The Ergonomics of Nomadicity

One of the things I didn’t figure into planning for the life of a digital nomad was the ergonomics of the situation. At home base I have a body-contured Obus Forme chair, a desk that flies up and down at will, appropriate task lighting, and a nice quiet green cube in which to work.

The last 24 hours I’ve spent most of my work time either hunched over a “crash cart” in the Peer1 colocation room, or contorted into the confines of a makeshift desk in my hotel room that involves an easy chair, pillows, and a lot of anti-ergonomic positions. Club Quarters is a great, clean, cheap hotel, and it’s only 2 minutes walk from Peer1. But I can’t imagine how their marketing staff could write “latest workstation design with task lighting” on their website, as the desk in this room is 12 inches above reasonable typing height, the desk chair looks like it came from the Lido Deck of the Love Boat, and the “task lighting” is a brass table lamp with one light bulb burnt out.

My body is starting to feel the effects of this: lower back pain, wrist tingles, and the like. Fortunately the worst is over: two servers have been upgraded, and I’m halfway done the reinstallation of the content. In the meantime, Almanac.com and YankeeMagazine.com continue to be available for your viewing pleasure.

I’m taking the night off tonight to go and see More, the Yeardly Smith one-woman show. I’m a sucker for the one-woman show.