We talk a lot about health and safety and things like that in our posts. But what we don’t talk a lot about is that doing things safely can also make things easier. 

Whether you’re taking care of yourself at work or at home – hopefully both! – you’ll find that safe can be easy.

At Home

OK, maaaaybe sitting on the sofa and watching TV all night is “easier” than going for a walk. Not in the long term though, when it’s hard to move because your joints and circulatory system are in bad shape.

More movement means you lose weight, as long as you don’t eat more food to compensate! Moving around at a healthy weight means less stress on the joints. Easier to get up from a seated position, whether you’re on the floor or on a chair. 

Life’s easier when you don’t have to take a lot of medications, too. Keeping yourself healthy and safe may help you avoid taking medications when you’re young.

If you have kids, you know they need to spend less time sitting and staring at their phones. Is it easier to get them moving when you’re moving, or when you’re telling them to move from your stationary position on the sofa?

Easier to get them to stop staring at their phones when you look at yours all the time? Or when they see you putting the phone down? 

Speaking of which, does your neck feel sore when you’ve been bending it all day to look at your phone? What if you put it down and the pain went away?

Do you like crafting? Sure, you can continue to bend over to do your quilt piecing? Or you could lift up the surface you’re working on, so you’re standing up straight to do the crafts. It’s up to you, but one of those options is a lot better for your back!

Spend a lot of time at the computer when you’re home? At first, sure, it may seem easier to plop your laptop on the nearest flat surface. Push over the nearest chair to sit in, even if it’s too low for you to work comfortably.

Is it easier to feel the strain in your wrists because the surface is a little too high (or low)? Easier to strain your shoulders because your arms aren’t at a 90 degree angle when you’re typing or mousing? Do you have a separate mouse or keyboard? If not, do you feel the strain? I know having a keyboard and ergonomic mouse makes MY life a lot easier!

At work

Maybe you feel like you do a lot of reaching at your job. Would tasks be easier if you put the items you need frequently closer to you? 

Same with the surface you work on. If you stand a lot, a higher work surface allows you to stand up straight, which is better for your back. If you sit instead, it’s easier to work when you’re properly set up ergonomically. You’re not straining anything.

An ergonomic workspace means fewer injuries and less time away from work. But doesn’t it also just make your work feel easier? 

Most desk workers like to have an excuse to get away from their desks anyway! Taking a break to move isn’t just good for your body. It also helps your blood circulate better. And that benefits your heart, and also your brain. You might find you get good ideas or solve problems better while you’re moving around. 

Workers sometimes think safety procedures hinder them. Slow them down. True, once you start off with something new in terms of safety procedures, it might take a while to get used to it. 

But once you’ve mastered the new procedure, you’ll find you’re hardly taking any more time . If  at all, to do the same job you used to do. But now you’re able to do it safely! Which is better for your health and for your family.

Give safety a chance

Another common myth is that you can’t have fun and be safe. You can still have fun riding a bicycle with a helmet on. Trust me, you can still feel the wind in your face. You just don’t have the same chance of a catastrophic brain injury if something goes wrong.

You might even find that being safe enhances your fun! Love to DJ or craft? Working at a table that lets you stand comfortably lets you go a lot longer without getting tired. 

Same with being a chef. Does it hurt to bend over a table chopping things? Maybe working at a comfortable service will enhance the food prep.

What are YOU planning to do for the new year that’s both safe and fun? Let us know in the comments!