Where are you working?

If you’re new to working from home, you may not have an extra room for your office. For some that means squeezing a computer and monitor on a kitchen or dining room table. Others may be making do with a small laptop instead of the desktop and multiple monitors they’re used to. And while it may sound cozy, those who try working on their couch, favorite chair, or even their bed will soon find their backs and necks don’t appreciate the arrangement.

So, how do you make sure where you’re working isn’t causing discomfort, or worse, lasting musculoskeletal disorders? Here are some tips for creating an ergonomically friendly workspace.

Location

Dedicate a space for your office, a room or even part of a room. Privacy helps with focus, but that may not be possible. No matter where you work, try to keep it separate from your “home” space. This makes it easier to “leave work” and enjoy family or personal time.

Make sure you have good lighting. Some natural light is best, and avoid glare from lamps or other light sources.

Desk and Chair

If you’ve suddenly started working from home as a result of the coronavirus, you didn’t have much time to prepare. Going out to shop for office chair and desk just isn’t an option. As in other areas of our lives at this moment, we make the best of what we have. According to a recent article by Brett Sears, PT, a good desk height ranges from 25-30 inches, depending on your height. Brett Sears has some creative ideas for improvising a desk, even using an ironing board!

The height of your chair should allow you to have your feet flat or on a footrest and allow your shoulders to relax with elbows and forearms parallel to the floor. Lumbar support is important. If you don’t have an office chair, a small pillow or rolled up towel placed a bit below your beltline will help.

Computer and other equipment

If you’re used to working with two monitors, an HDMI cable will allow you to connect a television to your computer to use as monitor number 2.

Adapting a laptop

A laptop presents a couple of problems. The first is its low profile. Sitting on a table or desk, a laptop is too low. You end up hunching over and bending your neck down to view the screen. “The monitor is the key to everything,” Karen Loesing, owner of The Ergonomic Expert and ergonomic consultant says in a SHRM article on setting up a home office. “You want to look straight ahead when you are working.”

This is easily fixed with a laptop riser or a stack of books! Raise the laptop high enough that the screen is at eye level.
The second problem is using the small keyboard and mouse pad. That compounds the back/neck “hunch.” And if you’ve raised the laptop, you won’t be able to use the keyboard anyway. The solution?  External keyboard and mouse. Wireless is most convenient, but even the older cable-connected ones do the trick.

Don’t stay put

Move around during the day. Take breaks to do some exercise and stretches. Take a walk in the neighborhood (social distancing, of course). Resist the temptation to eat lunch at your desk. Many of us do that at work, but studies show you’re more productive if you take a lunch break and get a change of scenery. Try lunch at the kitchen or dining room table instead.

This won’t last forever

The need for stay-at-home orders to “flatten the curve” and curtail the spread of Covid-19 won’t last forever. But, as long as it helps, we will be working from home. That’s a good thing and the right thing to do. Just take a little time to set up an office space that will be comfortable and conducive to working.

Take a look at the articles and studies below for additional ideas for making a healthy workspace at home and using the time you spend there productively.

Stay well. And as a colleague says at the end of every email: Now, go wash your hands!

Sources:

Your Home Office and Your Health by Brett Sears, PT in Verywell health

How to Set up a Home Office That Works for You by Roy Maurer SHRM

New Study Shows Correlation Between Employee Engagement And The Long Lost Lunch Break by Alan Kohll Forbes

How Do Work Breaks Help Your Brain? 5 Surprising Answers by Meg Selig   Psychology Today