StyleMyCube

If you want to add some color & life to your cube consider creating a theme.  An easy way to get things started is to check out a party supply pack from somewhere like Target.  Party packs such as the “Hollywood Stars” have party favors which could easily serve as cube decoration or inspiration if you’re a do-it-yourselfer… Everything is coordinated– from cups & plates, which can be stapled to bulletin boards (use the leftovers for afternoon snacks) to coordinating ribbon & streamers.  Also, you can surprise a co-worker on their birthday by creating a themed party.  Other cool theme kits we found included: “1950’s Party Supplies”, “All Star Baseball”,  “Spider Man”, “Star Wars”, “Penguins”, “Tiki Lounge Party”, and “Crazy Monkeys” ??!!… Well, there’s a ton of choices out there, so go out & get creative!

Another common complaint among cube dwellers is the feeling that they’re getting “cube body.” What kind of effect does long-term sitting have on you? Mary Ann Pavlides, a registered nurse and massage therapist, says her clients have experienced:

• Lower-back strain due to poor posture and sitting too long.
• Upper-back strain from scrunching neck and shoulder together while talking on the phone.
• Shortened pectoral muscles from leaning into a desk to type on a computer.
• Sluggish circulation in their legs from prolonged inactivity.

Fortunately, combating these problems is easy. Pavlides recommends the following exercises for relief:

• Get up and walk every half hour. This keeps your circulation going, gives your eyes a break from your monitor and lets your whole body move.
• Stretch your arms back over your head and arch your body into a “C.” This helps reverse the hunched-over posture you may sit in.
• Stand up and roll back and forth on your heels and toes. This stretches leg muscles that cramp from too much sitting.
• Find a doorway and place your forearms against the frame. Lean into the doorway to stretch your pec muscles. Don’t hold this position too long, though, or you might strain yourself.

Make sure you have an ergonomic chair with armrests you can raise and lower to get the right fit. Adjust your desk or table to a comfortable level.