Sharing is the order of the day!

What about your balance, dear reader? Do you do sport? Do you do balance exercises? I, for example, try to brush my teeth standing on one leg from time to time: not so easy! When my husband had to go to the physio for a long time after a bike accident, he brought various exercises home, which he now continues to do diligently. When I have time, I join in. And by the way: the combination of movement and mental exercise, such as walking on a line while doing maths backwards, is a great challenge.

But what does this have to do with Seniors@Work?

Quite simply, if we want to get older full of energy and remain active in our professional lives, it is extremely important to keep fit. The stupid thing is - I find, because I'm not really that sporty - that fitness doesn't just stay, but decreases with age. And keeping fit is kind of exhausting as you get older.

To succeed in professional life requires strength, stamina and, last but not least, a good mood. Because with a smile and a sense of humor, many difficult situations can be overcome. I can confirm from my own experience: when I reach a mental dead end, I go for a walk. This clears my head, distracts me and allows me to return to my text or work feeling fresh and refreshed, and I've also done something for my health. Or I go into the kitchen and cook something delicious and healthy. And both cooking and walking make me peaceful and give me the serenity I need to overcome dead ends.

I know that as a self-employed person, I can allow myself a break in my train of thought in the sense of a walk. If you're sitting in an office, the only thing you can do is go to the coffee machine, chat with a colleague or get some fresh air at the window.

Dear fellow seniors: I hope you have some tips and tricks for dealing with getting older. In fact, I'm really wondering how you cope with dead-end situations and how you find it as an older person in working life. Why don't you write to us and share your experiences with the Seniors@Work community? Sharing is the order of the day!

Beatrice Isler

Working from home and its pitfalls

I recently went to see my daughter, who has been working from home regularly since coronavirus. She was sitting at her desk with a laptop in front of her, a second screen, an external keyboard and a headset on her head. The desk was nice and tidy and there were only a few sheets of paper with notes on them.

I noticed her posture. Her back was not at all SUVA-compliant, her neck was stretched out, and I had the impression that she had to strain to read the tables on her small laptop screen properly. At the same time, she was comparing these entries with an Excel spreadsheet on her additional, relatively small screen. She had bought the latter herself so that she could somehow organize herself at home for work.

She told me that she has an ergonomic workstation in the office. With a cave screen, so large and clear. The desk at home... well. But she had the option of buying a standing desk through her store. No, she wouldn't get it for free.

So much for health in times of Corona.

If senior citizens are involved in the work process and have to work from home, they will probably have the same difficulties as my daughter. Health in old age is being discussed at all levels, not least by the Basel-Stadt Department of Health, which is currently developing visions for old age by means of a survey. But I miss the critical view of old age and work. When it comes to old age, people only ever talk about volunteering, helping, care and social isolation. But there are also active senior citizens, like us here at Seniors@Work, who are not yet retiring to their "old age", but are actively and independently involved in the work process.

That's why I'm calling on you, dear reader! Contact the Department of Health and take part in the online survey! Here is the link:

https://www.gd.bs.ch/dossiers-projekte/alterspolitik.html

You can fill out the form until September 20, 2020. And don't hesitate to share your opinion in the comments section.

And last but not least, I hope that all of you who work or offer to work from home have a better working situation than my daughter. Stay healthy!

Beatrice Isler