Do you feel it? The tightness, soreness, and muscle spasms? How your shoulders feel like they are less than an inch below your ears? The pounding headache behind your eyes? These are all symptoms of what I like to call Zoom-itis. We’re likely all experiencing it since we’ve spent the last several months completing most of our work from behind computer screens! Those who have a traditional desk job may be more accustomed to these kinds of symptoms, but for those of us in the sales leadership world, these aches and pains are a bit more unfamiliar and unwelcome. We’re used to being out in the field and on the move coaching our sales professionals! So, if you haven‚’ already, it’s time to take back control of your body. Here are 3 tips to help you combat the physical ailments of your virtual work life and keep your body feeling well:
- Give your eyes a break. Your one-on-one meetings with your sales team members now involve video calling for potentially hours at a time. But staring at a computer screen for that amount of time each day is hard on the eyes. To reduce eye strain and prevent any headaches, it’s best to give your eyes a break! This can be as simple as blinking more frequently or following the 20-20-20 rule, which involves looking at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds every 20 minutes. Some other tricks to try are adjusting your computer brightness so it is the same brightness as your surrounding workstation or purchasing a pair of blue light glasses.
- Adjust your equipment. Many of us had to set up impromptu workstations from home using the furniture we had available at the time. But using what you find lying around the house to piece together a workstation doesn’t cut it when it comes to ergonomics. That dining room chair you’ve been sitting on for the last six months? Probably not the best for your back and hips. And having your keyboard resting on the same plane as your monitor doesn’t do anything to help your shoulders. Try finding a way to place your keyboard a few inches below the table on which your monitor sits to help reduce tension in your shoulders. Look around for some cushions to place on the dining room chair to better support your back. Better yet, shop around for some actual office furniture. Desks and office chairs are designed in special ways to ensure they won’t cause any discomfort in your body while working!
- Get up and move! You start your day off with one Zoom call, and before you know it, it’s lunchtime, you haven’t moved, and you’re on your fourth Zoom call of the day. This is typical for many sales leaders these days! Don’t let one Zoom or video call after another slip by without standing up or looking away from the computer screen. You must get up and move every so often. Sitting for extended periods can lead to more dire long-term effects than just the back and shoulder pains you are suffering now. Go on a walk or do some yoga stretches a few times throughout the day. If you have Zoom calls back-to-back that prevent you from getting up, simply ask the person you are scheduled with if they would mind switching to a phone call instead. That way, you can talk on the phone while walking or moving around, and you’ll give your eyes a much-needed break from the screen!
If you’re feeling the toll that virtual work has taken on your body in the form of Zoom-itis, follow the three tips above to help counteract your symptoms. And don’t forget to share these tips with your sales team as they are likely experiencing the same thing from being on virtual calls with customers all day!
