Building an Ergonomic Workspace for Long Hours Choosing the Right Desk Chair and Monitor Placement

7 Things You Need for an Ergonomically Correct Workstation

After years of slumping at a desk, Ive started to suffer the aches that come from having a poor workspace setup.

The stiff chair, the desk thats too tall for my height, and the cramped laptop keyboard have all become a literal pain in the neck (and shoulders, and back, and elsewhere). After talking with ergonomics experts, Ive learned that an ergonomic workstationone that supports your body in a neutral positioncan reduce the risk of discomfort or pain that these stressors cause our bodies.

This means: Your neck isnt contorted or bent back or down, your arms arent lifted or extended out to the sides of your body, your wrists and hands arent bent upward or sideways, and your spine isnt twisted. An ergonomic workstation will help you sit comfortably at a computer, even over long stints. (But you should still remember to take breaks and move every hour.)

Heres how to set up a workspace that fits and supports you the best, based on advice from ergonomics experts as well as on what weve found over years of testing home-office furniture and gear.

Ergonomic workstation setup

A comfortable chair that supports your spine

This is one of the most adjustable chairs availableanyone can make it comfortable, regardless of their height or size. And its built to last.

Take a seat at your desk. With your back pressed against your chairs backrest, see whether your lower back and mid-back feel cushioned, or if there are gaps between your spine and the chair. The best office chairs support the natural S curve of your back. Sitting in a poorly designed chair feels more like youre seated on a log against a hard wall. Cornell University ergonomics professor Alan Hedge told us that if your lower back isnt supported by the chair, you need lumbar support.

If you spend hours at your desk each day, its worth it to invest in a great office chair with that lumbar support. Weve recommended the Steelcase Gesture for years because its highly adjustable to fit a variety of body types and sizes, and it has a supremely comfortable cushion and adjustable lumbar support. You might be able to find one of these chairs at a huge discount at your local office-liquidation store or one of Habitat for Humanitys ReStores.

If you dont want to invest in a new office chair at this time, a lumbar-support pillow and a seat cushion can transform even the most basic, non-padded chair into something you can sit on comfortably for a few hours. A lumbar-support pillow is especially helpful in making your chair fit you better, and that will encourage you to sit properly, with your back against the backrest (good), instead of leaning forward or sitting at the edge of your seat (bad).

A desk set at the proper height for using your keyboard

This is the most customizable desk weve ever tested, and it works for a wide range of heights (people between 5-foot-4 and 7 feet).

Ideally, when youre typing on a keyboard at your desk, your arms and wrists would be in a neutral position: parallel to the floor or angled down toward your lap to reduce strain. Typical desks, however, are between 28 and 30 inches high, which is a good fit for people who are about 5-foot-10 or above. But for those who are shorter than that (the average adult), this desk height is not ideal for keeping their arms parallel to the ground.

There are a couple of solutions to this. To lower the keyboard, you could mount a keyboard tray under your desk, or try raising your chair higher so your wrists are above the keyboard. If you raise your chair, make sure you can still keep your feet flat on the floor. If not, youll need a footrest to give proper support to your legs and feet.

Because there are so many moving parts, getting a just-right ergonomic setup is tricky. Cornell Universitys Ergonomics Web said its impossible to set a workspace (including your desk, chair, and monitor) at the optimal height for all five main office tasks: Typing, mousing, writing, reading documents, and viewing your screen all require different workspace heights. An adjustable-height standing desk offers the best fit because you can raise or lower the desk height in half-inch increments, and you can easily switch between sitting and standing at regular intervals throughout the day.

An external, ergonomic keyboard

This mechanical keyboard is comfortable and meets our ergonomic criteria: Its fully split, has a flat slope, can tent, lacks a number pad, and can be programmed for further customizability.

Heres another exercise: Place your hands over your keyboard as if youre going to type. Now move your hands apart so theyre by your sides, shoulder-width apart. That should feel relieving and more relaxing, with less stress on your shoulders. Unfortunately, most keyboards arent designed for this position and instead force your hands inward so your shoulders are hunched.

The most adjustable ergonomic keyboard is a fully split one, like the Kinesis Freestyle Edge RGB. It lets you space each half of the keyboard so that your hands are shoulder-width apart and your shoulders are relaxed.

Theres a steep learning curve to typing on a split keyboard. So you might opt for a partially split keyboard, like the Microsoft Sculpt Ergonomic Keyboard, or at least a keyboard that doesnt have a number pad, such as our favorite mechanical keyboard, the Varmilo VA87M. Keyboards without a number pad (also known as tenkeyless keyboards) keep the mouse closer to you, thereby reducing the stress of having your arm frequently extended.

Also, an ergonomic keyboard is one that either has a low, flat profile or that tilts forward (with the space keys higher than the top row of keys), to keep your wrists in a neutral position.

Peter Keir, professor of kinesiology at McMaster University in Ontario, told us, If there are feet to pop up near the edge of your computer, do not use them. They act to extend your wristand most people have some extension to start.

A mouse that fits your hand

This mouse is comfortable for a wide range of hand sizes, and it has six programmable buttons and long battery life.

Using repetitive motions on your laptops touchpad or a standard mouse can stress muscles in your fingers and wrists in the same way that repetitive typing can cause fatigue or pain.

At the minimum, most people should look for a mouse that is comfortable to grip and smooth to maneuver. Weve found the Logitech M720 Triathlon Multi-Device Wireless Mouse to be the best wireless mouse for a range of hand sizes and different types of grips.

If using a mouse causes pain or fatigue in your wrists, consider another type of input device, one that reduces fine wrist movements, such as a stylus with a graphics tablet or a trackball. Either can be useful if you have shoulder or wrist strain because it will keep your hand in a neutral position.

A display set at a comfortable height, within arms reach

This stand is made of anodized aluminum, so its exceptionally sturdy and stylish. And of all the laptop stands weve tested, its also the easiest to adjust.

To protect your eyes from strain and fatigue, make sure you can clearly see whats on your monitor or laptop screen, without having to crane or bend your neck. Place your display so your eye level is at the top of the monitor or an inch or two below it and about an arms length away.

You can raise your laptop or monitor as needed with just about anything thats flat and wide, like a stack of books. But for more sturdiness and finer control over the height of your display, consider a laptop stand, like the Rain Design iLevel 2, or a monitor arm, such as the Herman Miller Jarvis Single Monitor Arm. Both are highly adjustable.

Good lighting

This uncomplicated desk lamp uses LED bulbs instead of built-in LEDs, and its the most flexible model for positioning light just where you want it.

Ergonomics experts recommend having good lighting, to reduce eye strain and help you avoid craning your neck at an unnatural angle.

An abundance of natural lighting in the workspace is ideal because it can boost your energy and sense of well-being while reducing eye strain. Daylight and access to outdoor views both give your eyes the opportunity to relax and recover from the strain of staring at a monitor all day.

If you dont have windows in your home office, or when youre working late or on cloudy days, combine overhead lighting with task lighting for the best balance to help you focus.

Anything that helps you reduce stress while youre working

Any type of stress or anxiety can cause your muscles to tense up. This makes working more difficult and can in turn result in even more stress. So include things in your workspace that will help you relax. These items might include:

Most importantly, you should play around with your setup. Try raising or lowering your monitor, adjusting your chair, or alternating between sitting and standing. Then check how your body feels after 30 minutes or more, and continue fine-tuning until you get to that Goldilocks level where your workspace is just right.

This article was edited by Ben Keough and Erica Ogg.

Ergonomics, or the study of workplace efficiency, is a science that is designed to not only make your workplace more comfortable but also to improve safety and increase productivity.

With most office workers spending 8 hours a day or more in front of a computer, not having an ergonomic monitor can lead to muscle fatigue, neck or back pain, eye strain, and reduced efficiency.

In this article, well break down the importance of having an ergonomic monitor and provide 5 tips to help you optimize your ergonomic monitor setup.

Well go ahead and say it when it comes to monitor ergonomics, most people choose whats easiest for themselves, as opposed to whats best for their long term health.

However, do you know whats easier than adopting monitor ergonomic practices? Using them from the start.

If youre confused as to the specifics of monitor ergonomics, its potentially harmful effects, and how to avoid the dangers, then were here to help.

Below, youll find an easy-to-use checklist that will make proper monitor ergonomics as easy as 1,2,3.

Are you ready? Lets go!

What Is Ergonomics and Why Is It Important?

Ergonomics, whether discussed in a technical or physiological context, pertains to an individuals efficiency in the workplace. More specifically, it focuses on the design of everything that surrounds the user, aiming to emphasize the following:

• Safety
• Comfort
• Productivity
• Efficiency

In practice, consider the chair in which you are likely sitting as you read this. Have you been sitting there long? Does your back ache? Are you hunched over? What is the position of your shoulders? Do you feel supported? Could you work a full day while sitting in it? A full year?

These are the questions that ergonomics concerns itself with, and they arent simply confined to that of chair-centric comfort. Instead, ergonomics usually considers the workspace as a whole the position of the chair, the mouse, the keyboard, the monitor(s), and the surrounding environment.

5 Ergonomic Tips to Bear in Mind

With all that said, dont make the mistake that ergonomics make spaces look aesthetically pleasing. In fact, that is by no means a guarantee. Instead, ergonomics does its best to keep your musculoskeletal system safe. As such, weve compiled 5 ergonomic tips to bear in mind, so as to keep the risks at bay.

Sensibly Set up Your Workstation

When setting up your workstation, be sure to know what you need. Prone to backaches? Consider an ergonomically-supportive chair, or perhaps look into a standing desk. Suffering from carpal tunnel? Look into a wrist brace or an ergonomic keyboard. All in all, when setting up your ergonomic workspace, dont be afraid to invest in the tools and accessories you need to stay healthy. If that means a special chair, or a monitor hood, or some other accessory, then those investments are likely to save you pain in the long run.

Account for Dual or Single Monitor Arrangements

Do you need one monitor or two? Are theyflat or curved? Are they ultra-wide or standard? In this technologically advanced era, the monitor acts as a workspaces key component, and the answers to these questions will ensure that you have what you need to succeed. When it comes down to it, the decision between a dual or single monitor set up, which may have a bearing on your work as a whole, will have a ripple effect on the entirety of your workspaces ergonomic design. If you dont really need that second monitor, then make that decision early enough to plan accordingly.

Consider Monitor Placement and Viewing Distance

When it comes to proper monitor viewing distance andpositioning, the ergonomic layout differs depending on whether your setup must accommodate one monitor or two. Assuming for a moment that youre working with only one monitor, we suggest that it be placed directly ahead of you, at approximately arms length. Moreover, in order to your neck and posture healthy, place the monitor at a height where your neck can be straight and your eyes, level.

When it comes to dual-monitor setups, the ergonomic factors surrounding monitor placement and viewing distance become a bit trickier. In this context, the placement of monitors will depend largely on the percentage of use between the two, as well as which of your eyes is dominant. In practice, the greater the use percentage of the dominant monitor, the closer it should be placed to dead-center, just as youd experience with a single-monitor setup. Based on that percentage, the secondary monitor should be placed next to the primary monitor, at a 30-degree angle, on the side which corresponds with your eye-dominance.

With that in mind, one must also consider the distinct possibility that, in a dual-monitor setup, both monitors can be used equally. In that event, both monitors should be placed next to one another, with the aim that they come together, visually, at your nose. This is where curved monitors,ultra-wide monitors, and even swivel chairs are of ergonomic importance. When in use, these tools can assist in perfecting focal distance andcurvature across what would ordinarily be a dual-monitor setup, thereby maximizing the setups ergonomic potential.

Note Your Bodys Position

Imagine how you sit at your desk. Are your wrists flat? Are your elbows at a ninety-degree angle? Are your neck and back straight? Are your eyes level? Are your feet flat? If your monitors are properly placed and if your workstation is well set-up, on the other hand, then the answers to those questions should largely be yes.

However, if the answer to any of these questions is no, then you need to note your bodys ergonomic position. Its understandable positions that are healthy and/or ergonomically correct may not necessarily be your default or desired position. This is where, again, accessories can be your friends. In the context of ergonomics, the best accessories are the ones that dont leave proper positioning to choose. Monitor stands, keyboard trays, wrist rests, and footrests may all help in this regard.

Take Advantage of Stretching and Break Time

Even if your workstation is ergonomically perfect, theres nothing thats better for you than leaving your desk and getting away from staring at your monitor for a bit. Although it is recommended that you stand up and stretch for a moment every hour, it also recommended that you take micro-breaks every 30 minutes or so. Like the hourly breaks, these micro-breaks can entail a quick stretch or even a pace around at the world around you.

Best of all, be sure to take advantage of the 20/20/20 rule to prevent eye strain. Therein, every 20 minutes, you should select something 20 feet away to stare at for 20 seconds. All in all, these helpful tips can spare you from many long-term issues down the line.

The Dangers of Ignoring Ergonomics

Ideally, this is not the sort of question one should be asking, but its important to be clear regarding the importance of proper ergonomics. In short, if one were to ignore these tips, then he or she would be putting themselves at risk for the following:

• Headaches
• Migraines
• Neck Stiffness
• Eye Strain
• Carpal Tunnel
• Tendonitis
• Trigger Finger
• Back Injuries

Trust us, none of this is fun. Thats why, at the end of the day, people would rather be comfortable, healthy, safe, productive, and efficient at work. These ergonomic tips are of immense importance and should be followed right away. So, take our checklist and make your workspace more ergonomic today! Also, explore our latest article to discover practical insights on how eye care monitors can help prevent digital eye strain, ensuring a healthier and more comfortable digital experience in our screen-centric world.