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At the end of the nineteenth century, Frederick Winslow Taylor went to work at Bethlehem Steel. Upon observing the workers shoveling coal, Taylor had an idea. He assigned each worker a shovel that was of a size and weight ideally suited to the worker's own body structure. With the new shovels, the workers became triply effective, Bethlehem Steel was able to reduce its cost by half, and get the same amount of work out of 140 employees that it once got out of 400.

Today, few businesses need concern themselves with optimizing their employees' coal-shoveling potentialities, but workers are breaking their backs at a whole new kind of grind, spending up to fourteen hours a day at a desk in front of a computer. That is why ergonomics, the study and integration of human well-being principles into systems designs, has become an integral part of the creation of modern workspaces.

There are several areas of ergonomics to consider when designing or redesigning an office space. Arguably the most important of these is the physical aspect. The average worker pushes his or her body to the limit every day simply by sitting in a chair, motionless save for fingers flashing over the keyboard, and hands and arms controlling the mouse.

It doesn't seem like a punishing physical task, but according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Repetitive Stress Injuries (RSIs), such as Carpel Tunnel Syndrome, are the single fastest-growing work-related illness, costing businesses as much as 30 billion dollars a year, and all due to just sitting at a desk typing.

Physical ergonomics, then, is concerned with office tools and supplies geared towards allowing people to work efficiently, productively, and painlessly. The major product issues in this category surround chairs, keyboards, and mice. There are many of these type of 'ergonomic' products on the market, but experts say that virtually none of these actually do the job right..

A huge demand for ergonomic office furniture and supplies has led to an unfortunate wave of products being advertised as 'ergonomic,' when they are anything but. At this point, there is absolutely no system in place regulating what can or cannot be marketed as such, so it's wise to shop around. Ergonomists suggest that businesses consult - surprise, surprise - ergonomists, before overhauling a work environment.

However, without resorting to a process of drastic remodeling, employers can vastly improve physical ergonomics by providing free classes in which workers can learn to use their own bodies ergonomically. After all, you can have the best office chair in the world, but if you don't know how to sit in it, you will always be uncomfortable. Classes in the Alexander Technique, Tai Chi, and yoga can do huge things for physical health in the workplace, and lead to a reduction in work-related injuries, which in turn shrinks the cost to businesses of paying out for sick days and sick workers.

Another crucial area of ergonomics is engineering psychology, or cognitive ergonomics. This area is born out of the philosophy that a happy worker is a productive worker, and to be happy, a worker has to not dread going in to the office every day. Cluttered, messy, overwhelming, or generally unpleasant workstations are the cause of this ennui for more than 50% of all office employees in the US, according to a recent logitech survey.

The word of the day in ergonomic workspace design is to say goodbye to those cubicles! In practice, open, dynamic work areas are proving to be hotbeds of employee creativity and productivity. It is true that privacy is often cited as a workplace must-have, but the benefits of a spatially unrestricted environment in which workers are able to easily collaborate, communicate, and problem-solve are far greater.

A 'war room' style workspace, or what is called 'radical collocation' is gaining in popularity amongst fast-growing IT businesses. This environment normally involves a large, open space with tables around the center for collaborative work, and more enclosed spaces around the edge of the room for solo projects and private conferences.

Ideally, these workspaces will be furnished as dynamically as possible, with lightweight, easily movable furniture that can be regularly reconfigured to meet the needs of the day. Studies show that employees who are given the opportunity to contribute to the shaping of their work environment demonstrate high levels of commitment to their jobs, which translates into increased productivity, low turnover rates, fewer sick days, and even increased neatness and conscientious behavior.

This sort of open, flexible environment also provides ample opportunity for workers to move around, which has both cognitive and physical ergonomic benefits. Staying in the same position, at the same desk, day after day, is not conducive in allowing human beings to function at their best.

Rather than assigning desks, ergonomic workspace design involves employees being able to move freely from workstation to workstation, library to hot desk to breakout room, depending on what they need to do. This strategy works best in a wireless environment, and overall leads to reduced clutter, increased creativity and job commitment, and better employee health.

For a new business, beginning ergonomically is a must. It is an investment in cutting future costs by ensuring the on-site well-being of employees. When starting from scratch, ergonomic design can actually be cheaper than creating a conventional office environment, because it eliminates many of the expensive borders and limitations - everything from walls to wiring - that so many drab, gray, airless office spaces labor under.

For an established business, coming around to ergonomics can prove to be a great expense, and with so many products and services out there pushing themselves as the ergo-solution of the day, it can be hard not to go over-budget. However, the time of the isolated, burnt-out cubicle employee is drawing to a close, and to compete with the satisfied, energized workers found in modern office spaces, traditional businesses are going to have to come around eventually.

In the end, it's just a matter of identifying the point at which the costs of dealing with unhappy, uncomfortable workers begins to be outweighed by the benefits of making the change in favor of better quality work, lower absenteeism, consistently met deadlines, and fewer errors. Yes, the transition to ergonomic workspace design can be expensive, but ultimately, it could save your business.

Article written for BizSession.com http://www.BizSession.com

QClix.com Article team http://www.QClix.com

Many people, especially beginners, struggle in finding drivers for their laptops. In this article, I will illustrate two ways to help you find your laptop drivers quickly, and easily.

The first method we will consider is to visit a company's website, and attempt to find a 'Drivers' or 'downloads' link. If a similar link is not immediately apparent, look for a search box. Most laptop companies have a search box somewhere on the homepage of their website. type the model number of your laptop into the search box and click search. Typically, you will be sent to an overview of the model you have entered. Look for 'Downloads' or 'Drivers' links. Hopefully, if this link is available, you can follow it to find the necessary drivers for your laptop.

For example, say you have a Dell Latitude D600 laptop, for which you wish to locate updated drivers. The first step is to visit Dell's website. From the first page, click on the 'Drivers and Downloads' section.

After clicking on the 'Drivers and Downloads' link, we choose the required model. In our example, it is Latitude. Then we enter the model number (D600), followed by selecting our operating system. The Dell website will show a list of available drivers and software updates for your model. Select the driver you wish, and click 'Download'. What if you do not know the website of your laptop's manufacturer? Or, perhaps when visiting the website, you couldn't find the 'Downloads and Drivers' section? A second method for locating laptop drivers would be to visit Google (www.google.com), and entering, "download (manufacturer) (model name and number) [type] driver" or "[type] driver for (manufacturer) (model name or number)" into the query box, substituting your own manufacturer, model name and number.

For example, if we wished to find the sound card for a Dell Latitude D600 laptop, we could go to Google. We would enter either of the following queries:

-"download Dell Latitude D600 soundcard Drivers"
-"soundcard driver for Dell Latitude D600"

The driver download page for you laptop should appear near the top of the results returned by Google. Follow the link to the driver page, and proceed to download the drivers you need. These two methods should make it easy to locate the drivers you need for your laptop. Good Luck!

You know you have weighted, err, waited more than enough. So you decide to get yourself started on some weight loss programs and regimens. In all likelihood you would draft yourself with the ones that promise you sure-hit quick weight loss tips.

So you sweat and strain with your chosen weight loss program, perhaps ecstatically so at the start. Sure your body gets all aching with all your joints and knuckles cracking in epic proportions like ungreased door hinges of horror movies.

Looking at yourself in the mirror, you cringe at the sight of this blob staring back miserably at you still with the extra flabs flapping around somewhere there. You sigh in exasperation. Whatever happened to the weight loss program that promised to sculpt your body to whistle-bait shape? You scream in desperation. You know you have just been weigh-layed, err again, way-laid by some pseudo weight loss masters.

Truth is, we tend to pattern our weight loss mindset after the mentality of that of some backyard gym instructors. We torture ourselves with the age-old dictum No pain, no gain. Lets face it, while it did miracles for Rocky, it sure did get him crippled (or, killed) in the final picture.

We are no Rocky. We are ordinary human beings with not-so-ordinary day-to-day affairs. Some are multi-tasked like the housewife who has to master doing diapers in one hand, pitching copies in the other, while applying tantric massage on her hubby with her feet. All throughout she is troubled between going for weight loss surgery and taking weight loss pills.

No pain, no gain is foolishly macho and downright false. Of course, theres bound to be some discomfort when youre just getting started with your own weight loss program, and later when you start to reach out for new weight loss goals.

But theres an important difference between discomfort and pain. learn it. Listen to your body say, Moderation in all things. Pain means injury. Pain makes you quit the weight loss program.

If you dont like your chosen program of weight loss exercises, you wont stick with it. It will become a chore, youll slack off and finally give up the entire weight loss program. Tailor your weight loss exercise to yourself, not to what others do or to some false image generated from within or without. Of course when youre just getting started, weight loss may seem like a chore. But appearances are not always reality. Realize that your body and mind would always prefer being a couch potato, and will rebel at the thought of exertion in the weight loss program, so youve got to give any form of exercise a chance to grow on you before you start analyzing whether its for you or not! The key is to turn weight loss exercise into play, then youll succeed and persist. Lack of joy makes you quit.

So spice up your own program of weight loss exercises by customizing it according to your our own weight loss needs. Variety is still the spice of weight loss. You shouldnt be satisfied just with pounding the pavement or sweating in a gym. Variety makes you learn how much youre capable of. Play around, pick and choose, experiment with your own customized personal weight loss program.

Whatever weight loss exercises you choose from the following, try to get your heart rate up to about 70 percent of your safe maximum. You can do that by using this formula: 220 minus your age equals your Maximum Safe Heart Rate. Keep it at this rate for a solid half-hour. Dont go over the 85 percent rate for more than a couple of minutes at a time. Of course, heart rate doesnt figure into strength builders such as weigh lifting.

Note : The calories-burned figures that follow are for a 110-pounder. A 154-pounder should add on another 28 percent to that number, while a 198-pounder should add 55 percent.

walking : Calories burned at 2 mph is 145 per hour; 3 mph is 235 per hour; at 5 mph is 435 per hour.

Jogging : Calories burned at 5mph is 530 per hour which is roughly about a 12-minute mile.

Jumping Rope : Calories burned is 600 calories per hour.

Swimming : At 30 yards per minute (about one lap of an Olympic-size pool), calories burned is 330 per hour.

water-walking : Calories burned is 360 per hour in a fast game.

Bicycling : Calories burned at 10 mph is 390 per hour.

Aerobic Dancing : For low impact, calories burned is 240 per hour and for moderate impact, 350 per hour.

Square Dancing : Calories burned is 350 and up way up! per hour.

Table Tennis : Calories burned is 450 hour.

Rowing : Calories burned is 600 per hour.

Cross-country skiing : Calories burned at 10 mph is 600 per hour.

weight Lifting : Calories burned is 250 per hour.

Martial Arts : Calories burned is 620 per hour.

You really wont know what you like unless you try it. And if you havent tried it dont knock it. Try mixing gardening with walking, housework with rowing, bicycling with weight lifting, dancing with martial arts, table-tennis with cross-country skiing, outdoors with indoors, team sports with solitary sports. Without variety, humans get bored and stale. They stop reaching. Boredom makes human beings quit.

Charlene J. Nuble 2005. For updated links and information about weight loss, please go to: http://weight-loss.besthealthlink.net/ or for updated links and information on all health related topics, go to: http://www.besthealthlink.net/