These days, many of us are stuck working from home due to the quarantine caused by COVID-19. You might have had the ultimate office space when you were actually in-office, but now that you’re home, chances are that you barely cleared aside a small workspace in the hopes that the quarantine would be temporary. It looks like we’re in it for the long haul (or at least, longer than we thought) so it’s time to designate an ergonomic workspace for yourself that allows you to maintain good posture and stay focused.
Workspace
It’s certainly very easy to allow yourself to work from bed or the couch every single day, but your back (nor your boss) will be very happy about this. Your posture, neck, and back will suffer if you spend all your time on the couch because you won’t be able to maintain healthy cervical and lumbar posture. Instead, completely clear off your desk or make a place for yourself at the kitchen table where you can comfortably set up your monitors, your notes and calendars, your phone, and anything else you might need. Creating a space away from your television will also prevent you from getting lost in a Netflix series rather than a spreadsheet.
Chair
Chances are, at work you had a nice chair with lumbar support, an adjustable base, and adjustable arms. If you aren’t able to bring that to your home office and you don’t want to purchase one, you can make do with a few basic items. Put a thin pillow or blanket under your butt and over the back of your chair. It will make your chair feel a bit more comfortable. You can roll up a thin blanket or a towel and place it in your lower back area for lumbar support.
Change Positions
Sitting in one position all day—whether in the office or out—can cause your muscles to tense and tighten. Aim to switch up your position once per hour. Start at your desk, take a quick phone call from your couch, work while standing, and sit with your legs stretched out. Make sure you are taking frequent breaks to stretch. You don’t have the excuse of visiting a coworker’s desk anymore and stretching your legs, so if you find yourself forgetting to take breaks, set an alarm for yourself.
Raise your Laptop
If you’re working from a laptop you’ll want to make sure you raise it up. Hunching down over a laptop is never an ergonomic option and will lead to “tech neck” (too much hunching that leads to spasms and headaches). If you don’t have a nice stand, you can use a few books to prop it up so that the top edge of the monitor is just below eye level. Your arms should be bent at a 90-degree angle when typing. Consider investing in a wireless keyboard so you can achieve the ultimate ergonomic computer setup.
Be smart about your spine and take care of yourself during this time. You’ll save yourself from a lot of unnecessary stress on your body.
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