Home Office Ergonomics Checklist

The look of the typical workforce is changing. While working remotely from home was allowed for some workers, there was still resistance from companies to let their employees off the tether. rnThe worldwide pandemic has brought working from home into immediate focus, and both employees and employers have been thrown into this option whether they like it or not. rnBefore this pandemic, I remember thinking on a commute into work, “if only I could do this from home!” Life would be grand, and I would be more productive and happier overall. rnNow I am working from home and have learned that, in some cases, the issues faced in a brick and mortar building did not disappear when working from my stick-built home; they merely morphed into other challenges. rnNow that I have a few months under my belt, and have become slightly more acclimated to the environment I had thought would be perfect, I have learned a few things. rnHopefully, sharing these hard-won tips with you will help you be better equipped for the time when you will work from home.

Create Your Quiet Place (but not like the movie!)

rnYou will find the lines blurred between being home and working from home. It is crucial to designate a space that is for work and work only. You might not have the luxury of a separate room for an office, but it is essential to create an office space. You might not think so at first, but ergonomics play a big part in being productive. You don't want to hop from the couch to the dining table, and for heaven's sake, get out of bed! Yes, this is the voice of experience talking! If you don't get the ergonomic aspect right, you will spend time shifting and adjusting and losing both focus and productivity. rnStart with the place from which you will work, whatever space you designate as your desk. Some of these suggestions might help give you an idea for Small Space Office Solutions. If there are others at home, it will be essential that your desk is in a distraction-free zone. A high-traffic area will not be conducive to productivity, quite the opposite. Space should have uninterrupted peace and quiet.

Where The Magic Begins

rnMaybe your work will spring for some office furniture for you, or perhaps you freelance and need to provide your own. Choose a desk that offers enough surface area for your work items, but also to be able to position your monitor screen at least 20 inches from your eyes. If possible, an adjustable standing desk is ideal for home office use. A sit/stand desk will adjust either with a crank or electrically. Being able to change the desk to whatever height accommodates your frame is a huge advantage in warding off fatigue. The ability to stand for periods of time also is much healthier than sitting all day. A standing desk does not have to be huge and take up a lot of space, but it does offer the valuable ability to adjust to the height you need to provide you with the optimum workspace.

Your Mom Told You to Sit Up Straight

rnBefore working from home, I had imagined lounging around wherever...inside or out...with my laptop perched on my knees and typing blissfully away for hours on end. I found out in a hurry that the practice of my idea of bliss was far from comfortable. Lounging around took a toll on me. I soon found out that you need a workstation and that posture is important when sitting at that station. You should have your back straight or reclined slightly, and your forearms and thighs should be roughly parallel to the floor. Feet should be flat on the floor and your wrists and hands in line with your forearms. Resist the temptation to prop up the rear of your keyboard as it is not good for your wrists to be cocked upward. Keep your head level and facing forward. Your eyes should be looking slightly downward at a point between the middle and top of your monitor. Find the position where your shoulders are relaxed, not hunched, with your upper arms allowed to hang naturally at your sides.

Take A Seat

rnThe all-important chair can either make or break you. It can help the day fly by or make each minute torture. You don't want to go to the chiropractor because your chair is cutting off your circulation or making your backache. Your chair should be height adjustable; that just makes good sense. So much furniture for the office is one size fits all, but we are not all the same height and weight. Since you will be spending a considerable amount of time in your chair, it would be a sound investment to purchase an ergonomic office chair. As mentioned before, your chair should be height-adjustable. The highest point of the seat should be just below your kneecap when you are standing next to the chair. The chair should have a lumbar support that is height-adjustable to the small of your back. Once you are seated, you should not feel any pressure at the back of your knees. Your knees should be slightly higher than the edge of the seat and about four or five inches away from the edge of the seat.

Shine A Light On The Subject

rnOne of the things I did not miss about being in an office setting was the wonderful flickering fluorescent lights! Oh joy, I could now choose my light source! If you don't have proper lighting, it can quickly lead to eye strain and contribute to headaches and blurred vision. There is a name for it (of course). Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) can be attributed to poor lighting in your work area. At home, you will have more control over this aspect and should avoid the dreaded CVS without much difficulty. Light bulbs with more yellow tones are easier on the eyes. Place your lights where you won't create glare on the computer screen, and indirect lighting is always better. You might be tempted to drag your desk next to the window, but that can be a source of glare. I have found out that starting a bright screen all day long can interfere with your natural circadian rhythms and create an interrupted sleep. Try and adhere to the 20-20-20 rule. That rule says that for every 20 minutes you have spent looking at the screen, stop and look at an object about 20 feet away. Stare for 20 seconds to help your eye to refocus and help prevent eye strain. This simple practice can help to ease the impact a bright screen has on your sleep patterns.

In Conclusion

rnMany of my preconceived ideas about online work at home went out the window once I actually started working from home. I had thought that the strain and wear and tear on my body would disappear once I was in the comfortable setting of my home. I was wrong about that. All that scientific "ergonomic" stuff that I thought was only for an office setting was as important, if not more so when working from home. While I should have done so beforehand I started working from home, I started to read articles like this one: Health benefits of ergonomic office furniture, and got suggestions that would help to make my home office a productive place that did not cause aches and pains. By incorporating the ideas into my work situation, I soon achieved the ideal home office, and you will be able to do so too!