Ergonomics is key in the office world; without proper ergonomics, we simply can’t reach our full potential at work. Incorrect posture at our desks will affect our health, comfort, and productivity. If our posture is correct and we feel comfortable, we will work smarter and be more alert on the job – not to mention promoting our health and wellness. To help achieve maximum coziness and and efficiency at work, we’ve put together a list of 5 ergonomic posture tips.
Monitor Height
If we spend long periods of time at our desks during the day, there’s a good chance that we’re looking at our computer monitors for a large part of the day as well. It’s important to center our monitors so they are directly in front of us, and they should also be about an arm’s length away when we are sitting back in our chairs. Our monitors should be screen level with our eyes, with our eyes looking at about the top third of the monitor. We should also be mindful of the brightness setting and should be aware of any glare coming in from an open window, as these can strain our eyes.
Office Chair
Ideally, we should be sitting in an office chair with lumbar support to help naturally cradle our backs and encourage correct posture. It is vital that we adjust the height of our chair so that our feet are resting comfortably on the floor. In our chairs, we should aim to center our bodies and to sit up straight, avoiding slouching back in our chairs (as tempting as this may be at times).
Object Positioning
One thing that can put an unnecessary amount of strain on our bodies is having to reach constantly for key items on our desk, such as our stapler or telephone. A good rule of thumb is to keep items that we use most frequently throughout the day within an arm’s length. Our keyboards should be center with our bodies and computer monitor, and our computer mouse should be parallel on either the right or left side of the keyboard.
Wrist Positioning
Since we are typing so much throughout the day, it is also imperative that we keep our wrists in a comfortable position. One of the best ways to accomplish this and minimize further stress is through a wrist rest. When we are typing, we should hold our wrists in a straight and natural position above the wrist rest. After long periods of typing, we can then use the wrist rest to relax by keeping our palms on the wrist rest.
Accessories
There is a plethora of accessories designed for comfort and ergonomic health. One great accessory, particularly if we talk on the phone much during the day, is a Bluetooth headset. These wireless headsets are also wonderful for multitasking and being able to type on a keyboard while on the phone. Another ideal accessory for good ergonomics is a footrest. Footrests are perfect for when our office chairs are too high up for us, or when our feet are not naturally resting on the floor.
Do you have any ergonomic tips that help your work-wellness? We would love to hear them!
