The Writers' Dreaded Lurgy by Rosemary Johnson
This is going to be the shortest blog post ever, because right at this moment writing is damaging my health. Or, to be more exact, using a computer is causing me pain, and who can write without involving a computer these days? (Even if you do write by hand, you have to type out your manuscript eventually.)
Yesterday morning I woke with a blistering headache, a stiff neck and shoulders, whereas, for the whole of last week, when I was on holiday on the Isle of Wight with husband and friends, I didn't suffer from my usual headaches at all. So what, you might ask, was different? Well, Dear Reader, I didn't take my laptop on holiday with me and the only computer devices I was using during last week were my iPhone and my iPad, and I was using these largely for reading, taking photos and typing the odd email or text. On Saturday, however, back at home, I used my laptop from about 6pm to 11pm, creating a crossword for my husband whose birthday was on the Sunday, sitting in an easy chair with the thing on knee. Oh, I did use the laptop raiser, which is supposed to aid people like me with neck stiffness, but it doesn't help me, just makes me hot and uncomfortable.
To be honest, I've had this problem for decades, getting worse over the years. I used to teach IT in college, and I've doled out to my poor students the standard advice, which is to sit like the person in the diagram below.
See how the computer user has everything at right angles? How her back is supported? How her wrists are straight on the keyboard? How her eyes are in line with the screen without her bending her neck down? This is the correct advice, yet, for years, I've been sitting with my laptop on my knee, with my head bent down, and I'm paying the price.
As you will realise, the advice above pertains to old fashioned desk tops, not laptops. Nowadays people place their laptops on desk and table surfaces, but you still end up looking down at the screen, whereas a desktop computer screen is adjustable up and down and also tilts. On a laptop the keyboard is flat whereas on a desktop keyboard they are tiered, which is much more comfortable.
Moreover, I should not have been using the computer late at night (11pm). Very bad practice, because (in addition to muscular problems) the rays from the screen tend to keep you awake.
This is serious. If you can't sit at a computer comfortably, you can't write. Me, I am doing something about it. Later today I will set up my laptop on a desk in the spare room. I'm also about to order an adjustable computer chair, so I can sit at exactly the correct height. So, Dear Reader, do as I say, not as I do! I have to remove the plank from my own eye before taking any specks from yours (Matthew 7:5).
Rosemary Johnson has had many short stories published, in print and online, amongst other places, Cafe Lit, Scribble, The Copperfield Review, Fiction on the Web and 101 Words. She has also contributed to Together magazine and Christian Writer. She has also written a historical novel, set in the Solidarity years in Poland. In real life, she is a retired IT lecturer, living in Suffolk with her husband and cat. Her cat supports her writing by sitting on her keyboard and deleting large portions of text.
Yesterday morning I woke with a blistering headache, a stiff neck and shoulders, whereas, for the whole of last week, when I was on holiday on the Isle of Wight with husband and friends, I didn't suffer from my usual headaches at all. So what, you might ask, was different? Well, Dear Reader, I didn't take my laptop on holiday with me and the only computer devices I was using during last week were my iPhone and my iPad, and I was using these largely for reading, taking photos and typing the odd email or text. On Saturday, however, back at home, I used my laptop from about 6pm to 11pm, creating a crossword for my husband whose birthday was on the Sunday, sitting in an easy chair with the thing on knee. Oh, I did use the laptop raiser, which is supposed to aid people like me with neck stiffness, but it doesn't help me, just makes me hot and uncomfortable.
To be honest, I've had this problem for decades, getting worse over the years. I used to teach IT in college, and I've doled out to my poor students the standard advice, which is to sit like the person in the diagram below.
See how the computer user has everything at right angles? How her back is supported? How her wrists are straight on the keyboard? How her eyes are in line with the screen without her bending her neck down? This is the correct advice, yet, for years, I've been sitting with my laptop on my knee, with my head bent down, and I'm paying the price.
As you will realise, the advice above pertains to old fashioned desk tops, not laptops. Nowadays people place their laptops on desk and table surfaces, but you still end up looking down at the screen, whereas a desktop computer screen is adjustable up and down and also tilts. On a laptop the keyboard is flat whereas on a desktop keyboard they are tiered, which is much more comfortable.
Moreover, I should not have been using the computer late at night (11pm). Very bad practice, because (in addition to muscular problems) the rays from the screen tend to keep you awake.
This is serious. If you can't sit at a computer comfortably, you can't write. Me, I am doing something about it. Later today I will set up my laptop on a desk in the spare room. I'm also about to order an adjustable computer chair, so I can sit at exactly the correct height. So, Dear Reader, do as I say, not as I do! I have to remove the plank from my own eye before taking any specks from yours (Matthew 7:5).
Rosemary Johnson has had many short stories published, in print and online, amongst other places, Cafe Lit, Scribble, The Copperfield Review, Fiction on the Web and 101 Words. She has also contributed to Together magazine and Christian Writer. She has also written a historical novel, set in the Solidarity years in Poland. In real life, she is a retired IT lecturer, living in Suffolk with her husband and cat. Her cat supports her writing by sitting on her keyboard and deleting large portions of text.
Ah yes, I am also guilty of this. I suffer from Writer's Neck and occasionally Writer's Fingers. Good advice and I hope you are soon all sorted, Rosemary. I wonder if writers of yore had this trouble with quills and parchment.
ReplyDeleteThis is such good advice which many of us ignore. I have a new condition which I'm calling Zoom Neck. It's something about spending a lot of my time with my head still, teaching via Zoom, staring at the screen, reading off screen, writing on screen etc. It's not a healthy way to do things!
ReplyDeleteSo I am not the only one ignoring the standard advice? In my case it’s seriously affecting my quality of life and threatening to prevent me writing altogether.
ReplyDeleteI sympathise Rosemary. My neck stiffness got so bad (and this is writing at a desk with a laptop) that my husband linked my laptop up to a separate keyboard and monitor. The monitor is on a pile of books so it's exactly at the right level for me. We also bought an expensive (worth every penny) adjustable computer chair. It has transformed things.
ReplyDeleteGlad your chair is working for you, Deborah, and your monitor on a pile of books. I am thinking of purchasing a desktop computer, with adjustable monitor and tiered keyboard.
DeleteYes, I tend to use laptop on lap (on a cushion! makes it higher...) with bent neck too - however, usually only after tea... still not good. I am guilty of hunch at desk despite having proper chair. Also of thinking doing my exercise class exercises after a long typing session will combat the posture thing (I suspect if does, to an extent). What I find is that long legs don't really know how to sit, bum on seat, feet flat on floor... there is no good place for the extra length of leg... Useful post esp the diagram!! (Have just pulled chair closer to desk - hum, shd do this more often...)
ReplyDeleteI am doing Pilates twice a week. It does help to loosen things up.
DeleteRosemary, I am so sorry that you are suffering like this, you have my complete sympathy. I suffer from a bad back, neck and shoulders too from poor posture. However, I'm not so bad when seated at the computer as I have had an ergonomic chair for the last few years like the one in your picture. Fortunately we have a shop near here that sells them. I really do recommend them even though they're not cheap. Worth every penny.
ReplyDeleteI have purchased a computer chair. It will arrive on Wednesday. Hope it improves things. Meanwhile I’m typing this on my iPad, on my knee - ho hum- with my cat sitting between me and the iPad keyboard. She always does this.
DeleteGood to hear.
DeleteI recommend the Fellowes Smart Suites Adjustable Laptop Riser and a separate wireless keyboard and wireless mouse, with a mouse mat with wrist rest. We really do need to look after our
ReplyDelete