Because of the social distancing and quarantine regulations, everyone is advised to stay home. Office work has been suspended and employees are being asked to work from home. Especially for those who have been working in an office their whole lives, it might have been difficult to adjust. Admittedly, working at home can be less productive, filled with household distractions that don’t seem to end.
The pandemic struck suddenly, and we many weren’t given a chance to prepare. Some weren’t able to set up their active work station at home. Hence, the tendency to work in non-ergonomic spots and postures, taking a toll on employees’ overall health and well-being. As much as possible, let’s try to ergonomically optimize our home workstations. Here’s how.
DO find a table with the right height.
Right now, you might be thinking that the ideal spot for you is your living room. So you place your laptop on the short coffee table and position yourself squatted on the carpet. But this is not a healthy posture to sustain for long hours of time. In this position, your hands will be higher or at the same length as your shoulders, causing numbness or strain in the long run.
Ideally, your shoulders should be falling naturally with the height of the table. And your wrists should be resting comfortably on your desktop. This will help prevent carpal tunnel stress, shoulder strains, and upper back pain. The best option for you is to work on your dining table, or buy living room furniture in Salt Lake City and set up your own work station.
DO sit on a chair.
It’s tempting to work on the coach or on your bed, but keeping your body in a vertical position will cause numbness and discomfort for your legs. The first rule in ergonomics is to always work on a chair. Preferably, it should be one that has a backrest to support your spine, and one with the right height to allow your feet to touch the ground. Don’t let your feet dangle and cause unnecessary stress on your thighs and lumbar spine. Get crafty and elevate your feet using books or boxes.
DO follow the 20-20-20 rule.
Ergonomics isn’t all about body posture. It involves all the conditions and factors that affect your productivity while working, including eye strain. We’re all making use of our laptops to accomplish remote work now, so we should be following the 20-20-20 rule.
This rule dictates that for every 20 minutes of staring at your computer screen, you should be giving your eyes a break by looking at an object 20 feet away for 20 minutes. It could be a painting, a plant, or whatever can give your eyes the much-needed break from the computer screen. This will help prevent eye strain and reduce fatigue, making you more productive.
DO take breaks
Even while working from home, you should still be practicing what you used to do in the office. That means taking breaks every now and then and eating your meals on time. After every hour of work, stand up and take a walk or do some stretching exercises for 5 minutes. This will not only help reboot your mind, but also relax your body and keep you functioning optimally.
Admittedly, making the transition from office-based to home-based work can be challenging. But by utilizing what you have at home to set up an ergonomic work station for yourself, productivity will follow. Take these tips and set up your home work station today.
