The importance
Many people do not understand the importance of ergonomics at work let alone in the home office. If you want to enjoy your day more and more importantly not give yourself future health problems then read on!
What is ergonomics?
According to the Cambridge Dictionary:
"the scientific study of people and their working conditions, especially done in order to improve effectiveness"
Ergonomics is the science of satisfying the human body while it is at semi rest/work so that aches and pains do not start to happen causing horrific postures and discomfort and or damage later in life, if not addressed. Indeed working from a laptop all day peering at a downward angle will quickly cause neck fatigue and ache if you want to experience a lack of ergonomics at play.
Having the ability to raise the natural eye line of your monitor for example is critical one of the quick wins you can do today, (and yes books work a treat) though there are better ways to achieve this.
A few more examples of very important considerations are:
- The height of your desk- including stand up desks
- The height of your office chair
- The height of your monitor
These 3 alone make for a critical combination and affect each other. Often desks and your work surface is fixed, so the other 2 have to become the variables.
Workstation Ergonomics Infographic
Coming soon! Office Desk Buying Guide for 2021
What are the most important aspects about ergonomics to focus on when designing a home office setup?
- Eyeline to screen
- Hands/Elbows angles in relation to the work surface
- Footrest
- Comfort of track pads mice or other input tools
A monitor riser allows you to lift up your screen. Ideally your screen should not force you to look up or down too much. 15-20° degrees is the ideal according to OSHA. The way in which we use a laptop is usually looking down. This might be fine for a short time but don't start to make a habit of this at home.
If you work on a laptop use a stand which will lift the whole laptop and connect a bluetooth keyboard and trackpad or mouse.
Identifying Problem Scenarios
Aches and pains initially may die down and you start to compensate for them which is not good. You need to discover before it is too late what is causing the discomfort. Discomfort within 30 minutes is a very good indicator of a bad setup.
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