Home Office Motivation: the Atlantik Network dice

With all these long online meetings, we often get stuck in front of the screen for hours, and then a lot of things either don’t happen or happen far too rarely, which would actually be good for us.

We…

do not drink enough

#drinkmore

lack movement

#beactive

forget to take regular breaks and

#takeabreak

smile far too rarely

#vitaminlaugh

In one of those long online meetings, our team brainstormed how we could playfully make it better.

Our result: the Atlantik Network dice, which we can also create for you with your company branding and specially created icons.

We now roll the dice whenever our eyes fall on the dice or our online meeting colleague asks us to do so. Our dice playfully determines how we break free from keyboard and screen rigidity.

What do the icons on our Atlantik Network dice mean?

Smile: #vitaminlaugh

Have you smiled today? No? Then it’s time. A smile lifts your mood, relaxes your neck muscles and shifts your focus to the positive.
Whether alone in the home office or in the office with colleagues: if the dice is set on “smile”, smile at someone and share your smile – it can only double.

Take a break: #takeabreak

Screen work weakens the eyes and sitting in an office chair makes you tired. So why not take a short break and treat yourself to a break. Breathe in deeply and out slowly. Take your eyes away from the screen. Look outside, let your gaze wander into the distance. Switch off and simply change the subject.

Drinking: #drinkmore

We tend to forget to drink when we are sitting in front of the computer and working intently or just when we are stressed. The dice reminds you to take a big sip right now (NO excuse). This helps the brain to be efficient again and the body thanks you.

Movement: #beactive

A little exercise never hurts. Especially when you spend so long sitting in front of a screen on an office chair. Your body will thank you for it. Even small sessions at your desk are guaranteed to have a positive effect.

Here are a few suggestions:

• Feet and legs:
  Foot rocker: in office chair sitting position, rock both bent feet up and down 20 x simultaneously, then 20 x right and left foot alternately, and finally stretch right and left leg 90° in the air 20 x alternately (than horizontal).
• Neck and shoulders:
  Lateral neck stretch – sit upright, shoulders towards trouser pockets (pulling down), stretch the right arm long downwards, and then pull the left ear towards the left shoulder so that the neck is stretched on the right side. If you wish, reinforce the exercise by pulling gently on the head with the left hand Now do the exercise with the other side of the body and stretch 4 times per side.
• Open the chest – let the arms dangle down at the sides, palms facing the body, thumbs forward. Then proudly straighten the chest and slowly and deliberately turn the shoulders back down and open the palms forward (thumbs pointing outwards), then roll the shoulders forward and become round in the chest, turn the palms inwards until the thumbs point backwards. Do 10 alternating chest raises and curls.
• Rotation in the back – it is best to rotate the upper body to the right and left while standing upright (legs are fixed, only the upper body rotates) and slowly swing the arms along like a chain carousel. Do this for as long as it feels good and is fun.
• Against cramped hands and forearms – Stretch the arms long in front, palms facing down. Spread fingers wide apart, then close hands into a fist, and with arms outstretched alternately spread fingers and close again into a fist. Position the arms sometimes forward, sometimes upwards, sometimes to the side – always stretch out completely. 3 x 20 repetitions, and the fingers are guaranteed to be well moved and the forearms well supplied with blood.