Ergonomics, The Home Office

     I bet you're hunched over right now while reading this, and I'm also willing to bet you are most likely reading this from your home office computer, or your personal laptop. Take note of your posture and arm positioning. How far away are you from the computer screen? Is the computer screen relatively level with your eyes? All these questions I'm asking you relate to ergonomics, which is probably a term you are not really familiar with, but hopefully through this post, you will become more attentive about how you position yourself, whether that be in front of a screen, standing up moving boxes, maybe on your knees painting a wall, whatever it may be, the form your body takes while completing tasks is important for the devolopement and health of your future self.

    Ergonomics, specifically relating to the home office, has really come to light since the start of the pandemic, when it became necessary to work from home, rather than going to the office. Since then, employees have found ways to transform their normal living space into appropriate offices, from which they can work, zoom call, and collaberate. Pretty quick, people found out that without proper posture or computer and work setup, it resulted in severe migraines, back injuries, stiffness in the neck, "trigger finger", and even mulsculoskeletal disorders. Oveer 70% of Americans are working from home and the majority of that percentage will continue to work from home, even after restrictions are lifted. All this to emphasize the importance of being attentive when it comes to your bodily positioning.

(Ergonomics)

    Luckily, there have been tons of studies on this very subject, and how we can better our workplace setup to allow us to work comfortably. There are several factors that we have to consider. First is the height your chair is from the ground. It needs to be just high enough where your thighs and shins create a ninety-degree angle, with your feet flat on the ground. The back of the chair needs to be pretty straight, with just enough give to allow some recline. The computer screen should be level and centered with your eyes, so that you won't have to to strain them. Correct placement of hands on your keyboard help reduce "typing fatigue" and allow you to rest your arms as you type. One of the most important things to do though is to get up and MOVE. Stimulate your enitre body and engage all of it. This too will help you work longer and better on whatever work or projects you may be working on.

    All these simple adjustments will greatly improve your productivity and overall health. I'd even suggest that purchasing additional equipment such as a quality ergonomics chair, or maybe some bluelight glasses might significantly help with strains and aches. So while yes, we are going through a pandemic, we can look for the silver-lining and act on it by helping our bodies and minds in our efforts to readjust to reality.

Sources:

Ergonomics - Overview | Occupational Safety and Health Administration. (n.d.). Www.osha.gov. https://www.osha.gov/ergonomics

betterhealthalaska. (2018, October 6). The importance of ergonomics in the workplace. The Business Woman Media. https://www.thebusinesswomanmedia.com/importance-ergonomics-workplace/