: The Shoulder Roll

Start by placing your feet flat on the floor, take awareness to your shoulders—let them drop down your back.

Relax your jaw and chin.

Now breathing in roll your shoulders forward and breathing out roll your shoulders back and down. Repeat this 5 times.

Step 2: The Eye Roll

Next, roll eyes in big circles, clockwise and anti-clockwise. This can feel a bit weird; but it’s a really good exercise for the small muscles in the eye.

Now look up to the top left, and down to the bottom right

Look up to the top right, and down the bottom left.

Now Rub your hands together and cup your hands, placing them over your eyes, relax for a minute or so. This stimulates blood flow to the newly activated muscles.

Step 3: The Neck Stretch

Bend your head forward then roll your left ear to your shoulder (not all the way around). Bring it back to centre and roll your right ear to right shoulder.

Interlocking your fingers, place your joined hands at the back of your neck and imagine a figure of eight on its side. Looking up, your job is to trace this figure of 8 with your nose, with small movements one way and then the other, supporting your neck with your interlocked fingers/hands.

Step 4: The Shoulder Squeeze

Start at the nape of the neck and work out along the left shoulder and down into the arm squeezing as gentle or hard as you wish—repeat on the right hand side.

Step 5: Wrist Extension

Holding the left wrist out in front of you, take hold of your fingers and pull gently back giving a good stretch to the wrist and forearm, now point fingers down and pull gently stretching and opening out the wrist. Repeat on the right arm, using your left hand to pull gently. You can do wrist circles also, or trace the alphabet with your hands. This exercise is a great way to get the blood flowing through the wrist muscles and tendons that are so susceptible to computer-related injury.