Arrange your desk so that your mouse and keyboard are both on the same horizontal level so that you don’t have to keep constantly adjusting your shoulder and arm position. If you’re going to use a sit-stand desk, the optimal cycle is 20 minutes of seated work followed by 8 minutes of standing, followed by 2 minutes of moving around. Standing longer than about 8 minutes, said Hedge, leads people to start leaning. Additionally, every time you change the desk height, you must adjust all your other workstation components, like the keyboard and the monitor, to put your posture into a neutral position again.

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Poor ergonomics can make or break your work-from-home experience. This is a big grey area as a lot of organizations need staff to work from home as it’s A LOT cheaper than leasing office space. Some are not prepared to make the investment in equipment (other than a laptop) for staff. If their organization is on the fence about this remember that the employer is still responsible for any Worker’s Compensation claims that may arise out of work. According to the Workers Compensation Board of Alberta, studies have shown that one carpal tunnel syndrome claim in an office can cost a company up to $12,000! In that frame of mind, purchasing an ‘ergonomic’ chair (more of what to look for is below…) for $1,000 could be a cost-effective solution.

The stiff chair, the desk that’s too tall for my height, and the cramped laptop keyboard have all become a literal pain in the neck (and shoulders, and back, and elsewhere). After talking with ergonomics experts, I’ve learned that an ergonomic workstation—one that supports your body in a neutral position—can reduce the risk of discomfort or pain that these stressors cause our bodies. ICYMI, sitting for long periods of time is not that great for you, which is why there are ready-to-buy standing desks that you can invest in for your home office setup.

1. If the feet do not comfortably rest on the floor, use a footrest.
2. If you raise your chair, make sure you can still keep your feet flat on the floor.
3. Your muscles can get tired and sore from supporting you when you sit, which may lead to other problems over time.
4. An employer has a few ways that they can help with their employees setups, and whatever they choose is dependent on their budget.
5. The use of a neck strap or support post is possible with several woodwind instruments.
6. These self-screening assessments can also help identify which employees have discomfort, areas of improvement, pinpointing equipment needs and reporting for next steps.

DON’T turn your couch into a workstation

Place the computer monitor straight in front of you, directly behind your keyboard, about an arm’s length away from your face. The monitor should be no closer to you than 20 inches (about 50 centimeters) and no further away than 40 inches (about 100 centimeters). The top of the screen should be at or slightly below eye level.

Again, the height should be as much as it takes to get your knees to 90 degrees, according to Geisel. A laptop-stand or monitor riser can assist with proper monitor alignment. Place the monitor between 20 to 40 inches away from the face and so the top of the screen is at or below eye level.

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To protect your eyes from strain and fatigue, make sure you can clearly see what’s on your monitor or laptop screen, without having to crane or bend your neck. Place your display so your eye level is at the top of the monitor or an inch or two below it and about an arm’s length away. Also, an ergonomic keyboard is one that either has a low, flat profile or that tilts forward (with the space keys higher than the top row of keys), to keep your wrists in a neutral position. If you can swing it, a standing desk makes it easier to stay productive while breaking up long periods of sitting, but you can also work from your phone or tablet. With the appearance of Coronavirus, millions made the move to remote work, but only 43 percent of people had a home office.

If you do not have a good office chair, you can buy a lumbar cushion. You can raise your laptop or monitor as needed with just about anything that’s flat and wide, like a stack of books. But for more sturdiness and finer control over the height of your display, consider a laptop stand, like the Rain Design iLevel 2, or a monitor arm, such as the Herman Miller Jarvis Single Monitor Arm. For a lot of us, COVID-19 has shaken up our work routine along with everything else that felt “normal” in our day-to-day lives. We’re sharing some simple guidelines that will improve your comfort at your home desk setup to reduce your risk of injury and help to alleviate those new tender spots. But if your WFH situation is long-term or your job has implemented a hybrid office-home work model since the COVID-19 pandemic, you could find yourself in a world of hurt if you don’t get the right setup.

I originally interviewed him in October 2020, when this article first ran. Stare at your computer for too long and you can hurt your eyes. For every 20 minutes that you look at your screen, take 20 seconds to stare at something else about 20 feet away. A recently published article from The Stanford Institute provides valuable insight into the number of people working from home currently and how it has shifted over the course of the pandemic.

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These saddle-like products work with any chair, and they tilt your pelvis into a more ergonomic position. Shorter people might also find that having a footrest helps them achieve the right posture. Simply adjust the height of your chair and the position of your computer so that your elbows are bent at — yup, you probably guessed it — 90 degrees. You also want to try to keep your elbows close to your body while you work in order to get the right posture, says Geisel. At the same time, your hands should be able to easily reach your keyboard — which should be about an arms-length distance away — and your palms should slightly hover over the keyboard while you type. Social distancing still can be followed by using remote or virtual ergonomic assessment techniques where ergonomists can obtain the most pertinent information to recommend an optimum workstation setup.

1. This uncomplicated desk lamp uses LED bulbs instead of built-in LEDs, and it’s the most flexible model for positioning light just where you want it.
2. The chair should support your lower back, so the spine is in its natural S-shape.
3. As of this writing, almost all employees that can work from home are doing so.
4. You might even change the headrest position and move the seat belt to the correct height on your shoulder.
5. We can also design a stretching and exercise plan for you to practice at home while you work there.

This lumbar support is not designed to take all your weight, just to act as a reminder to sit in an upright, S-shaped position. I asked Hedge if I should consider a standing desk or a sit-stand desk (which can be raised and lowered), and he said while it doesn’t hurt to have one, you have to use it properly. “There’s a myth out work from home ergonomics there that you should sit at 90 degrees,” Hedge said, meaning with the trunk of the body perpendicular to the floor. “Most of us ergonomics experts have spent a lifetime trying to tell people that’s not how you should sit.”

What do you do when you get into a car to drive it for the first time? You adjust the seat so you can reach the pedals, see the road easily, and feel comfortable. You move the mirrors to ensure a clear line of sight behind you and to either side. You might even change the headrest position and move the seat belt to the correct height on your shoulder.

Often, you may choose to skip adjusting the workstation altogether. If you are the only person using the space, customizing will reduce the time and discomfort of sitting at a station that does not fit you. If you don’t have the option of an office chair, there are some household items you can use to help you adjust. Putting a firm cushion or tightly folded towel under your buttocks will raise your hips and increase the curve of your spine, making sitting more comfortable. The top of the screen should be 10° below your eyes, at a comfortable viewing distance (i.e. you should not need to move your head or upper body forward to read comfortably on the screen). If you are using 2 screens, ensure your main screen is placed directly in front of you while the second stays right next to it to avoid excessive neck movements.