“Sitting for long periods can have a seriously negative effect on your health, especially if you are not sitting properly. There are many health problems that are associated with sitting for long periods of the day and back pain is one of the most common complaints. But for many of us, our working life consists of sitting at a desk for 8 hours every day, with little break or movement in between. If you are not sitting at your desk properly then you could face serious health problems in the future and you may already be suffering from some of them. That’s why it is important to make sure that your office environment and desk space is set up ergonomically to help you maintain a healthy posture. Our guide gives you advice and tips on the best way to set up an ergonomically-friendly office. Setting up your desk correctly
This is an essential part of making sure that your workspace is ergonomic and isn’t damaging for your posture. Many people are unsure how they should sit at their desk to offer the best seating position and maintain a healthy posture while you work. There are a few things that you can do to set up your desk for a more ergonomic seating posture.
1) Make sure that you are not seated too close to your monitor. An ideal distance is between 50 – 100 centimetres away from your monitor. Equally, you shouldn’t be too far away from the screen, but the more common problem finds people sitting too close to their monitor. If you can’t move your monitor further away, then take a look at our Keyboard Trays to extend your work surface.
2) Adjust the angle of your monitor so that it sits at eye level. The monitor should always be directly in front of you and the top of your screen should be in line with your eye level. If you have to look down at your screen a lot you should consider raising your monitors or lowering your chair where possible.
3) Change the brightness and contrast on your screen so that you can clearly see the monitor. A lot of people forget to do this but you should adjust these settings on your screen to best suit your working environment, as you will want different settings in a lighter or darker space.
4) Place your keyboard correctly so that your arms hang vertically. Don’t extend your arms far forward or bend them back as this can lead to a bad posture and slouching. Using a chair with armrests can help to keep a good posture.
5) Choose the right size mouse for your desk and make sure that it is within easy reach. The cable should be long enough that you can easily reach your mouse while typing. You can also get a mouse that is larger or smaller to fit the size of your hands.
By making these simple changes to your workspace, you could drastically improve your posture and, in turn, your health. These simple tips are easy to achieve and can make a big difference. There are other things that can help to improve your posture, like having a good ergonomic chair or furniture, but these tips are a great start. Why don’t you take a look at some of our other accessories and see if there is anything that could further help to improve your posture at work?”
By: Richard Edwards
Published: 2nd August 2016