10 Ergonomic Tips for Setting Up Your Home Workstation
- Posted February 1st, 2010
- Filed under: How We Do It
Two plus years working from the couch and kitchen table had my back and wrists all cranky, to say the least. Hence, I recently set up a permanent workstation, taking into account some best ergonomic practices that I’ve garnered over 14 years of some-sort-of-desk-job history. I’m happy to report that, almost immediately, my back and wrists graciously behaved as a result of my mostly-minor modifications. I figured yawl (that’s how we do in the East) might benefit from a handy check list of 10 things to consider when settling down for a day – or 14 years – of your own desk work. The list is just a guide on seated positioning, so I didn’t hit on adjustable tables, standing workstations, glare, or any helpful exercises. See the resources at the end of this post for more ergo tips and gear.
1. Keep your head aligned over shoulders; don’t stretch neck forward.
2. Your eyeballs should be looking straight ahead, not up or down. To achieve this, the top of your monitor needs to be no higher than eye level. You might need a riser to help lift your laptop or monitor to a good, eyeballs-dead-center position. A chair with adjustable height may help here as well.
3. Sit as far away from the screen as comfortably possible.
