Monday, May 5, 2008

05-05-08


I was on a long conference call this afternoon wondering if anyone would notice if I started taking self portraits at my desk, when my WorkPace break kicked on.

WorkPace is a huge part of my work life, so thought it was worthy of notice.

WorkPace is a software to help improve ergonomics. Safety is VERY important at work, and as an office worker, my two biggest risk areas are driving and soft tissue issues. The software is mandatory in the corporate region, but I put it on my computer voluntarily. I don't want carpel tunnel surgery or the first record able incident my workgroup would have in many years.

Normally it is just the little rectangle at the bottom right of my screen. But when I key for 5 1/2 minutes continuously, it forces a 15 second mini break. When I accumulate 55 minutes of keying without a sufficient break, it forces a 7 minute break. With stretches and exercises. I am completely locked out of computer use during these breaks (unless I postpone them), it is a wee bit maddening. When I accumulate 6 hours of keying in day (which is any day that I don't have meetings), it gets quite insistent about logging off the computer. My yellow happy face turns colors and gets less happy until it has a deep furrowed brow. Sometimes it is easier to just go home earlier than I had planned than to deal with the increasing interruptions. Which is the point.

WorkPace also keeps track of some cool stats. Today I used my left hand for 3400 strokes and my right for 7400. I clicked the mouse 4000 times (with my left hand, I retrained myself a few years back). I used Word for 16 minutes and Excel for 3 hours.

Cool, eh?

"Big Brother is watching you." - George Orwell

5 comments:

lynette said...

WOW! That is very cool!

Lesa said...

that is some amazing software!...you had some busy hands going on!!..

nwscrapmom said...

That's pretty neat software. I think I need it at home! LOL

Beth said...

I think it is a great thing! Very cool that you are making sure you take care of yourself at work.

Marie said...

Well, if it reduces injury, then it's good. Otherwise, I can imagine it being frustrating if it locks you out right in the middle of doing something important...