If you’re already working from home, you know all the advantages it has. No commute expenses, homemade meals, flexible working hours and a safe working environment. But if your home office is not set up the right way, you’ll end up being uncomfortable and unproductive.
The wrong chair and desk will give you bad posture, and neck and back pain. To improve your working environment, productivity and your health, you should try using ergonomic furniture such as adjustable chairs and desks, and accessories, including a computer monitor arm.
Monitor Arms
There are many ways to make your home office ergonomic heaven and an arm is one of them. It’ll increase the working space on your desk, give you extra room to move, and decrease the clutter, but most importantly, having a convenient and stable monitor arm will improve your posture and relieve the pain. Before buying one, you should take several things into consideration.
The monitor’s size is the first thing. The arm has to be sturdy enough to hold your monitor in place. So if you have a bigger, heavier monitor, buy a sturdier arm. Also, if you need to hold 2 monitors make sure they won’t overlap each other or be too far apart. If the screen is too heavy for the arm, it’ll lean down and eventually fall on the desk.
Next is the mounting system. Most of them come with a clamp mount, some with a grommet one and some have both. The clamp mount is C-shaped and grasps your desk. The grommet mount needs to go through a circular hole in your desk. Both of these options are good, the choice depends on your personal preference.
If there are any restrictions on the desk, like decorative pieces or ledges, you should get a clamp that is wide enough to clasp onto them. Stability is also important. This arm should shake excessively when you lean or type on the desk. Get a secure mount and an arm that’s not very long. People often forget about the space behind the desk. Make sure there’s enough so you can safely install and move the arm around, so you don’t bump and scratch the walls.
If you’re the only one using the computer, you won’t be making a lot of adjustments. In this case, you can get a fixed or manually adjustable arm. But if you’re sharing it with someone else there will be a lot of adjusting. So, the best choice would be a spring or gas-assisted height adjustment. Having a cord organiser on the arm is a nice extra feature that will hold the cables together and give you a cleaner desk.
Stand-up Desk
A stand-up desk can make a big difference and contribute a lot to your ergonomic home office. There are several types of desks you can choose from. The first one is the adjustable desk. It comes in a manual and an electric version. They’re simple to move up and down without you having to move the monitor or any documents on it. Some even have drawers and features like USB ports and charging stations.
The second choice is a fixed standing desk that often goes in pairs with a matching chair. This will help you adjust your position as much as you want. And the third choice is the desk converter. Convertors can have many features and the best thing is that you can install them on any flat surface. Make sure to always set a budget before going shopping.
These desks can vary in price because of the materials they’re made of, their size and the type of movement. Measure the room you have available and don’t go any larger than that. Its depth is also a key factor. If it’s deep enough, you’ll have plenty of space for your arms and legs and you can set the monitor and the monitor arm as far as you want.
Because the desk should be stable and not move around, it’s a good idea to anchor it to the wall or the floor. Also, check its weight capacity. Some desks can’t hold a lot of weight. This capacity will vary anywhere from 20-300kg. Ask the retailer about this and consider the weight you’re planning to put on it.
Ergonomic Chairs
The next thing to help you create an ergonomic home office is an ergonomic chair. This is not a one-fits-them-all chair. There are many different designs and until you try them out you can’t know which one fits you best. The main consideration here is adjustability. Their seat is around 40-50cm tall and if you’re not taller than 190cm this seat height will work.
If this is the case, your knees should be at a 90-degree angle and your feet should lie flat on the floor. For the most comfort, the seat should be around 45-50cm wide. The depth matters as well. When you sit, the backrest should support your back and the back of your knees should be at least 3 fingers apart from the chair. The backrest and armrests are also adjustable and move in every direction to give you the most comfortable position.
Ergonomic Mouse
The mouse is an inseparable part of the computer that we use all the time. That’s why you should get an ergonomic one that will prevent discomfort and wrist pain. If you can, always go for the wireless option because it allows for different hand positions and postures. This means no shoulder strain at any point. By supporting the palm, the vertical mouse helps you retain it in a neutral position. You won’t twist it to the side but keep it in the handshake stance.
There are also adjustable mice that tilt from one side to another and give you the perfect holding angle. There is another option called, the roller mouse. It’s placed in front of the keyboard and when you roll the bad you move the cursor. It may take you some time to get used to the movements, but once you do, you won’t change it for anything.
Ergonomic Keyboard
This type of keyboard has a split design that significantly improves your ergonomic workspace. Both sides have keys with letters and numerals. Depending on the design the numerals can sometimes be activated with a push of a button. Just like the chair, not every keyboard is designed the same way. That’s why you should always try it before you buy it.
Make sure the reach distance is right, otherwise you’ll get back and shoulder pain from a lot of straining. The two parts can be placed at any distance. The most important thing is to have your wrists, hands and shoulders in the right position.
