WFH Ergonomic Tips: Your Work from Home Ergonomics Checklist

When setting up the home work environment remember to implement ergonomics basics. For some, a standing desk is the ideal combination of work and exercise—without the trip to the gym. One study found that working at a standing https://remotemode.net/blog/10-remote-work-ergonomics-tips-to-use/ desk burns about 88 calories an hour. That’s not much, but it is slightly better than sitting and typing, which burns 80 calories an hour. A flat keyboard is better since it helps you hold your wrists straight.

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. When you work at a standing desk, the same rules about keyboard and mouse placement apply, so make sure you aren’t working at a standing desk that’s too tall or short for you. The problem is that once you’ve adjusted your chair to the right height, your arms may not be at the right height for the keyboard. As you sit in the chair, your feet should be flat on the floor. Make sure you’re sitting evenly on your bottom and not tilting to one side or the other.

Why Is Ergonomics Important?

No matter where you work, your workspace should fuel a productive workday and even a new sense of energy. Our checklist will help you assess your current set-up and help you identify ways to improve the ergonomics to work more vibrantly. A huge portion of our adult lives is spent working; at our desks and in front of our screens. It’s time to start focusing on improving our physical health during work hours Learn more about how Mobile Pixels can make working from home efficient and productive. To achieve the ideal posture, Kiberd suggests investing in a chair whose height allows your hips to be slightly above your knees, and your feet directly on the floor in front of you. A laptop-stand or monitor riser can assist with proper monitor alignment.

• With that being said, many of us just threw together a workstation during our quarantine days.
• No matter what you choose as your “desk,” your keyboard and mouse should be at elbow height when you are seated.
• This causes pain in muscles and tendons because of repetitive movement and constant use.
• One of the most important things you can do while working from home and practicing COVID-19 physical distancing is to make time to exercise.
• Make sure that you adjust the height of the keyboard, the chair, or the table that you are using so that your rams, wrist, and hands will be in a straight line when you’re typing.
• So, try out some shoes (flat heels only!) to see if some combination of chair height and shoes gives you the proper support for your feet.
• Often, you may choose to skip adjusting the workstation altogether.

We have seen companies benefitting from adopting a work-from-home or a hybrid work model. Even employees favor a hybrid work model that allows them to shake things up occasionally and work from the comfort of their homes. Working from home limits social interactions which naturally came with in-person work. The world has moved to a reality where many people are working from home and social distancing measures require a new normal.

The Ultimate Ergonomics Checklist For Remote Workers Who Work From Home

Choosing a vertically stacked dual-screen setup instead of a standard side-by-side setup might help reduce your neck strain. You won’t have to look sideways constantly, and you can place the monitor at a level that’s comfortable for you. Working at kitchen tables or other hard surfaces can strain your wrists and elbows. Kermit Davis, professor of environmental health at the University of Cincinnati, recommends putting a soft towel on the table where you can rest your wrists. If you’re not used to standing all day, don’t jump into the first day of a standing desk by using it for eight hours straight! Start with 30 minutes a day and gradually increase your standing time.

By being creative and using items around the house for exercise, you can be sure to keep your body moving and your mind sharp. Exercise may also help prevent repetitive strain injuries that may occur while spending countless hours at your home office work station. If you use a couch as your seat, you may want to use pillows to help recreate the kind of support an office chair would provide. To put it simply, ergonomics is the process of designing and building objects and spaces to fit the person better who will be using these. Ergonomics studies the capabilities and limitations of the human body. It then applies what has been learned through those studies to improve how humans interact with products and spaces.

Organize Your Desk Strategically

Ergonomics is all about fitting a task to you and not the other way around. An ergonomic workspace is designed to keep you energized, minimize discomfort and avoid injuries. This ultimately support job satisfaction, productivity and the quality of your work. Set a timer to remind yourself to move your legs, https://remotemode.net/ stretch, and give your eyes a break from the screen, Loesing says. While WFH may be our new reality, our workspaces haven’t caught up. The change happened so abruptly, there was no thought given to how our WFH setups and routines may affect our ergonomics—and, in turn, our focus and productivity.

• Sometimes space within the home is limited and office space may double as a dining space, kitchen counter or general use area.
• As you type, your elbows should hang naturally by your sides without discomfort.
• Make sure your space is out of the way of high-traffic areas to reduce distractions.
• Go for a walk, or run out to grab groceries on your lunch break just to leave the house.
• That’s not much, but it is slightly better than sitting and typing, which burns 80 calories an hour.

If you are setting up your home office in a bedroom, use a table or desk near outlets with an adjustable office chair for good postural support. While it may be tempting to work while sitting up in bed, you should avoid doing this. It may place your back and neck in a forward-bent position, leading to excessive stress and strain.

The way people are seated and how they use chairs is the most important way that ergonomics can be utilized by those working from home. People spend hours sitting and working, which can cause many problems when not given the right amount of attention to optimizing it. Investing in the right equipment and building habits that are ergonomically beneficial is the best step you can take to conserve your physical health in the long term. This working from home ergonomic checklist can help you ensure you’re addressing every aspect.