Turning an Office into an Ergonomic Haven
Making the Most of His Office
My husband is a PhD student in the divinity department. Even though this particular university is well-ranked and especially so in theology, those numbers are not reflected in grad student offices. Shocking, right? Well, my husband decided to take matters into his own hands and “ergonomify” his office himself. During the process of making the following changes he found out that there was an ergonomic resource person he could talk with and from whom he could receive an assessment and even be given certain ergonomic products free! Since his (and all grad students’ productivity) is of utmost importance to the university, they are willing to foot the bill to provide a better work station and less strain, stress, and injury.
He raised his monitor. Josh docked his laptop and elevated it eye level and about 20 inches from his torso. This kind of monitor lift is a very cheap and easy fix.- He adjusted his chair. In fact, he asked for an adjustable, ergonomic chair and got one! You might be surprised what kind of resources your office might have in a back room that only need asking for. Having adjustability is essential for comfort and especially if you have had back problems. Every worker needs good back support, as well as the ability to raise and lower the seat pan so that their feet are flat on the floor.
- He asked for a wrist rest and got one! Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a common office injury and be easily avoided by practicing good wrist positioning. It’s important to know how to use a wrist rest though: wrist rests are actually meant to provide a resting spot in between periods of typing and for the palms of your hands, not your actual wrists!
- He ordered an ergonomic keyboard. You may recall that Josh docked his laptop. As much as he loved it, he needed to screen to be elevated to avoid eye strain, as well as neck cramping and headaches. Thus, the laptop was pretty much out of reach for typing. Plus, he types for hours at a time, so a comfortable, ergonomic keyboard was clutch. Finding a good fit is just a matter of preference and trying out a couple. If he’s not sure what will work (especially when looking online), Josh usually orders a couple, tries them out, and sends back what he doesn’t like as much.
- He ordered a document holder. As previously mentioned, Josh types for long periods of time and often types from a book he’s reading or notes he has hand-written. It’s such an easy fix, but elevating notes or documents that you frequently reference truly keeps you from straining your eyes and your neck. Who likes to go home with a crick in their neck?
- Lastly, Josh uses a sound machine from time to time or fewer distractions. He doesn’t always use it, and even works to music at times, but he tried this free online generator to see if he liked it before buying.
It doesn’t really matter if you’re a student, a teacher, or a cubicle dweller, making ergonomic adjustments is critical when trying to reduce work-related injuries and even distractions, as well as improve productivity.