Working from home can present some challenges. Not many people have a suitable workspace in the home and working with a laptop on your bed isn’t ideal. It’s one thing if you’re working from home for a few days but the Covid-19 pandemic has meant that many of us have been doing it for an extended period of time. Uncomfortable working conditions can impact physical health, so today we’ll go through some suggestions about ergonomics and how to prevent problems.
Seating
A comfortable chair is an essential for home working. Sitting on the sofa is better than working on your bed, but it’s still not recommended. A hard chair is better, but won’t give enough support for the back or legs. A chair with built-in lumbar support is best but, if you have to, improvise with a pillow or rolled-up blanket. A chair with arms is helpful, so you can relax comfortably, but you may have to make do. The important thing is to be able to rest your arms without crouching or bending forward in an unnatural position.
You should also be seated with both feet firmly on the floor. A footrest will help if your chair is too high, or you can improvise with a box or anything else of a suitable height. If your feet are on the floor or a footrest then your knees should be bent at the right angle – and you’ll also avoid stress to your hips.
Table or Desk
A proper work surface of some kind is another ergonomics essential. A desk is obviously designed for this purpose, but a table or countertop will be fine as long as you can sit or stand without straining. If it’s too high, consider raising your chair (a simple task if it’s adjustable). Most people spend seven or eight hours a day working, and apparently small physical strains can accumulate and cause considerable problems over time. A wrist rest is another good aid to prevent repetitive strain injury.
Gadgets and Accessories
Technology exists to make life easier and more comfortable! With a laptop it’s easy to cast your screen to a TV or another monitor, which can be really useful. It can give you more space where you’re working or a larger display so you’re not straining your eyes.
Noise-cancelling headphones are also useful for home working, since you can tune out annoying distractions. A quality set is worth it, and types with a built-in microphone are desirable. The more you can focus, the quicker you can complete your work and get away from your workstation.
If you’d like to discuss how to provide your staff with the technology and resources they need for home working, then we’re here to help. Call Quikteks today at (973) 882-4644.