Over the past few years, many employers and their employees have realized the benefits of working from home. While some people still prefer to work in an office environment, others enjoy the work-life balance of working from home. However, even though they’ve been working from home for months or even years, people suffer from stiff necks, sore backs, and even wrist pain because they don’t have their home office or workspace set up ergonomically.
If you’re working at your kitchen table, couch, or even in bed, you could be doing your body and mind more harm than good. Ergonomics plays a key role in helping you maintain optimal posture, which can improve your health, reduce pain, and ensure you’re productive all day long. This article will explain the importance of ergonomics and how you can upgrade your work from home space with a few ergonomic products to make working from home more comfortable and enjoyable.
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Workspace Ergonomics
Ergonomics ensures your body is properly positioned while working, so you don’t hurt yourself. If you find yourself slouched over your desk, you likely don’t have good workspace ergonomics and can expect back pain and a stiff neck. Most people understand ergonomics has something to do with the design of their products, including their seating, but it’s much more than that. Ergonomics involves the design of just about anything you use to ensure you’re able to keep your body in proper alignment. Ergonomics can help you improve your work environment to minimize your risk of pain, which can be detrimental to productivity.
Ergonomic Upgrades for Your WFH Space
Looking at your workspace can help you determine what changes you need to make to ensure better ergonomics to help you do your best work while working from home. A few upgrades you can make so you can prevent pain and be more comfortable while working are:
1. Create a Workspace
If you have a spare room, you already have a great place to work in. However, if you’re a renter with a one-bedroom apartment, you might have to tuck yourself away in the corner of your living room to help you avoid working at your kitchen table. Even though you might want to put a desk in your bedroom, try to avoid that. By working in your bedroom, you can make yourself feel like you should be working when you should actually be asleep. Instead, try to find a nice quiet space in your home where you won’t be disturbed.
Consider organizing your home before jumping into work if you’re using a spare room. By ensuring your space is only used for work, you can help yourself stay focused while you’re sitting at your desk.
2. Desk Chairs
If you’re working from home, you’re probably spending a lot of that time sitting. Your desk chair should have lumbar support designed for your body, which may mean getting a chair based on your height. Always choose adjustable chairs that allow you to move both the seat and arms to ensure optimal posture. If you don’t want to spend money on an expensive chair, you can improve your current chair‘s lumbar support by putting a rolled-up towel near the lower part of your back. You should also adjust the seat to ensure your feet are flat on the ground and your arms sit at a right angle when relaxed.
3. Foot Support
If your legs are short and not in the right position to keep them flat on the ground, consider getting foot support like a footrest or box you can put under your feet. Ensuring your thighs are parallel to the ground can help you keep your back in alignment to prevent back and neck pain.
4. Standing Desk
Experts agree that sitting too much is bad for your health, which is why many experts believe you should start standing or even walking around your office more often. You can get a convertible standing desk that allows you to adjust the height for when you need to sit and focus or when you can stand and get work done. Changing your position throughout the day can improve your posture and keep you active even while working.
5. Monitor Positioning
The top of your monitor should be slightly below your eye level to help you avoid straining your neck and back. It can be difficult to position your screen correctly if you work on a laptop. If you notice yourself getting neck strain, consider investing in a secondary monitor you can use to help avoid back, neck, shoulder, and even eye strain.
You can also get a laptop stand that will keep your screen at the proper height so you won’t have to work with your head and neck in awkward, unnatural positions.
6. Blue Light Blocking Glasses
Eye strain can impact your ability to get anything done, especially when you rely on your laptop or computer to earn a living. These glasses reduce the amount of blue light that comes from your monitor into your eyes. Blue light can cause fatigue and can even trick your mind into thinking it’s daytime when it’s actually night, disrupting your sleep cycle.
Blue light-blocking glasses may help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep so you can take on the next day with as much energy as you need to get more done. It can also make your eyes feel more comfortable when you’re staring at screens for long hours.
Take Frequent Breaks
Taking a break from your desk and computer can actually help you become more productive even though you’ll have less time to get things done. While you shouldn’t take too many extended breaks and hope for increased productivity, taking breaks is important and allows your body to get up and move to help you keep muscle strain at bay. You can also use your breaks to get more active, which can help boost your energy levels, especially if you have a sedentary job. So, instead of sitting at your desk during your lunch break, consider going for a walk around the block or doing some light stretches to help keep your body flexible.
Marné Amoguis
Marné Amoguis holds a B.A. in International Business from UC San Diego. She is a contributing writer at 365businesstips.com where she loves sharing her passion for digital marketing. Outside of writing, she loves traveling, playing music, and hiking.