Hi there, Today is all about the Ergonomics of Cooking!
An understanding of ergonomics underpins the ability 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” (Creek and Lawson-porter, 2007). When considering ergonomics the main factors can be broken into interrelationships of person, activity and environment.
Ergonomics In relation to my cooking experiences this week was all about how the activity of cooking a roast was shaped by me adapting and doing the best possible job I could in the tiny, messy kitchen environment that was present! Read below to see these factors more in-depth:
Person: In considering my life stage, According to the developmental stages of Erikson I fall under the ‘Young adulthood categories’. Erikson states that “Our significant relationships are with marital partners and friends” (Harder, 2009). Thus I can relate with as today I was cooking the divine roast for my flat mates and boyfriend as a gift from my last finances left thanks to study link. Thanks to my passion for cooking I felt competent in my cooking skills to produce a winning feed and I must add that I enjoyed the adventure and creativity of sprinkling herbs and a hint of lemon over the delicious chicken thanks to the suggestion of Nana and her fine recipes!
Activity: I reckon I could say I have cooked about 50 roast chickens in my time, making the flow of cooking up the fest a breeze! Turn oven on, put water in roasting dish, plomp chicken in and into the oven, peel and chop veggies, add to the dish, cook for about 1.30mins-2hours and BOOM you have a delicious feed! No cookbook or instructions needed with this one, however time constraints on this occasion were that we needed to have dinner cooked in enough time to let our food digest before we headed to the pool for our nightly swim!
Environment: In cooking up this roast there was certainly a storm brewing up in the kitchen. Dishes were spread out on the bench to the moon and back with no clear space to fit in a chopping board to cut the veggies up on. Thus I had to improvise where I soon found myself set up on the couch with the chopping board on my lap and veggies being chopped and put into a dish on the floor. This did cause a few looks and laughs but what choice did I have due to the never-ending mess! It made for a bit of fun and banter where I got the others involved in peeling and chopping, creating a wee production line!
References:
Harder, F. (2009).The Developmental Stages of Erik Erikson. Retrieved September 18 2011 from: http://www.learningplaceonline.com/stages/organize/Erikson.htm
Creek, J, & Lawson-porter, A. (2007). Contemporary issues in occupational therapy: reasoning and reflection.Chichester.John Wiley & Sons ltd.
Hi Rachel,
ReplyDeleteNice post, I like how you used headings for your person, occupation and environment paragraphs, it makes it a lot easier to read. Perhaps next time just check over for a couple of grammar errors :)
Hi Rachel,
ReplyDeleteI love how you have shown pictures of the environment you are working in really helped set the scene. I also like how you included the Eriksons life stages within your post as it relates well to your story. Maybe explaining ergonomics in your own words at the beggining as well as the quote would have been helpful but other than that i have really enjoyed your blog, good work :)