5 ways to ergonomically improve your home or office set up:
There are many ways to improve your home office ergonomic set up, we know standing desks are one of the best ways to improve your home office set up but what are other things that can help your office? In this blog post, we will delve into 5 ways on how you can improve your home office set up, to make it more comfortable and more ergonomic friendly. If you are after the benefits of adjustable standing desks, do check out our previous posts for specifically standing desk content. And in no particular order, here we go.
1. Getting an adjustable standing desk.
We know we may be biased in this regard, but we truly believe that getting an adjustable standing desk is a key part when it comes to improving your office/home office set up. The benefits for your back, energy and posture is like no other; a standing desk is key as it can be adjusted to suit you and your needs when it comes to working ergonomically. It is important to note that this can be any standing desk, whether it's a single motor, dual motor or just the good old manual versions. As long as it is adjustable then it will do the right job. Just remember that if you have heavy equipment, it is best to go with a dual motor to make sure it can support the weight of the equipment.
2. If you don’t have an adjustable standing desk, a desk riser may be a good option.
If you aren’t looking to get an adjustable standing desk then it would be best to get a desk riser. A standing desk riser is a gadget or accessory that can be used on a normal fixed height desk. It is normally big enough to hold a laptop and can be adjusted to a fixed height. These are a great tool to get you standing while working, but what are the limitations? Desk risers are usually only big enough to hold your laptop, hence your elbow and arm position will usually be hindered because of the lack of space. Using this for prolonged hours may lead to sore shoulders and arms due to the lack of space and support for your arms. So, although standing desk risers are good, they also have their limitations.
3. Anti fatigue mat for your adjustable standing desk.
If you do have a standing desk in your home or office, we would recommend getting an anti fatigue mat. What is this you may ask? It’s a mat that reduces fatigue for your feet and legs. This is particularly important when you are standing on hard surfaces, such as concrete floors, wooden floors, tiles, and thin carpet. Although thick carpet and underlay can be comfortable, they don’t usually provide as much support compared to anti fatigue mats. Another important tip is to make sure you have comfortable footwear as there is only so much that an anti fatigue mat can do. If you do have prolonged soreness in your feet or joints, it would be best to visit your doctor. It is important to note that anti fatigue mats do not cure all, but it does support an active ergonomic work environment.
4. Your ergonomic chair and sitting position.
Another big part of the office desk set up is your chair. Whether you have an adjustable standing desk or not, you will most likely be spending a lot of time in your chair; hence it is important to get a good chair that supports your back and good posture. We normally recommend chairs that are adjustable and provide back support. By having a chair with adjustable features, it can support you in certain ways throughout the day. There are also benefits in sitting on saddle back chairs, stools, and exercise balls. We will delve more into this topic in another blog. Whichever chair you decide to go with, always try to remember to sit up straight and avoid slouching. This is easier said than done, but with more practice and constant reminders, you will be promoting a good posture. A good tip would be to put a small note on your desk saying “sit up straight!”. We say this, because no matter what chair you have. Having a good posture first will trump it all.
5. The position of your monitor and laptop.
Alternating between sitting and standing is a great way to work. But what many forget is the importance of the position of your laptop screen or monitor. Ideally, you want to have your screens at eye level when sitting or standing. Having your screens at eye level promotes good posture and is a lot better for your neck. You will find that many computer screens in offices and public spaces are usually below eye level and you find yourself looking down when working on one of them. What this does is cause strain on your neck, which is not good for your posture or neck long term as the neck is not meant to be bent downwards like that. Having your screens at eye level is best and you may be thinking how do I do that?
With computers, it is as simple as raising your screen a little higher. If you have monitor arms on your desk, this can be adjusted easily. But if you have a standard screen, it can be as simple as just putting a few books underneath to increase the height of your monitor to eye level. There are accessories out there such as monitor risers/holders/stands but anything will do really! With a laptop, it becomes a bit tricky as the screen and keyboard is all in one piece. There are specific laptop stands which help to hold your laptop up; this would be what we recommend. Otherwise it may be good to get another keyboard or different monitor. This way you could either put your laptop on some books and use a separate keyboard or do the opposite with a separate monitor. Whichever option you decide to go with, remember screens at eye level!
We know that this blog is quite long and it may be overwhelming, but the key is to slowly adapt your desk to your needs. You don't have to go out and buy fancy equipment straight away. You could work your way down the list for example and slowly see what you need and don’t need. Things like monitor stands can be easily replaced with books or pieces of wood you may have lying around. Simple things like that can help your neck and posture tremendously. If you have any suggestions do remember to let us know and contact us anytime here at Deskbird NZ.
