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2024/11/18

How to work from home comfortably

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work from home ergonomics

When Kiberd examines clients’ work-from-home setups, posture is the first thing she addresses. Many people’s computers are positioned so they’re looking down at the screen, which results in hunched shoulders. Instead, your eyes should look on the horizon and hit the top third of the screen. Placing a computer on a stack of books or a laptop stand can do the trick. My back is playing up, my neck and shoulders are tight, and my legs are getting increasingly more restless. My make-shift remote work setup consists of a little desk and a dining table chair.

Ergonomic Workstation

Start with what you know and what has already been working for you at the office. And while this might be effective in protecting ourselves from the virus, it has created other unintentional health concerns and challenges. With the unpredictable impact COVID-19 placed on our work routines this year, a very large portion of people have been forced to work from home. People of colour have always felt pressure to hide their personal identities in professional environments. So as we wash our hands and stay isolated to repel the coronavirus, how can we make sure we’re not subjecting our bodies to a different hazard caused by bad work-from-home habits?

So, here are more ways to actively improve your posture on a daily basis. The app allows you to create training sessions and schedules throughout the day. The electronic posture trainer is a very minimal digital device that’s placed on your upper back and has an alarm that will gently remind you to correct your posture. If worn incorrectly, you could be doing more harm than good so please check with a professional first.

Desk Setup: Creating an Optimal Workspace

work from home ergonomics

Sharing a workstation means you need to adjust your computer height, chair, and furniture every time you sit down. Often, you may choose to skip adjusting the workstation altogether. If you are the only person using the space, customizing will reduce the time and discomfort of sitting at a station that does not fit you. If you don’t have the option of an office chair, there are some household items you can use to help you adjust. Putting a firm cushion or tightly folded towel under your buttocks will raise your hips and increase the curve of your spine, making sitting more comfortable.

That being said, having a low-back or lumbar pillow to fill in that area can also boost lumbar support — which is important for preventing lower back pain. If you’re using an office-style chair, the chair’s design should help take care of this for you, thanks to built-in lumbar support that’s made to curve with your back, says Khastoo. The home environment is often quite different from the office, so shifting from on-site to remote work might come with a few challenges. Difficult team communication, inability to focus, and lack of access to proper equipment can all make working remotely less than ideal, but don’t let ergonomic home office design fall by the wayside.

Again, the goal is to get your knees to a 90-degree position while keeping your feet flat and positioning your keyboard within easy reach. If your thighs lightly touch the underside of the desk and it’s comfortable for you, you should be good to go, adds Khastoo. Of course, it’s not like you can just conjure up your office workspace at home. And, if you don’t have a home office, you’re not exactly set up for success.

The benefits

  1. Until next time, keep those work-from-home postures comfortable, and stay safe.
  2. In a perfect world, experts say you’d re-create your usual office setup at home.
  3. Elbows should rest toward the side of your body, close to your center of gravity.
  4. But there’s a good reason your office provided a cubicle instead of a couch — and it’s not just because your coworkers didn’t want to see your bare feet.
  5. Working from home can affect posture in various ways, depending on where and how you work.
  6. Sharing a workstation means you need to adjust your computer height, chair, and furniture every time you sit down.

Here are the top ergonomic tips for working from home, whether it’s during a pandemic or not. With expertise in software, management, human factors and ergonomics, Darren leads the team work from home ergonomics of talented researchers, writers and editors behind the ExpertEasy blog. Here are some frequently asked questions on work-from-home ergonomics. Working from home can pose some challenges to your mental health and well-being. Set clear work expectations and boundaries with your manager and family members to cope with these challenges. By getting your food delivered, you can free up more time and energy for your work tasks, personal errands, or leisure activities.

DON’T hunch over your laptop

For people who spend all or most of their work day at their computers. Positive and negative tilts are available to further help wrist orientation. Go for a walk, or run out to grab groceries on your lunch break just to leave the house. Do something that distinctly lets your mind know you’re done with work, whether that’s cooking dinner or working out. That being said, being stuck in a closet or the attic isn’t the best space either. One of the lasting effects of Covid-19 could be that more companies will allow people to work from home in the future.