It’s note-taking time, and the vast majority of university (and even many high school) students are toting their laptops to class.  As such, taking notes has taken on a whole new meaning.  It’s important to keep good ergonomic principles in mind when taking notes in class and especially when taking notes from text or transcribing hand-written notes.

How to Take Notes On Your Computer

In class, it’s easy to slouch and let your body take the hit as you try to keep up with the lecture.  At home, usually, you hunch over some book or set of notes and furiously swing back and forth between the notes and your screen, as if your head were on a swivel.  The problem is that your head is not, in fact, on a swivel and continued movements such as these will doubtlessly take their toll in the form of headaches and even eye strain.

• No matter where you are, make sure you’re sitting in a neutral position- nothing hunched, cramped, or bent awkwardly.  This means you sit up reasonably straight with your arms in a straight line, extending from your elbow on through to your middle finger.
• Use back support if your chair doesn’t support you well enough.  Worst case scenario, roll up a towel to add a little support.
• For longer periods of time, keep your monitor raised so that’s eye level and also about 20 inches from your face.  However, just using the classroom work surface for an hour at a time should be fine, as long as you usually practice good ergonomics.
• Use a  document holder or an ergodesk at home so that the document or book you’re reading from is placed next to or in front of you and stands on its own (ie without your help).
• Make sure you take breaks, if only for your eyes’ sake.  Blink them to re-hydrate them.  After long periods of typing, stop and focus on an object at least 10 feet away from your screen.  This will allow your eyes a moment to re-start.

Filed under: Category Uncategorized | Tags: back support,ergodesk,ergonomic note-taking,taking notes by emily