One of the greatest challenges in most home offices is the lack of space and trying to fit everything you’ll need into cramped quarters. Below we’ll discuss three ideas that will have you working more efficiently, comfortably and productively.
1. Freeing Up Your Work Surface – can present the greatest challenge in a home office environment. Many home offices are very tight and desks can have a tendency to get filled with clutter oftentimes leaving you with virtually no workspace for your computer or monitor. If you have a desktop CPU, you should place it on the floor and put your monitor on a monitor arm. This will free up desk space and allow you to easily set the monitor at the proper angle and height. If you have a lap top, you can accomplish the same thing by placing your laptop in a document holder attached to a monitor arm and attaching an external keyboard to the laptop. If you work with a second monitor, this can also be attached to your monitor arm.
2. Placing Your Desk – If at all possible, place your desk away from the window. This will reduce the glare while working at your computer. The second best option would be to have it facing the window; try to avoid having your back to the window while working as this creates huge glare problems.
3. Incorporating Ergonomics into your Home Office – If you work at your desk for more than 3 hours every day, you should strongly consider setting up an ergonomically correct work station. Now that individuals have been seated at their desks for extended periods of time over the past decade, there has been a lot of research discussing the health hazards of working in this environment. From an ergonomic and health perspective, there are documented benefits to standing at your desk while at work whenever possible. Proper ergonomics dictates however, that we avoid any type of static positions or repetitive motion to avoid potential injuries and thus, the ideal solution is to change your position from sitting to standing. Standing for 8 hours every day while at your desk is simply unrealistic; just ask someone who does it for a living such as a (standing) production line worker, cashier, toll booth operator or simply try it yourself for a week. Below you will find some tips that will allow you to remain standing for longer periods of time without feeling fatigued.
• An Electric Sit to Stand Desk – The advantage of an electric sit to stand desk (also known as an adjustable stand up desk or an electric sit stand desk) is the ability to adjust the height of your work surface with the touch of a button. The benefit is that you will be more inclined to stand for longer periods and to vary your position frequently. Furthermore the cost of these desks has declined in recent years making it an affordable option compared to standard desks. For example, purchasing a frame if you already have the top will cost less than $700.00 shipped directly to your door. A complete desk package with an electric frame could be purchased for around $800.00. (Did you know the standard 30” high desk is actually designed to fit someone 6’1” to 6’4” from an ergonomic perspective?)
• Anti Fatigue Matting – It’s important to find the right mat that is durable, elastic and provides some compression. A good example of this is the Vigor Mat by Milagon. The benefit is that it works your muscles even while standing still which will significantly reduce fatigue while standing. These anti fatigue mats can be found for about $80.00 including shipping.
• Use a Foot Rest – You can remain standing for longer periods if you have the ability to elevate one foot while putting weight on the other and then alternating back and forth. This allows for better blood flow and thus reduces fatigue. If you’re standing, the foot rest should usually be at least 3 inches high, but should be adjusted based your level of comfort. You can use some reams of paper or books; commercially available footrests are also available in the $65.00 price range including shipping.
• Ergonomic Seating – Some might debate this with the argument that if you have a cheap, uncomfortable chair, it will cause you to remain standing for longer. However, the bottom line is you should provide your body with as much support as possible to improve your well being and comfort thus making you more productive. A good ergonomic chair can be found in the low to mid $300 range.
Recently, there has been a dramatic increase in demand for electric sit to stand desks over the past six months due to the rise in awareness of the benefits they provide. Individuals who are experiencing back problems or simply want to improve their overall health, well being and comfort have been ordering the product. In addition, there is been a significant increase from home office users who are interested in an adjustable stand up desk to fit in tight spaces which can be accomplished with a custom top configuration.
When planning your home office, it is definitely an option you should consider as it will improve your health, well being and productivity. Based on the sobering statistic reported in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise research journal, according to scientists at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Louisiana who analyzed the lifestyles of more than 17,000 men and women over about 13 years, and found that people who sit for most of the day are 54 percent more likely to die of heart attacks, this investment could save your life.
Mike Kind has over 25 years of experience as a founder, entrepreneur, author and consultant to growing companies. He invested in
Jaymil Ergo and Office Solutions in 2008 with the intention of raising the awareness and importance of proper ergonomics within the workplace to improve well being and productivity. He has written numerous articles on the topic with an emphasis on proper equipment selection and return on investment analysis.
