7 Ergonomic Tips for Remote Working

When the call was made for us to work from home, the belief was that this would last for a few weeks. We packed up the important equipment from our desks, our keyboards and mice in tow. It now seems that working from home will become the norm for what is likely to be a few more months.

As we become a nation of people who work from home we have to make certain adjustments. One of the biggest challenges of remote working is choosing where to set up your workspace. Instead of the comfort of stand up desks and office chairs we have the choice of sofas, beds, or kitchen tables (unless we’re lucky enough to have a study at home). Therefore, it is important we choose wisely in order to reduce the risk of developing chronic neck or back pain.

We’ve put together some simple steps that you can implement to improve your posture and remain comfortable when working from home.

1. Ensure the desk height is correct for your personal height. If the desk is too short you may begin to crouch or if the desk is too tall you may find yourself over-stretching, this can cause muscle tension in your back and neck.
2. Work at a desk or table with sufficient space for your legs, this will help you sit at the correct distance to your laptop or screens.
3. Use external equipment such as a keyboard and mouse when using your laptop. A great laptop that offers you the option of detaching the keyboard is the Microsoft Surface Book 2. If you are using your laptop without external equipment you are much more likely to develop neck and upper back problems.
4. Ensure your monitor or laptop is a minimum of an arms length away and adjust the height so the top of the screen is level with your eyes. To do this you can use a laptop stand with any laptop, from a MacBook Pro to a Lenovo IdeaPad S340.
5. Sit in a computer or office chair if you have one at home and adjust to your own body as much as possible. This includes adjusting the height of the seat, armrests and backrest. Ideally, forearms should be approximately horizontal, your back straight and if possible, your hips slightly higher than your knees.
6. Maintain a good posture and try to avoid slouching or leaning over your desk as much as possible. By keeping your back straight and relaxing your shoulders you will relieve pressure and tension from other areas of the body.
7. Ensure you get up from your workspace throughout the day to stretch and move your body. This is vital as we work from home as many of us may get into the habit of locking ourselves away for the day to be as productive as possible. In actual fact, this not only hinders concentration levels but can also cause intense back strain. Fitness wearable’s such as the Apple Watch, Fitbit or Samsung’s Galaxy Watch are a great way to track your activity and make sure you’re staying active. There is also screen software available that reminds you to look away from the screen at regular intervals in order to give your eyes a rest.

Working remotely can be both beneficial and challenging but by implementing some of the above concepts and the right approach, companies can stay confidently connected to their employees.

If you’d like to discover how to keep your employees happy, motivated and productive, get in touch with one of our team today on 0330 1624 204 or fill in our enquiry form.