Your expensive ergonomic setup is why your back and neck hurt
3 remote work routines for less pain and better focus
My terrible work setup is better than your expensive ergonomic one
To the commenter on my recent LinkedIn photo working by the beach…
You know why?
Because you are not a robot…
There’s a whole industry built on DSE assessments and fancy office equipment, but none of it changes the fact that sitting at a desk for 8+ hours a day is not for the human body.
You are made to move.
I have worked with so many people with chronic pain who spent thousands of dollars on their work setup before coming to me.
You know what I tell them?
I cover it in the video. If you prefer the written version, keep reading:
1/ Diversify your work setup
Unlike what we’ve been told, finding the perfect ergonomic chair won’t fix all our pain and aches. You can optimize your desk all you want, your body and mind still need variety.
Physically, our bodies are meant to move and movement variability is critical to maintain healthy bodies, mobile joints and agility. Your joints and tissues adapt to whatever you repeat, so the longer you hold one position, the more your body starts to stiffen around it and the smaller your comfortable range of motion becomes.
Mentally, most people focus best in cycles. After about 60–90 minutes of sustained effort, attention and self-regulation often start to dip, which is why a reset can bring your clarity back.
These patterns are sometimes discussed as ultradian rhythms (often described as ~90-minute waves), but the exact timing varies by person and task. When we ignore the dips repeatedly, we tend to compensate with more tension, shallower breathing, and a higher stress load, and over time that can spill into mood, gut comfort, and sleep.
Try rotating where and how you work throughout the day. Here’s how:
Do an hour at your desk,
then take the laptop to the floor with it on a chair,
then the couch,
then a standing surface
Change position after each meeting
Set a timer as a cue to physically reset
And for certain tasks, build movement in from the start: take brainstorming on a walk, outline a post while you pace, record voice notes outside, etc.
2/ Ecstatic Deep Work Session
The ecstatic deep work sessions have changed my life, quite literally, in the past 18 months. The level of flow I experience is unreal, and it’s so fun with upbeat music that it feels illegal.
I’ve been co-working with friends all over the world using the Pomodoro technique and dance breaks:
25 minutes of focus work,
then a 5-minute break,
and in that break we dance for a minute or two.
It was so supportive that now I’ve got friends everywhere who’ve replicated it and do it with their friends.
Two things are super important: creating a fun playlist (here is mine), and not getting greedy when you’re in flow. When you’re in the zone, when your mind says don’t stop, when you think “just one more email,” take the break anyway. This won’t break your flow, it protects it.
I also started hosting these on Insight Timer for the past three weeks, and people have had so much fun. I’ll be hosting another one on Tuesday, join me if you have a task you want to focus on.
🗓️ Pin your calendar here: https://insig.ht/QQw9uNAzH3b
3/ Find Ease
So many of us have been told our posture is terrible and that we should fix it by sitting, standing, and walking upright like a robot. As if doing that will finally “fix” your posture, and all your pains and aches will magically go away. Unfortunately, it won’t work.
“Standing upright” will only keep you in pain. You can read more on this here.
Here’s what no one tells you:
An optimal posture is stable and relaxed.
It can round forward (flexion) and straighten up (extension) effortlessly.
It can move between flexion and extension naturally, without getting stuck in either.
So what’s the solution?
Take a moment and notice your body as you read this.
Can you gently find a position that feels more relaxed and easeful? The posture of neutrality practice is an easy way to create this reset in seconds, once you know how to do it.
Your body doesn’t need a perfect setup. It needs variety, rhythm, and ease. Change positions, take the break, drop the bracing. Do that for one day and notice what shifts.
💚 When you’re ready, here are three ways I can help:
Body Check-in: a 2-hour online session to assess your body’s current state, identify patterns and hidden imbalances (posture, breath, nervous system tone), and leave with a clear, personalized plan (plus 7 days of support after).
Discover Your Body’s Story (Free quiz): a 5-minute pause to understand what your body has been trying to tell you, especially if you feel “wired but drained,” stuck in a loop, or disconnected from your deeper embodied wisdom.
Hire me for Live Experiences: immersive, interactive wellbeing events (virtual or in-person) that bring the body back into the conversation, helping your audience build mental + physical resilience through nervous system regulation, breathwork, and posture-focused practices.
🐉 Subscribe for more mindfulness, posture, and embodiment practices
….to help you move beyond the conditioning that keeps you stuck and in pain.
Thank you for joining me on the path of unconditioning,
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Hedi Shah
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👁️ Mindfulness Teacher & Bodyworker
🐉 Nervous system regulation, breathwork, and posture-focused strength training to target the cause of what keeps you stuck and in pain, not just symptoms.
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