Make Your Office Space More Ergonomically Friendly In 2015

Photo credit: racheocity / Foter / CC BY-ND

Do you ever leave work aching and hurting in places you don’t think you should be? Do you not work a physically strenuous job and still feel like you have gone through the ringer daily? You could be feeling that way because your desk is not ergonomically friendly. If you like your job and don’t want to give it up because of how you’re physically feeling, make a resolution to make your desk more ergonomically sound in the new year. Oklahoma State University put together a great checklist for how to set up your workspace and make sure you’re not aching when you go home:

• It’s All About Posture
• Sit up straight. If you find yourself leaning forward to see your computer screen or to use your keyboard, move them closer to you. Leaning can be hard on your back and neck.
• Your wrists shouldn’t be in an odd angle. If you can’t use your keyboard by keeping your wrists relatively straight, use wrist supports to help create a different setup.
• Don’t have a side monitor. Make sure you are facing your monitor head-on and not angling your neck to see your work.
• Adjust Your Chair Just Right
• Make sure your thighs aren’t pressing up against the sides of your chair in an uncomfortable way.
• Set your chair at a height so that your arms and wrists aren’t angled oddly to use your keyboard.
• Don’t Forget The Monitor!
• Place the monitor at a distance that doesn’t cause you to squint or strain your eyes.
• Make sure the text starts just below your eyes level so that you aren’t leaning down to read.
• Dust your screen and keep it clean to help avoid other strenuous situations for your eyes and neck.

Ergonomics are all about making sure you are comfortable while you are doing your work. If you’re straining your body to do your work, make some changes until you aren’t aching anymore when you go home. If your work requires repetitive events like typing and clicking, make adjustments until it feels comfortable.Ergonomics don’t have to be hard to obtain. Make an effort in 2015 to be more comfortable and make your workspace a happier place to be.