Surfergonomics

I'm Leanne Pressman, from WebTV Networks Human Resources (HR). We do benefits, we do employee relations, we do a lot of reports and spreadsheets, and we do surfergonomic intervention. I would be remiss in my duties as HR Manager if I didn't let you in on a secret pertaining to that last point: you will need some specialized equipment for surfing the web. At many companies, ergonomics (minimizing repetitive, or poor muscle use to relieve stress and avoid injury in a keyboard-intensive environment) is a topic to distribute hand-outs on, give out some free wrist rests, and tell everyone to sit up straight. About a week later, the hand-outs are paper airplanes, wrist-rests have mutated into pin-cushion holders for bent paper clips (better than a Phillips screwdriver for many of the common computer ailments known to engineers), and posture is worse than before just because employees know that HR is watching.

But at WebTV Networks, we have taken ergonomics - "surfergonomics" to be more precise - to new heights of accomplishment. WebTV Networks' staff consists of real folks from bungee jumpers to physicists, artists to wind-surfing instructors, and beaders (one who beads, as in jewelry) to roller-bladers; these are their stories (well, a few that are suitable for print anyway).

Equipment List: Pen Light and Lap Pillow
"Jane" awoke in the wee hours of the morning and decided to send all those holiday greeting cards out via e-mail. Unfortunately for Jane, she was baby-sitting a light-sensitive parrot (for another WebTV Networks employee who still owes her a favor) who had the ability to awaken the entire neighborhood with a single ear-piercing squawk each morning as soon as light penetrated the blanketed cage.

Stealthily, Jane felt her way to the couch, hit the mute button on the TV, and logged on to her WebTV Internet terminal. Throwing a small blanket over her head and shoulders, Jane held a pen-light in her mouth to shed light on the keyboard without alerting the perceptive parrot to her presence. Using a small lap pillow as a desktop, Jane was able to aim the keyboard's infrared beam better, as well as to muffle the sound of the keyboard clicks.

You'll be relieved to know that Jane successfully got her messages out, and that the bird was none-the-wiser - although it ventured many a curious peep whenever it was pretty sure that keyboarding noise meant someone really was awake out there. A good pen light and lap pillow should be added to your supplies just in case you have house guests - squawking ones or not.

Equipment List: Food and Water
"John" has tested his food and water theories extensively in the user lab (and demo rooms, and the front lobby, and at home, and wherever he can find an available WebTV Internet terminal) and has discovered that there IS a perfect food and liquid that can sustain the user for hours of exhausting web surfing: Big Gulps and Girl Scout Cookies.

There is still much discussion as to which is the best of each, but studies would indicate that Coke in the Big Gulp cup gives the best results if you are going for caffeine-induced hyper-focus, and John swears by a box of Samoas as the best of all GS cookies. I take issue with this last point - the highest cookie-count per box goes to the shortbreads, but everyone knows you have to have milk with those for dipping, and then there goes your caffeine hyper-focus.

Nonetheless, John suggests that you equip your favorite armchair surfing station with cup-holder and cookie box (just one, though - more than one box of cookies and the sugar high counteracts the caffeine edge with potentially life-threatening results).

Equipment List: Workout Clothes
"Anne" always outfits herself in comfortable workout clothes before beginning a session of web surfing. True to her multi-tasking approach to life, Anne has perfected the "surf and stretch" - combining some basic Yoga stretches with the web experience. In fact, Anne found most of the stretches at different yoga web sites while she was lamenting about not having enough time for both exercising and surfing.

We at HR do not recommend standing on your head while trying to type an e-mail message. However, it certainly sounds impressive to say that you've just gotten back from surfing for the last couple of hours, even if your hair isn't wet.

Well, nearly 300 WebTV Networks employees can't be wrong! Take your surfing seriously, and take the precautions: Lap Pillow, Pen Light, Food, Drink, Proper Attire -- then, and only then, can you surf safely!