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Kitchen tabletops, couches, and rearranged bedrooms are now converted into momentary home offices. Millions are working from home now around the world. There’s even an acronym for this new Work From Home status, or WFH. Some love this change, however, for some, WFH is beginning to get stale. You might be dreaming of your tricked out office chair or your prized adjustable standing height desk. If you’re one of these people, you might be finding that your new living room floor work situation might be a literal pain in the neck.
Sitting eight hours hunched over your laptop like a giraffe at your dining table, on your couch, and maybe even on your bed doesn't do your body any favors. Your back hurts, your hands feel numb, your calves ache, your whole routine feels like a mess.
Many are working under less-than-ideal ergonomic environments— a counter that’s too high, a couch that’s too low, a refrigerator full of snacks that is a little too inviting. You get the idea.
These tips can help you set up your workstation to help you stay productive and avoid potential repetitive stress injuries.
GET OFF OF THE COUCH
It’s easy to want to get comfortable and answer the siren’s call of your inviting comfy couch. It just isn’t an optimal place to work on your laptop for 8+ hours. Having your legs and feet vertical all day and slumping your neck forward might lead to muscle spasms or nerve compression in your hands or legs.
USE A CHAIR
Even the worst kitchen chair is better than a couch. The best chairs have adjustable seat heights, arm rests, and lower back support. You can pump up a kitchen chair with strategically placed pillows or rolled up towels placed between the lower back and chair. You can support your feet on a box or a stack of books if your legs dangle.
POSITION YOUR ARMS AND LEGS CORRECTLY
Choose a chair that supports the natural curve of your spine. Adjust the height of your chair so that your knees sit at a 90 degree angle so that your feet rest flat on the floor or on a footrest and your thighs are parallel to the floor. Adjust armrests so your arms gently rest on them with your shoulders relaxed. No stressed out shoulder hiking allowed! This is a message to put your shoulders down and relax!
DON’T HUNCH OVER A LAPTOP
Laptops are never going to be completely ergonomically ideal because the keyboard is too low and the screen too close to be easily readable. Unfortunately, most newly WFH people I know were issued a laptop and spend their days trying to contort their bodies according to their laptop’s limitations.
MOVE YOUR SCREEN
The Mayo Clinic recommends “The top of the screen should be at or slightly below eye level. Place the monitor directly in front of you, about an arm's length away.” I’ll sometimes tell my patients to remember to make a fist and extend their arm fully in front of them while working on their computers. Your screen should be far enough to way to not accidentally punch.
ADJUST YOUR SET-UP
If you can, use an external monitor or a laptop stand to prop the screen up to prevent rolling your neck forward. The address bar on your web browser should be eye level.
A good adaptation is to prop the laptop up on a box that raises the entire computer and connect a second, wireless mouse and keyboard that are positioned correctly within arm’s reach. Get rid of anything that allows you to constantly rest your wrist on- you definitely don’t want to deal with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome right now.
TAKE FREQUENT EYE-STRAIN PREVENTION BREAKS
I like the 20-20-20 rule: For every 20 minutes spent staring at a screen, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. Eye strain is real and hindsight is 20/20. Hopefully your WFH space has a window to the outside world with some lovely natural light.
GET UP AND MOVE AROUND
I’m definitely not talking about making hourly trips to the fridge. Schedule time every day to walk for at least 30 minutes. Grab a buddy and escape the house on your lunch break or after work. Your legs and back will thank you later!
IF YOU WANT TO BUY AN OFFICE CHAIR
A one-size fits most solution rarely works for all. Some people might be looking at a 2021 return to the office. You might want to invest in a good chair if sitting on a wooden seat starts to get old. Invest in a chair that provides customizable, adjustable support. Prices for an excellent chair could run anywhere from $80 to $450. The Cadillac of office chairs from an office brand called Alera Details could run you an easy $1,500 dollars depending on what bells and whistles you’re looking for. Some chairs even have built-in speakers or back massagers, which could be fun to think about!
IN CONCLUSION
Most people can’t splurge for luxury office chairs, but can still create a more ergonomic, healthy, and productivity-enhancing workstation, either with funky furniture they already have, or with some reasonably priced additions to their new WFH space.
Don’t get me wrong- There’s plenty to love about working remotely. Gaining more free time every day by limiting time spent commuting to and from work, cooking lunch at home instead of grabbing a wrap from the nearby coffee shop, and having more opportunities to be more present in your family’s daily lives are huge benefits to working from home. This situation might change office life forever. We are all in this for the long haul and will have to wait and see.
It’s easy to disregard comfort in the sake of convenience and to hold out in pain long enough to just “get through this.” “No pain, no gain” doesn’t apply to a situation like this. It’s worth it to upgrade to a good, ergonomic office setup to prevent strain on your back, neck, and core. Listen to your body: Treat yourself by tricking out your office set up and staying healthy!
