An ergonomic home office may be on your wishlist this year, and if so, this guide should help guide you.
Today we’re going to point you in the direction of how to have an ergonomic home office. As many of us make peace with the reality that working from home will be part of our future, it’s no wonder that so many of us are thinking about ways to enhance that experience. 40 or sometimes more hours a week spent working from home makes a comfortable, healthy workspace necessary. Making sure your desk and other workspaces are ergonomic is one great way to do that. An ergonomic home office may be on your wishlist this year, and if so, this guide should help guide you.
The Benefits of an Ergonomic Home Office
When we think about the benefits of an ergonomic home office, a few things come to mind. One is better productivity. It’s easy to get distracted at home, but it’s even easier when you’re not comfortable or even in pain. Speaking of pain, more time spent working from home may mean less time walking around, leading to back and neck pain over time. Ergonomic spaces help cut down on these issues a good deal. Lastly, you’ll find yourself in a better mood if you have a home office that is the perfect space for you to get everything done.
The Desk Setup
What’s the right desk setup? Consider these factors:
Your monitor should be no more or less than arm’s length away from you and around 10 to 20 degrees, anymore in both aspects, and you may end up straining either your eyes or your neck. Try to place your monitor in an environment with neutral lighting, so there is little to no glare.
Your keyboard may or may not be one of those specifically “ergonomic” designs, but either way, there are some ways to make your situation better. When typing, the letter “B” should be straight in front of you. A keyboard should also be a 15-degree, negative tilt opposite of you to keep you comfortable. Your keyboard’s height depends on your desk height and posture, but typically, you want your forearms to be parallel to the floor and your wrists straight.
Your desk should leave you with enough room beneath it to comfortably keep your legs down there and even cross them. Ideally, the angle your arm makes should be somewhere between 90 and 110 degrees when you’ve got them in front of you on the desk.
The Chair You Choose
What about your chair?
Your chair’s height should allow you to comfortably sit with your feet flat on the floor and your thighs about parallel to your floor. If you can, try it out in person beforehand.
Your chair’s lumbar support is one of the most significant features of an ergonomic home office. If you find a great chair with poor lumbar support that doesn’t align with your spine’s natural curve, look into lumbar support pillows.
Your chair’s arm and backrests should give you enough comfort to sit back and relax whenever you’re taking a break at the end of your day or a long stretch of work.
Furnish and Design Your Office Space with Mark Downs
Mark Downs is happy to help you get the most productive, creative, and positive office environment possible through our office furniture and design expertise. We have the knowledge and equipment to ensure your office is attractive, productive, and an excellent hub of activity in your commercial facility. Stop by our Cockeysville showroom to see what we can offer or give us a call at 410-771-6800. To see examples of our work and what we are up to, follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn.