Stuff In My Office is a weekly series where I pick something in my office, and talk about it. Want to share the things that are in your office? You can! Submit the stuff in your office, and it may get posted here!
It’s no secret that I’m focused on healthy living, and even more focused on trying to incorporate health and fitness in my daily routine, including time at work. My new Gaim chair is a step in that direction!
A lot of people don’t have the opportunity to take a walk in the middle of the day, go to the gym, or even get out of their chair to stretch their legs while they’re at work. Thinking about my job, I sit at a computer all day. Unless I have a meeting scheduled, I really have no reason to move from my chair. At first I didn’t realize what a problem that could be, but I noticed it almost immediately when I started my first job – I don’t think I had ever sat for the better part of eight hours in my life…ever! My back hurt from hunching over without thinking about it, and my legs were stiff from being in one position all day. I tried to find resolution by walking to a bathroom that was furthest from my office instead of closest, or taking my lunch break outside instead of staying at my desk. I even made myself a make-shift standing desk out of a cardboard box to allow my back the relief of standing for a few hours a day.
When I had the opportunity to get a new chair, I jumped on the Gaim Balance Ball Chair. Well, I didn’t literally jump on it, because that would probably pop it, but you get what I mean. I knew a few people who had it and liked it, and I really wanted to see what it could do for me. I know I have terrible posture, and I can feel it when I’m slumped over, nose in my keyboard. My hope was that, if anything, this would help with my back pain.
For those of you wondering; yes, I did have to blow up the ball by hand with a pump. Yes, it hurt.
It hasn’t been too long since I’ve started using the chair, but the first day was a wake up call to how terrible my posture really is. My back hurt more from sitting properly than when I was sitting with poor posture! Each day gets a little bit easier and hurts a little less. It’s exciting to feel positive progress!
The chair also came with an entire POSTER of exercises I can do with this chair. Was NOT expecting that! I have yet to try them out, but they all seem like things I can do with my door shut so as not to embarrass myself rolling on the floor with my chair. After good posture comes rock hard abs, right? All thanks to sitting!