The Ergonomics of: Binge Watching
Posted by Human Solution on Apr 24th 2015
If you promise not to tell my boss, can I share a secret with you? That day a couple of months ago that I was out with the flu? I was actually at home, binge watching the latest season of House of Cards (#TeamClaire). Between their killer original shows and archive of older programs, Netflix has basically replaced breathing at the base of Maslow's Heirarchy of Needs. So, when we recently received an order from Netflix, we wanted to show our appreciation by getting our awesome graphic artist to draw the picture you see above on their box!
However, this whole thing got me thinking. More than ever, people are watching their TV by mainlining a full season in one sitting, rather than the old model of watching one episode per week. The term for this, binge watching, has inspired numerous thinkpieces, trend articles, and scientific studies. And as the first season of Daredevil sits comfortably in my queue, waiting for another one of those sick days, the work part of my brain started taking over. After all, endurance is the name of the game with a binge watch. So how can I stay healthy and ergonomic while enjoying the adventures Matt Murdoch or Kimmy Schmidt?
Don't Stay in One Spot
This may seem counterintuitive, since the entire purpose of a binge watching session is to move as little as possible while you slip into a haze of TV goodness. However, your body craves movement. So maybe go to the kitchen between episodes to get a refill on tea. Or walk to the bodega for more chips. In a way, it's just like the bursts of movement you can get at work when you have an UPLIFT Treadmill Desk!
Screen Position is Important!
Whether you're using a laptop, tablet, or TV, you need to make sure that your screen isn't positioned in a way that will strain your eyes or neck. We've gone over how to adjust your monitor at your desk, but the same principles apply to any screen that you're looking at for an extended period of time. After all, you don't want to reach a crazy cliffhanger in Bloodline only to find you have to stop because your neck hurts!
Keep Your Snacks Close
As we discussed when looking at the ergonomics of Super Bowl viewing, you don't want to hurt your arms and wrists by overreaching! The same way that you want to keep your keyboard close and your arms at a neutral, 90 degree position when using a keyboard at work (best accomplished, I should point out, with the aid of an adjustable keyboard tray like the UPLIFT Large Keyboard Tray), you'll want to keep your popcorn, bag of chips, and/or candy (don't judge me! This is an ergonomics blog, not a healthy diet website) well within your neutral reach zone.
So there you go. By keeping your health in mind, you'll be able to go from only watching one or two episodes per day to mainlining entire seasons in one sitting...er...standing! And as for me, I think I'm starting to feel a bit of a cough coming on.
For more ways to stay ergonomic, visit TheHumanSolution.com.
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