Finding the perfect fit: Choosing your home office setup

Newsflash! Ergonomics isn’t just a tag that comes with a fancy office chair — according to expert ergonomist and CEO of Worksite International, Alison Heller-Ono, “It’s the study of how people work, it’s human-centered design and it’s really ubiquitous wherever we do work. It’s not just at home, it’s not just at the computer, it’s all types of tasks and activities.”

What’s the importance of a well-designed workplace?

Ergonomics isn’t a new idea. It’s been around since the 1950s, but we’ve all become more interested in it in recent years, acknowledging that a properly designed workspace can enhance productivity, comfort, and overall well-being. Heller-Ono explains, “People have more awareness now because of the pandemic, because of long-term laptop use at home in awkward postures and positions and also wanting to be more comfortable at home and in the workplace.” In The Ultimate Buyer’s Guide to Home and Office Furniture, Heller-Ono shares the basics of what to watch out for when setting up your home office. There are four primary risk factors for regular computer use:

• Repetitive motion (typing, mouse clicking)
• Forceful exertion (gripping the mouse or pushing fingers down hard)
• Awkward or static postures (bad setup or not moving enough)
• Contact stress

According to Heller-Ono, the problem is we only learn about ergonomics by accident, when something starts to hurt. So, don’t just wait for that to happen, find out now which kind of home office setup works best for you and use these expert tips to make the most of your workspace, wherever it may be.

The cozy retreat

Ergonomics isn’t just about chairs (although a good one is important). How your home office looks and feels is important too. Heller-Ono says, “You must feel good about where you’re working and it’s worth designating an area in your home that’s designed for you to spend 40 hours a week in, a space where you can create and be comfortable.” Her top tips include making it visually appealing with photos and plants, keeping your pets nearby if that works for you, using pleasant music to create an atmosphere that helps you to concentrate and generally moving things around so they work for you. You might be someone who loves colorful stationary or has a great view that helps you relax. It’s all about being in control of your environment, investing in yourself and in what you’re doing.

The cafe hopper

If you love to be out and about exploring different cafes in your neighborhood, then Heller-Ono recommends investing in a mobile kit you can bring along. “If you’re going to spend any more than two hours a day on your laptop it’s really good to just elevate the laptop and use it for the monitor and then use an external wireless keyboard and mouse separately and that goes a long way to reduce the strain of the eyes and elbows.” This might seem a tall order, but you can get a small portable laptop stand that folds up like a tripod that will easily slip into your backpack.

Heller-Ono also recommends being mindful of your time and environment. “Don’t sit on a hard wooden chair in the coffee shop without getting up for three hours. We usually suggest no longer than 60 minutes before an interruption, 30 is even better and every 15 is even better than that.” You don’t need to pack up all your stuff and go for a walk around the block, though that would be great. Simply standing up and sitting down again could work. Heller-Ono explains that most of us only move away from the computer 3 to 4 times a day for bathroom breaks and a lunch break but in reality, we should be moving more like 32 times, which breaks down to 4 times an hour during an 8-hour day. Of course, if you do want to do more than stand up and sit down you have the added dilemma of whether to pack away your “office” and take it with you or ask a friendly-looking fellow customer to keep an eye on it for you.

Whatever you decide, just keep moving. The body is designed to move and it enjoys movement. Heller-Ono says that the modern human is far too sedentary and it’s having a tremendous impact on physiological health. High cholesterol, high blood pressure, metabolic syndrome, obesity, and even shorter lifespan can all partly be put down to prolonged sitting.

The high-tech hideout

You’re pretty proud of your setup, you’ve invested a decent amount in it, you have two screens so you can multitask to your heart’s content, a really good ergonomic chair, a sit-stand desk to keep you moving and you feel good in your space. Still, have you taken the time to ensure it’s all a good fit for your body?

Heller-Ono explains that ergonomics is all about fitting the environment to you. “Humans tend to accommodate to the environment they are in rather than changing the environment to fit the human in the most comfortable and supportive manner possible. They sit at the front edge of their chair, they lean forward, put their arms up on the desk, reach out away, rotate their head, look down to their laptop, or up at their monitor.” This all causes stress and strain to the body. To set up your home office correctly, she suggests a 5-step methodology:

1. Adjust your chair so that your feet rest on the floor (with or without a footrest) your back is against the backrest and your shoulders are aligned with your spine and wrists in line with your forearms.
2. Determine the work surface height. If the desk is about elbow height, raise your chair and use a footrest.
3. Position the keyboard and mouse at or below your resting elbow height when seated with your feet on the floor.
4. Position the monitor as close to the seated eye height as possible and at a comfortable visual distance. (If you’re using two monitors, position them side by side in a slight V-shape with your eyeline in the middle).
5. Place other tools you use frequently within reach.

If you’re standing, you could add a footrest and intermittently have one foot on it at a time or use a standing mat for comfort. Your wrists should be in line with your forearms when working and the top of your monitor should be angled at or just below eye height. Limit standing time to 40 minutes at a time and no longer than 3 hours a day.

If you’re sitting, Heller-Ono shares a final tip: “The chair is foundational, and if your chair isn’t right, then the ergonomics of your workstation will never be right. It is the number one thing that should offer good comfort and support because with that chair you can achieve better fit within your system.”

The nomadic office

Not everyone has the space in their home for a dedicated office or the means to purchase expensive equipment, and not all companies offer a stipend either. So, if you work on the dining room table or in your bedroom, what can you do to protect your health and set up a “moving office” on a budget?

The first thing is to invest in a good chair. If you have a height-adjustable chair you can fit it to whatever you’re using as your desk. Whatever you do, please don’t lie on the bed like a tormented teen. Once you’ve decided on your work surface for the next hour or so, get your elbow height right by adjusting the chair, and if you need to, add a footrest. Heller-Ono says you can pick one up for $35-$40 but you could also opt for a box or turn over a trash can if it’s the right height. Then you need to look at your screen. If you need to raise your monitor, you can use a proper stand, or a pile of books, or even a ream of paper. The beauty of using things you have on hand is that you can just return them to their original spot at the end of the day and you don’t need extra storage space.

Once you’ve got that sorted, set up your external accessories. If you are going to invest in something other than a chair, Heller-Ono suggests it’s your mouse. “A good mouse is an ergonomic mouse that fits your hand. Most people use a mouse that’s too small for them so they don’t get good force distribution and it winds up causing contact stress to the wrist when they don’t move it correctly.”

Wherever you work, through choice or necessity, setting it up to suit you, bring you joy, and fit your body is paramount to productivity, happiness, and health. So, whether you like a dedicated space with all the modifications you can muster, or you prefer to switch with your mood, make sure you get the basics right every time, and if anything starts to feel uncomfortable, figure out why and find a targeted solution, because if work is causing you pain, you won’t want to be there.

Photo: Welcome to the Jungle

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