Ergonomics

Ergonomics looks at how well particular activities fit with a person, given their environment, personal factors that contribute to the performance of the activity, and aspects of the activity itself. Caulton & Dickson (2007) believe an understanding of ergonomics enables the the occupational therapist to "constantly make slight invisible adjustments to an activity to adapt to the needs of those taking part and ensure that it continues to work for its intended purpose." Understanding ergonomics will allow us as OT's to work with clients to adapt and tinker with occupations so that the end result is the best possible for the client, whatever their chosen occupations may be.


In relation to my cooking there are a range of things to take into account when I look at how well I perform and how much I enjoy cooking (remembering of course that the physical end product is not necessarily all that is important in this activity). I'll break cooking down into the three areas of: person, occupation and environment.


Person
I like to cook, and get satisfaction when I can see improvements in my abilities. I need to know how to cook for myself as well as others. I value my health so it is important that in the main  my diet is healthy. I have had a basic knowledge of cooking since I was a teenager, and I an keen to keep on improving and being more creative. I am on a limited budget so cheap meals are the norm. I like the knowledge that I am able to look after myself with regards to cooking meals. I get enjoyment from others when I can see they enjoy my food. I have been making soup pretty regularly and when my friends and family try it they seem to like it, this makes me feel good.


Occupation
Cooking requires timing and knowledge of how long different ingredients take to cook. It allows for refinement of skills so that personal or other people's preferences are met. When I cook steak for example I like it medium rare and I constantly am trying to find the right balance to achieve this, while others like their steak differently, so I am trying to meet this as well. this leads to an appreciation of different ways of experiencing food. depending on what is being made, more concentration and effort may be required. There is room in cooking for experimentation, to add herbs and spices, while at other times I find it best to follow the recipe.


Environment
My usual kitchen is quite small, so I have to be tidy while I cook. It is a shared kitchen so there are often other dishes etc around, so physical space is an issue. Lack of ingredients or equipment is very common in my kitchen. the kitchen and lounge are open plan, which allows for communication and to be a part of other activities as well. As me and my flatmates tend to cook at roughly that same time there is a societal press in that we cannot all do it at once. Sometimes I cook in other kitchens, and this changes how I cook too as there may be better equipment or more space etc.


So that's a look at the ergonomics or cooking for me. I really enjoy cooking and in the main it works well, and the kitchen environment allows me to cook as well as be a part of other things. At times there is environmental press, but this can be worked around, and I am still able to do something I enjoy regularly.


References
Caulton, R. & Dickson, R. (2007). What’s going on? Finding an explanation for what we do. In J. Creek & A. Lawson-Porter (Eds.), Contemporary issues in occupational therapy (pp. 87-114). Chichester: John Wiley & Sons Ltd.