Neck, Eyes and Hands: A 4-Minute WFH Reset

Issue 2 of the Desk Mobility Brief. Last time we covered the hips. This week is all about the parts that do the most work on a laptop day: your neck, your eyes and your hands. The whole routine takes about four minutes and you can do it without leaving your chair.

1. Chin tucks (45 seconds). Sit tall and look straight ahead. Slide your chin gently straight back, hold for three seconds, then relax. Repeat about ten times. This counters the forward-head position most of us drift into while reading a screen.

2. Side neck stretch (1 minute). Hold the edge of your seat with your right hand to keep that shoulder down. Tilt your left ear slowly toward your left shoulder and breathe. Hold for 30 seconds, then switch sides.

3. Eye break, 20-20-20 style (30 seconds). Look away from the screen at something at least six metres away for about 20 seconds. Blink slowly a few times. While you are looking away, let your shoulders drop and soften your jaw.

4. Wrist and finger stretch (1 minute). Extend one arm, palm up, and gently draw the fingers back with the other hand for 15 seconds, then turn the palm down and press the back of the hand for 15 seconds. Switch hands. Finish with a few slow finger spreads and loose fists.

5. Shoulder rolls (45 seconds). Ten slow rolls backward, five forward, then one deep breath with your arms reaching overhead.

The idea for this week

Pick one trigger, such as closing a video call, and do this reset every time it happens. Small and frequent beats long and rare.

Safety note

Keep everything gentle. Stop if anything causes sharp pain, numbness, tingling or dizziness, and check with a qualified health professional if you have an existing neck, eye or wrist condition.

If you would like a timer to follow along with routines like this, try Flexor App for stretching.