Tag Archives: HR

5 Ways to Keep Your Desk From Killing You

Sitting at a desk all day might literally be killing you. A study in Diabetologia shows that sedentary time in adults can actually lead to increased chance of death, even if you exercise regularly after work. Sitting at a desk all day at work can lead to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer. Even worse, sitting still for six or more hours makes you 40% likelier to die within 15 yearsthan someone who sits less than three.

While everyone would love to leave their desk job and pursue something outside of the office, sometimes that’s not feasible. And unless you quit office jobs altogether and go a different route, you’re going to spend a lot of time sitting in a chair at a coffee shop crafting your master plan. So here’s what to do:

1. Adjust Your Workspace

Evaluate your surroundings. Is your back hunched? Is your head straight when you look at your monitor? You might need to adjust your chair or move your monitor. Nerd Fitness recommends some great ways to move your monitor and chair around to get the right heights for your neck, back, and shoulders. You can also check out Ergotron’s online evaluation. You enter in your height and the system generates exactly how high your chair and monitor should be. You might also need a new chair altogether, so talk to your HR department to see if there is one in storage.

2. Move Around

Experts recommend five minutes of standing for every 30 minutes of sitting. In fact, most say you should do something every 30 minutes to improve your concentration and your muscles. Instead of sending an email to a coworker, go talk to them. Go for a walk outside while contemplating your next steps. The Focus Booster app can give you reminders every 20 minutes to take a break! There is a small monthly fee, but there is a free (no credit card required!) trial you can do to see if it works for you.

3. Deskercise

I was so excited when I thought of the word “deskercise,” only to realize it wasn’t original at all. Isometric squats are a good place to start: just place your feet firmly on the floor and push down like you are standing up without actually standing up. Also check out these 33 work exercise moves from Greatist, and these stretch techniques from Fit Body HQ to loosen up.

4. Stand at Your Desk

…But don’t stand all day. While standing is better than sitting, standing still is not the answer. Be sure to walk around and stretch your legs every once in awhile. While studies show that standing can increase blood flow, it can also cause joint or muscle pain. In a June study conducted by the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, respondents who worked at a sit/stand desk showed a happier mood and increased energy. For more information, check out Get Up!: Why Your Chair Is Killing You and What You Can Do About It.

5. Exercise Daily Outside of the Office

Although exercising daily doesn’t decrease your chances of premature death if you’re sitting all day, don’t stop exercising! Make sure to walk, run, or do cardio at least 30 minutes every day on top of using the tips above. By doing all of these things, you’ll combat most of the negative effects of sitting all day.

7 Places to Get Vaccinated for Cheap or Free

Less than half of Americans werevaccinated against the flu during the 2013–2014 season.

The statistics for other types of immunizations are even more discouraging:

  • 21% of adults with high-risk conditions have received a pneumococcal vaccination;
  • 24% of adults over age 60 have received a shingles vaccination; and
  • 17% of adults have received a Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis) vaccine in the last 8 years.

While there may be many reasons why people aren’t getting vaccinated, cost shouldn’t be one of them. Here are seven places to get immunized for cheap or free.

1. “Stop Flu at School” Programs

During the fall, most state Departments of Health in the country offer free flu vaccine programs at participating public, private, and parochial schools. For example, the Hawaii State Department of Health provides flu shots to over 65,000 students statewide every year through its Stop Flu at School program.

Participation in school vaccinations is voluntary and requires permission of a child’s parent or legal guardian. Check with your school whether or not it’s participating in a flu vaccination program and inquire about more details, such as necessary consent forms and available methods of vaccine delivery.

2. Your Workplace

Every year, nearly 111 million U.S. workers get sick with the flu, costing about $7 billion per year in sick days and lost productivity. Even more troubling is that adults ages 18 to 64 account for about 35% to 40% of flu hospitalizations. If you’re the main breadwinner at your home, you need to take action to protect yourself and your loved ones against preventable diseases and potential financial strains.

This is why many businesses are offering free flu shots and other types of immunizations to their employees. The larger the organization that you work for, the higher the chances that your workplace offers at least one type of immunization for free. Check with your HR department for more details.

3. County Health Department Programs

Many county health departments offer immunization services that have lower prices than private pharmacy service providers.

For example, the cost of a hepatitis A/B (Twinrix) vaccine at the Washoe County Health District is $63, while the cost of the same vaccine at Costcois $109.97. Another example is the State of Hawaii, Department of Health, which offers free or low cost vaccinations for persons without health insurance.

Keep in mind that most county health departments require an appointment and walk-ins often result in long waiting times. Check with your local county health department for more details.

4. Participating Locations Through the Health Insurance Marketplace

Thanks, Obama.

Per the Affordable Care Act, all health care plans sold through the health insurance marketplaces must cover certain preventative services, such as immunizations, without charging you a copayment or coinsurance.

Here is a list of the covered immunization vaccines for children and adults:

  • Hepatitis A
  • Hepatitis B
  • Herpes zoster
  • Human papillomavirus
  • Influenza (flu shot)
  • Measles, mumps, rubella
  • Meningococcal
  • Pneumococcal
  • Tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis
  • Varicella

Check with your insurance provider for details about where you can receive immunizations for free. To get a list of locations near your zip code that may accept your insurance plan, you can also use the vaccine finderoffered by Vaccines.gov.

5. Costco

Assuming that you have no health insurance, you need a flu shot right this minute, and are ready to pay out-of-pocket, your best bet is to visit a Costco Pharmacy. At $14.99, Costco offers the most affordable flu shot(influenza) to anybody that doesn’t have insurance and is ready to pay out-of-pocket. Costco also offers types of vaccines, such as pneumonia and shingles.

No Costco membership? No problem. Immunization services are one of the seven things non-members can get at Costco.

6. Target

If a Target offering flu shots happens to be more convenient for you than the nearest Costco warehouse, then you can take advantage of Target’s price match guarantee to lower the cost of your immunization.

Bring proof of the listed price for a flu shot at a nearby Costco and Target will lower the price of its original flu shot from $23.99 to $14.99. Call your nearby Target location for more details and a list of available immunizations for children and adults. (Note: Target stores in Hawaii and Alaska are excluded from the price match program.)

7. Sam’s Club

Neither a Costco or Target nearby? Head to the nearest Sam’s Club that offers pharmacy services. Non-members don’t need a Sam’s Club membership to buy pharmaceuticals and Sam’s Club doesn’t charge extra for those purchases.

If you do have an insurance plan, it may entitle you to a free flu shot at qualifying Sam’s Club locations. The cost of a flu shot is at Sam’s Club is $15. The big box retailer also offers other types of immunizations.