What work activity causes neck and shoulder pain, tendonitis, carpal tunnel, hemorrhoids, sciatica, headaches, and blurred vision? Driving a truck? Digging fence posts? Working on an assembly line?
How about using a computer? I think other than working at a meat-packing plant or coal mining, computer use is one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. Those of us (not me) who get all squirmy about another Web 2.0 application or another new technology toy to play with may not think that using the Internet is an unhealthy habit but there are decided risks of doing so hour after hour, day after day.
I remember way back in the distant past of the 1990′s that one of the business journals ran a brief article on how people in larger companies were getting isolated from one another and the author suggested a pizza lunch every once in a while to provide face time with co-workers. I chuckled at that brilliant idea for a few minutes before thinking about what was causing this fragmentation.
The use of computers is a very solitary task and one may be “in touch” with many, if not hundreds, of people via the Internet or email. But at what price? Workers tend to mentally and/or physically withdraw from the workplace or co-workers, pick up repetitive motion ailments, are far too sedentary, and don’t get enough oxygen to the brain by moving around and checking in with their office mates (releases serotonin or large gobs of adrenaline).
Can we pull the plug on the Internet one day a week other than a weekend (although for some the weekend is even more focused on a computer than a work day)? What would happen? Yeah, your in-box would be full the next time you logged into your email account and someone might be getting impatient about your response to something.
I’ve found that I respond far too quickly and efficiently to emails – people always are complimenting me on my speedy reply. However, that’s because I’m locked onto the computer like a heat-seeking missile.
No email, blogging, tweets, Flickr, iPhone or Blackberry, Internet shopping and surfing for one full day. Can you do it? Do you have things in your life or at work that can take the place of your keyboard and screen? What would happen? Would you remember how to live or work? What’s your name again?
