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Ever found yourself or your employees rubbing your neck or back at work, feeling the aches and pains? Sitting all day can certainly take a toll on your body. But by improving office ergonomics, you can make your workspace more comfortable and avoid fatigue.
Let’s discover seven easy ways to improve your office ergonomics and feel your best every day.
Use Ergonomic Everything
Investing in ergonomic office furniture from ArchiPro can go a long way in creating an office environment you’ll love, reducing fatigue, and improving comfort while working. You can choose from many options, such as ergonomic chairs, desks, keyboards, and mice.
Your ergonomic chair should come with adjustable height, lumbar support, and armrests. It should also evenly distribute your body weight, reducing pressure and muscle strain.
When it comes to keyboards and mice, ergonomic options typically have a design that’s easier on your hands, wrists, and forearms. For example, a split keyboard can reduce wrist strain, while a vertical mouse can alleviate tension in your forearms.
You can also use accessories to make existing equipment more ergonomic, such as monitor risers and footrests.
Stop Slouching
When you slouch, your spine isn’t properly aligned, leading to back pain and fatigue. It also causes poor posture and puts more pressure on your vertebrae, leading to compression and spinal problems in the future.
To stop that from happening, make sure your feet are flat on the floor, your knees are at a 90-degree angle, and your hips are pressed against the back of your chair. These steps will ensure good posture and reduce the risk of office injuries.
You could also place a lumbar cushion behind your lower back to provide extra support. It’ll prevent you from slouching. Plus, take regular breaks to stand up and walk around, even if it’s around your table.
And if possible, consider using a standing desk. It’ll help you adjust the height of your workstation, prevent fatigue and improve circulation, which can increase your energy levels and productivity.
Keep Your Arms Supported
When your arms aren’t supported, your shoulders can get tense, causing pain and discomfort. To prevent your muscles from turning into cables, make sure your forearms are parallel to the floor when typing or using your mouse.
Also, bend your elbows at a 90-degree angle and make sure they’re resting comfortably on the armrests of your chair. This can help you avoid problems caused by compression, force, repetitive motions, and poor posture.
But if your chair doesn’t have armrests, you can get separate armrests that attach to your desk or chair.
Take Screen Breaks
Staring at a computer screen for hours can strain your eyes and cause fatigue. To avoid that, take regular screen breaks throughout the day. That could mean simply looking away from your screen for a few seconds every 20 minutes or taking longer breaks every hour or two.
While you’re taking a break, get up and move around a bit to get your blood flowing and reduce stiffness in your muscles. Even a short walk around the office or a quick stretch can make a big difference in how you feel.
And if you find you’re still experiencing eye strain, you can try using a blue light filter or wearing special glasses designed to reduce eye strain from devices.
Adjust Your Monitor at Eye Level
The position of your monitor can lead to neck cricks, eye strain, and muscle tension. For instance, if your monitor is set too low, you might find yourself tilting your head down and scrunching your neck to look at it, which can cause neck pain and headaches.
But if your screen is too high, you’ll be looking up constantly, which can strain your neck and lead to dry eyes. To avoid these issues, make sure the top of your screen is at or slightly below eye level.
And if you use a laptop, think about getting a separate keyboard/mouse and prop your laptop up on a stand to raise it to the right height. Also, make sure it is at a comfortable distance from your eyes.
Use the Correct Lighting
Make sure your computer screen is not reflecting light from any windows or overhead lights because that can cause glare and increase eye strain.
Also, think about using task lighting, such as a desk lamp, to reduce eye strain and improve visibility. Make sure the brightness is adjustable because too much can strain your eyes, while too little can cause eye fatigue.
Keep Everything Within Arm’s Reach
Keep your keyboard, mouse, phone, and other frequently used items within reach. This will prevent you from repeatedly stretching or twisting your body to reach for things, which can cause muscle strain and fatigue.
But to do that, you may need to rearrange your workspace. Here’s what to do:
- Place your monitor in the center of your desk and your keyboard and mouse within easy reach. If you frequently use the phone, keep it on the side of your dominant hand to avoid reaching for it repeatedly.
- Keep frequently used items at a similar height, and don’t place them too low or too high. That’ll only cause neck fatigue.
