THE IMPORTANCE OF GOOD POSTURE WHEN WORKING IN THE OFFICE

With more and more people sitting at desks and in offices for work, the occurrence of back problems, recurring pain and bad posture is becoming more and more frequent. While ergonomic chairs, monitor risers and health and safety experts are commonplace, helping employees sit in the correct manner, such time sat at a desk in one position is not natural and can therefore lead to problems.

This is where the importance of good posture comes in. By sitting correctly and understand how the body should be positioned, it will not only reduce the likelihood of problems in later life but it also offers other benefits. A good posture will help improve how we feel while sat at work, but also helps to keep the back muscles and spine in the right alignment so that the likelihood of pain or back aches is reduced.

Firstly, it's important to define what good posture actually is. When sat a desk, the lower back should be sufficiently supported so that there is no strain on the muscles. Your feet should also be flat on the floor and your eyes level with the top of your monitor. Ideally your forearms should be perpendicular with your body too. All of this may be difficult to achieve without the use of ergonomic accessories such as screen risers, foot rests or back supports.

When all of these aspects are brought together, your body should be properly supported so that no muscles are straining or under pressure. It's also worth noting that you should still regularly get up, walk around and stretch, rather than remain sitting for extended periods of time.

So what is the importance of a good posture, apart from reducing aches and pains? One benefit is that it actually helps improve breathing and airflow through the body. By straightening your body, the airways are less restricted and the lungs can work to full capacity. So a good posture will help you take in more air and feel better as a result.

Another advantage of good posture is purely aesthetic, but it can also help you feel good within yourself. Many of us, while sat at a desk or when standing, slouch without really realising it. However, good posture helps us to look taller, leaner and much better; this not only makes us feel better but presents a better image to others too.

Keeping good posture is something that all of us should strive to achieve and does not take on enough importance in many working environments. However, with a few simple steps it is easy to improve posture and overall health.

By Rebecca_S_Black

PILLOW THAT RELIEVE NECK PAIN

The back and neck are among the most vulnerable parts of the body to pain and thus the main reason people go to massage centers to get therapy to ease sore muscles. More than 80% of the globe's population suffers from back and neck problems at some point of their lives. While there are many over-the-counter drugs available to treat pain, this type of treatment will not save your pennies.

What is Back and Neck Therapy?

A type of physical treatment and rehabilitation focuses on the body structures that support the spine, namely the back and the neck. With countless causes, neck and back pain can progressively worsen if left untreated. Therapy inhibits the need for surgical intervention. With several sessions of back and neck therapy, acute pain can be managed.

Back and neck therapy:

1. Strengthens and stretches back muscles

2. Promotes muscle healing and relaxation

3. Reduces pain

4. Restores joint mobility

5. Manages exacerbation

Back and neck therapy can take the form of physical massage (therapy delivered by hand), cervical and lumbar exercise (patient-specific exercise), or the use of devices(electrical stimulation and heat and cold application).

Is There a Pillow that Relieves Pain?

During a back and neck massage, the most common item used by therapists is a pillow. Pillows found in massage and chiropractic centers are not just the ones commonly seen at home, they are therapeutic. These pillows calm, relax and de-stress muscles of the back and neck.

A neck pillow is contoured for the head and neck and is usually made for people with cervical spine problems. This type has a deeper depression designed to provide extra support under the neck.

On the other hand, a back pillow provides lower back support which is very helpful for those who frequently experience regional pain. Sitting for long periods of time without support can generate pain and muscle tension. A back pillow specifically works by supporting the lumbar curve of the spine.

How to Choose the Right Therapeutic Pillow?

It should be mentioned that pillows for the back and neck wear out over time and may need replacing every two years. How long a pillow lasts entirely depends on the material, frequency of use, and handling.

Choose a pillow made from foam or synthetic fibers. Pillows made from these materials are less allergic and are easier to wash. People who have sensitive skin should avoid feather (down)-filled pillows.

For optimum support, look for orthopedic pillows. They are not similar to conventional pillows. Orthopedic pillows are more effective in relieving muscle tension and supporting body joints. However, they are pricier.

Whenever your pillow starts to lose its support and shape, it's time to get a new one.

When finding the right neck pillow, choose one that keeps the neck in a neutral position.

When selecting a back pillow for sitting, choose one that provides lumbar support in particular. This not only gives maximum support and improves posture, but it also absorbs the pulling force of gravity that may hurt the spine.

A donuts pillow is beneficial for people suffering from coccyx (the triangular bone located at the base of the spine) pain. It can be a pillow of choice for pregnant mothers.

There are many types of pillows for the back and neck. These cushion items are not just useful in back and neck therapy centers, but they come in handy anywhere and everywhere - homes, cars, airplanes, etc. A good quality pillow is not necessarily expensive. One has to do some research to select the best pillow that is budget-friendly and can provide the most efficient support.

Written by

Dr. Bhanu Voguri, MD

HOW TO ACCEPT LIFE AS IT IS, NOT AS IT SHOULD BE

Do you "shoulda", "coulda", "woulda" yourself?

You know what I mean. I should clean the house today. I should make a gourmet meal. I should call up that friend. I should have visited that person. I should...

Or, I could have fixed that. I could have called more often. I could have taken them a meal.

Maybe you tell yourself. I would do that if I had more time. I would join that organization, volunteer, take that course, take time for myself, etc.

As women, we do this far too often. We find reasons why we don't take time for ourselves. We have been told by parents, bosses, spouses what we "should" be doing or what we "could" be doing with our time. And friends and acquaintances often feel free to tell us what they "would" do if they were us.

When was the last time that you went out with some of your female friends for a meal. Not just a brief coffee while you are looking after your children or before your spouse comes home, but a real meal with lots of time to relax and share stories and not worry about what is going on at home?

When is the last time that you danced in the rain, or painted or just sat down and read for a whole afternoon without worrying about what others would think? We can drive ourselves crazy trying to do what everyone expects us to do, or rather what we think everyone expects us to do. It is time to just accept things for what they are.

If you have children, you need to accept the fact that the house is going to get messy, that it is not going to be picture perfect. You will become tired as you try to keep up with them and it is okay to have a nap when needed instead of trying to clean. You can give yourself permission not to be perfect. This is a huge step for many of us women. This is not to say that you completely give up on ever having a clean house again, it is just realizing that the kids are more important than the house.

It's time to set yourself free! To accept who you are and what you want to do. Not what others think you should do. You will never "find" the time to do what you want. You have to make the time to do it and you need to realize and believe that you are worth it! If you want to quilt, find a group in your area to join, or start one. If you always wanted to paint, check the local artists to see if any of them are giving lessons. If you want to try pottery, or weaving or any new skill, check to see if there is a local artist group in your town and ask them who might be available.

Simplify your life by doing what you want to do, not what you should do. You will find you have more time for the things you enjoy. If you love to cook, then cook. If you love to dance, then dance. If you love to have friends over, then do that. If you love to read, then read. You owe it to yourself to take care of yourself physically, mentally and emotionally.

By Fran Watson

A MORE CONFIDENT YOU - SELF-ACCEPTANCE

"Don't dance around the perimeter of the person you want to be. Step in fully and completely" ~Gabby Bernstein~

Many of us experience periods in our lives when we don't embody the confidence necessary to pursue our dreams and goals. The complexity of our lives and the demands on our time, energy and attention often have each of us juggling so many tasks and responsibilities that we rarely take the time out to think about how we can increase our self-confidence. Confidence isn't everything, howeverwe won't achieve much of what we desire to experience without it.

When we lack confidence in ourselves, we are more apt to succumb to our fears and self-doubt when it comes to pursuing new possibilities in our lives. We question if we have what it takes to do what is necessary achieve our desired goals. We are more susceptible to the negative opinions of others when they speak against what we want to achieve. We allow our limiting beliefs about our circumstances confine us to the status quo. We sabotage our progress because we lack a strong sense of self-worth. Confident people realize the story that they tell themselves about who they can become, what they can do, what they are strong enough to handle and what they are worthy of experiencing shapes their identity. They are confident because of a strong sense of self that is nurtured by an empowering identity of who they are and who they believe they can become.

Developing a confident identity isn't about your race, gender, circumstances or past; it's about the beliefs that make up the story you tell yourself about yourself and the courage that you demonstrate to pursue new possibilities in your life. In this three part series, A Guide to A More Confident You, I will share insights and strategies that can help you become a more confident person.

Develop A Confident Outlook

Confident people think and approach life proactively, which means you may have to make some fundamental changes in the story you tell yourself about what you are capable of and get comfortable with the temporary discomfort that occur as you take steps to pursue new possibilities in your life. View your self-confidence as a major key to unlocking the doors of how your want to live, today and in the future. Every time you challenge a limiting belief about what is possible in your life with a renewed sense of your strong and who you are able to become, you will begin to embody a greater sense of confidence that will have a ripple affect in each area of your life. In part one of this series, I discuss the role self-acceptance have on your ability to become a more confident person.

Confidence Building Tip #1: Self acceptance is a cornerstone for living with more confidence. It involves having realistic expectations about yourself and life. Self-acceptance enables you to recognize your strengths and weaknesses. It allows you to walk with a loving awareness of your humanity, it's goodness and flaws. Self-acceptance enables you to embody your strengths to lead a life that is in concert with your core beliefs, values and priorities. You recognize that you don't have to be a carbon copy of someone else to live a confident and successful lifestyle. Self-acceptance requires an awareness of your strengths and weakness, your goodness and flaws. It empowers you to have a strong sense of who you are, who you can become, what you can do, what you are strong enough to handle and worthy of experiencing.

Self-acceptance inspires you with a desire to be a full expression of your authentic self. Self-acceptance doesn't happen when you hate the person you are. It happens when you love yourself enough to believe that you can do better and deserve better. Loving and accepting yourself naturally leads to an increase in your self-confidence.

Believe You Are Worthy of Experiencing Better in Life

Pat Pearson, author of STOP Self-Sabotage points out, "We don't allow ourselves to have what we want until we believe-truly believe - that we deserve it." Getting out of your own way and manifesting more of what you truly want in life begins with the journey of accepting yourself while expanding your beliefs and feelings about your self-worth and what you deserve to experience in life. Your beliefs about what you are worthy of experiencing in life influences how you treat yourself, determines the relationships you get involved in and the manner in which you value the time and life energy spent to generate the money you earn. Your sense of worthiness shapes your career path and the goals you pursue and achieve in life. It even effects the level of fortitude you demonstrate when faced with setbacks and how quickly you get back on track.

When you were a baby you didn't have no question about your right to be loved or held. You made no apology for wanting what you wanted or feeling the way you felt. As you got older, something began to happen. Pearson writes, "Our innate sense of being worthy to express our feelings and need starts to get lost as we mature. Instead of believing we deserve love just for "being", we lower our self-esteem and try to earn approval and love by "doing". We begin to think we must earn love, and so we give up our real feelings to meet the approved image. As we get older, we start to shrink our beliefs about our own abilities." Somehow, everyone else seems to be able to get what they want in life while you continue to circle the same circumstances and repeat the same patterns. Overtime, these experiences began to diminish your self-esteem and confidence.

Raise Your Deserve Level and Stop Self-Sabotage

Be encouraged. You can raise your deserve level. Pearson writes, "In order to increase your deserve level, you need to take possession of your feelings as clearly and as authentically as you can. When you integrate and honor both your thoughts and feelings, you have complete permission to have what you want." Your beliefs about yourself and what you deserve to experience in life is linked to your sense of self-worth.

What would you say was the level of deserve expressed in your family while you were growing up as a child? Were you permitted to express your feelings or required to stuff them? Did you feel that you were loved no matter what with unconditional love? Or, did you feel that you had to "earn" the love of your parents, siblings and extended family? What was the story that you held about your sense of worthiness as a child? How is any part of that story repeating itself in your relationships, health and wellness, personal finances, education and career? In which of these areas do you need to raise your beliefs about what you are worthy of experiencing to achieve your present aspirations? Confidence in what you believe about what you are worthy of experiencing in life begins with your beliefs about what you deserve. Transforming your limiting beliefs into empowering self-talk and aligning your behavior with the person that you need to become to manifest the dreams and goals that you desire to experience is a surefire sign that you believe that you can do better and have better in life.

Lessons from the Wizard of Oz

In the movie the Wizard of Oz, it takes a life and death challenge for each of the main characters to realize that the very thing they want from the Wizard already exists within their capacity. The Scarecrow doesn't think he's smart enough to endure difficulties, and yet all alone he's the guy with the logic and reasoning that guide the group to make the right choices. The Tin Man thinks that he's worthless because he was made without a hart, except that his compassion for others and his passion for not giving up are what keep everyone going. The Cowardly Lion is ashamed that he lacks courage that should accompany the "King of the Beasts" but when put to the test, he acts with courage in the face of fear. It's the Lion that steps forward with the real cojones to confront and exposed the man behind the curtain who has assumed a role of power that he doesn't deserve. The Lesson of the Ruby Slippers was that the whole time Dorothy struggled to get home, thinking only the Wizard could help her, when she actually had the power to do so all along. Her ability to understand the power of what she already possessed was obscured by her fear.

Ask yourself: How am I demonstrating a lack of self-acceptance towards myself? What is the dominant story I'm telling myself about what I'm worthy of experiencing in life? What fears are preventing me, like the main characters of the Wizard of Oz, from tapping into the strength that I already possess? What are some small steps that I can begin to take that will help me reduce the anxiety I feel towards manifesting new possibilities in my life? Expressing your full potential will require that you accept yourself.

Accepting who you are, as you strive to express more of your unique ability is pivotal to becoming a more confident person. It necessitates that you value your present abilities so that you can leverage them to manifest new possibilities in your life. Recognizing the numerous influences that has shaped your beliefs about what you deserve and is worthy of experiencing sheds light on automatic response patterns that may be influencing you to self-sabotage. Self-acceptance is a key principle to maximizing your present moments. Optimizing your present opportunities to grow and develop your talents enables you to cultivate the foresight to embrace growth strategies that increase your capacity to be more, do more and build your confidence.

Actionable Step: Create a Confidence Booster Jar/Box. Purchase a Mason jar or small gift box and label it, "Confidence Booster". Get a pack of post it's or cut blank sheets of paper. On each piece of paper write down those times when you overcame an obstacle, bounce back from a setback and accomplished something you were very proud of. For the next 30 days, read one of your notes out loud to yourself to affirm your ability and self-worth and boost positive thoughts and emotions about yourself. Make it a daily ritual by placing more positive notes in your "Confidence Booster" jar/box.

Share this idea with a family member and friend. Perhaps you can write positive notes about each other and swap them. Allow this simple, yet powerful practice become something nice that you do for yourself on a daily basis. Next week in part two, I will share why and how strengthening your inner-self is essential to developing and sustaining self-confidence. What are your thoughts about how confidence or the lack thereof has affected your success towards a goal? Share your thoughts below.

Jackie Capers-Brown is the Founder and CEO of the Next Level Greatness Training Group located in Columbia, SC. She publishes personal and professional development insights on her blog, Grow Forward & Flourish.

By Jackie Capers-Brown