Working in a poorly designed space can be detrimental to your physical well-being. Although remote work offers you the freedom to decide how to carry out your tasks in terms of physical accommodation, not all positions are convenient, no matter how relaxing they may seem.
Having an ergonomic home office is essential. The first thing you should do is to have a fixed space to work and get professional advice on how to organize and structure it properly.
Do you usually work in the dining room, on a couch or even in bed? While this can occasionally be an advantage, it is best to keep your workspace separate from your sleeping area. If you don’t separate the environments, it will be more difficult to ensure effective home office ergonomics.
In addition to causing unnecessary stress accumulations, circulation problems in the extremities and different types of injuries, maintaining a bad position during working hours can cause severe muscle pain and weakened bones.
Follow these 5 tips from the Cime Business Environments team to build your ergonomic home office to maximize your comfort, productivity and prevent all kinds of health complications.
1. Lighting
A good ergonomic home office environment should be lit in such a way that you don’t have to strain your eyes excessively. If your studio doesn’t have enough natural light coming in, it’s important to have a desk lamp and ceiling bulbs with adequate wattage.
On the other hand, be sure to cover the following aspects:
- Avoid glare or reflections. The illumination of the screen should be regulated and shiny surfaces should have anti-reflective coatings or should not face directly in the direction of the person’s face.
- Verify that the light distribution is uniform.
2. Ventilation
Moreover, the ergonomic home office must also ensure a good ventilation system that favors constant air renewal. If this does not happen, allergic reactions, eye and throat irritation, headaches and fatigue can occur.
If there are windows in the room you have set aside for work, open them occasionally. If there are not, keep the door open and consider installing a fan to help move the air. All this is also ideal to avoid heat accumulation.
3. Lumbar support
There are several aspects you should review when choosing an ergonomic home office chair. Primarily it should meet these criteria:
- It should provide support for the curves of the spine. It should not be too stiff or too soft and should adapt to your contours.
- The height should allow you to rest the soles of your feet on the floor. If the chair is too high, you can use a footrest or an additional platform.
- It is recommended that the chair has armrests so that you can rest them eventually.
4. Desk
An ergonomic desk position will give you enough room to stretch your legs. Your feet, knees and thighs should not be cramped or bump into any furniture.
On the other hand, the height of your desk should be such that your computer monitor is at eye level. This way, you will not have to tilt your head and you will reduce the risk of neck problems.
5. Pauses
When thinking about an ergonomic home office, the first thing that comes to mind is to evaluate the quality of ergonomic products, accessories and body positions. But another very important factor has to do with taking regular active breaks during the day.
Every 2 to 3 hours of work, get up from your chair, stretch your arms and legs or even take a short walk. Take 10 to 15 minutes to clear your mind and move your body.
Make this a habit. This way, you will avoid work fatigue and stress in general.
If you are determined to create your ergonomic home office and would like some guidance, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
