Tips for Making Your Work Space More Ergonomic
Last time we talked about timeless ergonomic principles for setting up an ergonomic work station, as well as some ergonomic tools for meeting those principles. The basic premise is to minimize movement and strain and maximize productivity by reducing distraction. I supplied some tips and tools for setting up an ideal work station. Today, I thought we’d look at a graduate student’s actual set-up to see what he had going for him, as well as where he could improve.
Ergonomic Work Station Set-Up Principles
This is an actual student’s graduate office set-up. I would like to reiterate from my last post that many, many offices {including this university!} have Human Relations reps who will perform an ergonomic assessment for you, and based on the results, supply some or all of the missing ergonomic tools. There is nothing to lose by asking!
Raise your monitor. This PhD student did raise his monitor…well, one of them anyway! He added a second, lifted monitor for reading purposes and kept his laptop at desktop level. As long as he doesn’t do extensive reading from his laptop, he’s okay. As a reminder, an easy and cheap solution is to use a monitor lift to get the screen at eye level and about 20 inches from the torso.- Try an adjustable, ergonomic chair. It’s hard to see, but this student does have an adjustable chair that he has changed to accommodate his own frame. He loves the fit and gets good day of work out of it. Most important in my mind is that your back should be well-supported- if an ergonomic chair is not an option, try portable lumbar support.
- Our student does not have a wrist rest or an ergonomic keyboard. Chances are, after hours of typing at a time, he will start to experience some wrist and/or hand pain. To avoid Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, it is wise to support your wrists and hands ergonomically with a good wrist rest {meant for the palms of your hands, tho!} and ergonomic keyboard.
- Yea for the document holder! This guy does a TON of reading. As in, a ton…hours and hours and hours. It’s essential that he raise his documents he’s either reading or taking notes from so that he doesn’t strain his eyes or neck from them being too low.
- In full disclosure, our student does not use a sound machine. He favors headphones and ear plugs for fewer distractions. For some, music is a great means of staying focused, but for others, it’s yet another distraction. Know yourself and choose what works best for you.
When you spend a lot of time in an office, it’s crucial that you find the right ergonomic fit. Making ergonomic adjustments can only help you keep your focus and stay productive.