Setting Up Your Home Office

These days more than ever, the need for a home office is becoming increasingly popular. Since the Covid-19 Pandemic has begun, more and more employers have requested that employees work from home whenever possible. Most of these employees have never had to work from home in the past, and therefore do not have a proper home office set up. Of course, you will want to ensure that you create a professional work area that is separate from personal areas within the house. This is important in making sure you are able to effectively separate your work life from personal home life, and be free from any distractions. Location, lighting, and the cleaning up of clutter are all important things to consider. It is also very important that you have the right set up so that you are not putting any unnecessary strains on your body. The key word here is Ergonomics. 

What is ergonomics? Ergonomics can be defined as the study of how efficient your work environment is, and the overall setup and how “comfortable” it is. It is important to not cheap out when it comes to buying ergonomic office products. Luckily nowadays due to the increase in demand for more ergonomic work spaces, prices have dropped to be more appealing for the average consumer. It will no longer cost you thousands of dollars to set up a healthy home office. Take pride in your workspace. Just like all things in life, you get out, what you put in. 

It is important when creating your home office, that it is a space that both calmness and physical wellness will aid in your creativity. It is important to analyze all the elements of a product when making a purchase. A very helpful question to ask yourself about each product and item you bring into your office space is, “How adjustable is this item?” Adjustability is very important!  The more pieces that can be adjusted the more you can personalize the item for your comfortability.  

Here are the top 4 home office solutions to get you going:

The Ergonomic Chair

One of the most important pieces in your home office is your chair. According to a recent study, the average person will spend about 6-8 hours per day standing, even if they approach the day with the intentions of sitting! A little hint when it comes to the price point of your home office chair; do NOT cheap out! Here you do want to spend about $200 or more for a good quality, ergonomically designed chair. On average you are going to spend just under 6 hours of your workday here. You want it to be comfortable, and your body will thank you for that afterwards. 

Sit-Stand Desk Combo 

Standing up at your work desk is becoming an increasingly popular demand. Being able to stand while you are working has many health benefits. You should get yourself a desk that electronically will rise up and down with the push of a button. These desks will allow you to move freely throughout the day. A tip when purchasing this type of desk is to ensure it has an arm for a monitor, otherwise you can get one separately.  This is extremely important in ensuring a proper fit as the appropriate monitor height when you are sitting will be different than when you are standing. Be sure to attach your monitor so your laptop can connect to it, and have it placed off to the side.

Wireless Keyboard and Mouse

If you are a laptop user, be sure to get an external keyboard and mouse. There is no ergonomic way to use a laptop.  The monitor and keyboard are far too close together, therefore getting a wireless keyboard and mouse are essential. Plug in the laptop to the monitor, set up the external keyboard and mouse and you will be well on your way to comfortable productivity. 

Anti-Fatigue Mat  

The way an anti-fatigue mat works is by offsetting your balance just a small amount, enough to keep you shifting your weight back and forth, therefore distributing your weight through different areas of the body as you work. This will also aid in increased circulation throughout your legs, from the constant moving and muscle contraction. Although standing is a great way to limit your sitting, standing too long is tough on the major joints of the body, especially on a hard surface such as hardwood or concrete. Get yourself an anti-fatigue mat and your back, knees and feet will thank you!

Use these key points when designing your home office space. Remember this is just half the battle. Booking regular physical therapy appointments will keep both your mind and body in check, being able to perform at optimum levels all day everyday. Give our clinic a call at (905) 251 – 0162 to schedule your next appointment today!