The Concept of Home Office Ergonomics: What You Need to Know to Work from Home Safely

Working from home is certainly a privilege for many as they go about managing their duties from the garden, from the living room or even the dining table, it is their home and as far as most of them are concerned, anywhere is acceptable. However, now that self-isolation due to the Corona Virus have been lifted and working from is still practiced, money have come to find that their physical wellbeing is not really faring well. 

Individuals working on their laptop from the comfort of their couch may look comfortable and at ease, however this is not advisable as lying on a couch, or on your bed or on the kitchen table could eventually lead to musculoskeletal disorders. So how does one go about trying to avoid this, well this article offers insight into the most fundamental insight into ergonomics for those who work from home. 

To begin with, ergonomics is not just about the chair as most would have you believe, it is in fact about how one decides to approach or manage work according to an ergonomic expert based in Melbourne, Australia. First and foremost, those working from home should organize their work environment prior to configuring their workspace. 

This requires careful planning about everything that will be related to work, which is necessary towards maintaining productivity and also maintaining health. Here are a few steps on how to establish an effective and functional ergonomic home office. 

First Step: Identify Primary Space at Home Designated for Working 

This is critical towards ensuring where everything that is required to do work is located. This does not only revolve around the space for ergonomic office furniture, but it also means placement of cabinets for files, a table for drafting, an easy chair, placement of music (it is always nice to have music playing in the background whilst doing tasks), aesthetics of the workspace, flooring (carpets are good) and lighting. 

Second Step: Defining Working Hours 

Defining working hours through careful planning is critical towards remaining highly productive; working from home does not mean that discipline is out the window. Schedule the day carefully and set working intervals and break times based on a good balance between work, house chores, managing the house and breaks.  This will set the boundaries that will establish a distinction between work and home. 

Third Step: Office Furniture 

 Although at the beginning of the article, we do mention that it is not ‘ALL’ about the chair, the type of office chair is also important. Ideally, a good and proper 9 to 5 ergonomic office chair should feature a height adjustment component which is important for causing unneeded muscle strain that are the primary reason behind aching backs and necks. 

The most important aspect of the chair is that it must be able to facilitate proper posture which means that the torso and head are in line with support for the lower back which maintains the spine in its natural S-shape.