Working from home is hardly a new phenomenon, but the COVID-19 pandemic has made it an unplanned requirement for many office and knowledge workers. Many employees will have discovered that they don’t need to be in the office every day or spend hours commuting.
Many people have set up makeshift home offices for the pandemic that won’t work well for the long term. In addition to having the right equipment, the physical setup — the ergonomics of the workspace — is critical, especially around avoiding repetitive strain injuries that a bad setup can cause.
For more information about ergonomics, click here and read the article.
The ideal home office setup
A long-term home office should ideally be a separate space in your home that is properly outfitted for work. Do as much of the following as you can to create an effective, safe workspace for the long term.
A delicated space
Ideally, you would use a small room that can hold a desk and computer equipment and whose door can be shut for the essential need to separate work life from home life.
If you don't have spare space, just convert a guest room into a dual-purpose space: an office most of the time and a guest room when people visit.
If you can’t get a dedicated space you can separate from the rest of your life, try to find a niche space you can use that is out of the rest of the household’s way — and they out of yours — as much as possible.
Proper work height
Your space needs a desk or table that is at work height. The industry standard is 29 inches from the floor to the top of the work surface. Tall people do better with a higher height, and short people do better with a lower height.
Kaboon offers high quality height adjustable standing desk with a wider height range from 23.5’’-49’’. It has a Memory Function which just one press can go to the height you want.
You know your work surface is at the correct height if, when you sit up straight, your forearms are parallel to the ground and your wrist is not bent up or down when you type or mouse. The top surface of your wrist should essentially be on the same plane as the top of your forearm, with your fingers dangling slightly down to the keyboard. Bending the wrists for prolonged periods is an easy way to cause injury.
Proper monitor
Get a large monitor (maybe two) for your home office — just as you would at the corporate office. Just avoid the cheapest monitors if you can, since they can lead to eyestrain over prolonged use due to their lower resolution and thus increased fuzziness.
Your monitor should line up so that if you look straight ahead when sitting straight, your eyes are at a height of 25% to 30% below the top of the screen. That way, you keep your shoulders level and don’t hunch your back — two easy ways to cause injury.
A good chair
There are a lot of bad chairs out there that can injure you over prolonged computer use. Be sure to get one with adjustable height, that can roll, that provides lumbar support for the lower back, and ideally has adjustable seat pan tilt, arm height, and lateral arm position.
If your budget is $1000+, get an adjustable professional office chair like an Aeron, where you can set a precise fit for your body and workspace. But it’s fine if your budget is $100-$200, there are a lot of choices for you, like a Hbada.
Good lighting
It’s very easy to underestimate the effects of your work environment on your ability to work. Lighting is often an area people don’t think about. Ideally, you have sufficient indirect light to illuminate your workspace, so you can easily read papers and see physical objects. Overhead lighting is usually best, such as from a ceiling lamp.
Other equipment
You may also need other equipment to improve your work efficiency, such as a mouse, a keyboard, a headset or a monitor stand. Pick up one based on your need.
Here are some amazing setups from our customers.
In addition to the main factors mentioned above, you may also need some decorations for your home office, maybe a plant or a bookshelf. A good book shelf can spruce up home and tidy up your space.
What is your idea about home office setup? Leave a comment and let us know, maybe we can make this idea come true together.
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