Many of us around the world are entering new territory when it comes to working from home and creating an ergonomic home office.
Rather than jump from space to space based on the activity at hand, most people are limited to what’s available in their home and trying to make do with what they already have. To help those hacking their home offices, we’re offering some key pointers on the best ways to get creative with what you have around the house for a healthier set up.
- Monitor placement: external monitors work best, but if you don’t have one, make sure your laptop display height is eye level. You can even use a cardboard box to ensure you aren’t tilting your neck to look down at your screen.
- Use an external keyboard & mouse: Yes! It is possible with laptops. Amazon has a nice selection that can be shipped directly to your house.
- Find a comfortable chair: check out task chairs on the Steelcase Store.
- Change postures: if you don’t have a height-adjustable desk at home, you can always use your kitchen counter for short-standing meetings.
- Give your eyes a break: working on small screen can tire your eyes. Give them a break by staring at something in the far distance for 30-60 seconds, like a nearby window.
- Have patience: make sure you’re communicating with those in your household about time restrictions, signaling, etc. Barking dogs or spouses walking in during video calls are bound to happen, so try to be more understanding and patient than usual.
- Take breaks and move: it’s important to move and get some blood flowing. Try walking up and down the stairs, around the kitchen island, or around the coffee table. Start a load of laundry or go outside for a walk.
- Stay connected with others: don’t forget to check in with others (coworkers, friends and family). Microsoft Teams works virtually to keep you connected and avoid feeling isolated.
- Drink water: try to drink eight 8-oz glasses of water a day to stay hydrated. Check out these 5 apps that can help you stay on track.
- Investigate your ideal working rhythm: experiment by working 45 minutes on and 15 minutes off to give yourself mental and physical breaks.
- Keep a journal: jot down your feelings and thoughts during this uncertain time to help relieve stress.
Looking for more tips and tricks when it comes to creating an ergonomic home office? Check out this video on resting elbow height and be sure to follow us on social media to learn more about how you can work better at home or about our personal perspectives on working remotely.
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For many people around the world, working from home, or on distributed teams, is a new reality. To help ease into this new environment, join the conversation online by joining Steelcase’s LinkedIn group discussing ways to cope with remote work.
