How to Maximize Comfort and Productivity
Ergonomics is the study of people's efficiency in working environments. A workspace that takes ergonomics into consideration can make a big difference to your health and posture, especially if you’re sitting down for a significant part of the day. Your office workspace should be spine-friendly. Here are some of the ways you can boost comfort and productivity. |
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Start with a good chair
When purchasing a chair
for your office, take everything into consideration. This includes its surface,
upper and lower back support, how it adjusts, and more. Don’t scrimp on your
office chair. You’ll be spending some serious time together. Here are some of
the main things to think about.
Surface: Vinyl requires little care. It’s also easy to keep
leather clean. Full grain leather is the best, top grain is good, and split
grain is the least expensive. A seat with cloth will will prevent the
accumulation of sweat, since it is breathable. Mesh is the best for air
circulation, but it may not be the best choice for support for some people.
Cushioning: Make sure the padding is thick enough so it won’t
bottom out. Buying a high quality chair will pay off in durability for the
cushioning.
Back Support: The chair should provide comfortable
support for both your lower and upper back. Many chairs can be adjusted for
lower back support. If this area can be
customized with adjustments, it may help you to get maximum comfort.
Fit: The height of a quality office chair can easily be adjusted. Make sure
the chair can be adjusted so that your feet are flat on the floor when your
knees are bent at about ninety degrees. If you’re looking at chairs with fixed
armrests, make sure they are comfortable and that they will allow you to get as
close to your desk as needed for your work. Most chairs come with adjustable armrests
that can be adjusted up and down to a level you’re comfortable with. Armrests
usually cannot be moved from side to side. For that reason, it’s important to
get a chair that is the correct width. When you go to an office furniture
showroom, sit in the chairs the same way you would in your office. Roll chairs up
to a desk to get a sense of how they would feel in an office.
Adjustments: You want to be aware of all the adjustments that can be
made so you can be as comfortable as possible in your workspace. Have the
salesperson show you everything. Depending on the chair, items that can be
adjusted may include the back tilt, the seat tilt, extensions for support of
the thighs, and the back height.
If you work in an office
where your chair is provided by your employer, you may have to make do with
what you’re given. Nevertheless, take a good look at the chair and make sure
you’re aware of all the ways it can be adjusted so you can get the most out of it.
Also, consider adding a nice personal chair cushion and/or a lumbar support
attachment. Neither of those items cost very much and they could make your
office chair much more comfortable.
Keyboard, monitor, and mouse
Desktop computers are generally
more comfortable to work with than laptops. The basic sitting position in an
office space should have your elbows and knees bent at about 90 degrees. The
computer mouse should be within comfortable reach of the keyboard. The monitor
should be at eye level between 20 and 30 inches from your face. The monitor
should be tilted slightly at about 10 to 20 degrees.
Some people stick with
the basic keyboard and mouse that comes with a computer until those components
wear out. A mouse and keyboard is one of the most inexpensive ways to
ergonomically improve a workspace. Some people find a wireless mouse easier to
work with than one that has a cable. Also, a wireless keyboard with an
ergonomic shape will be an enormous improvement over any straight keyboard your
computer may have come with. (If you use a laptop, consider buying an external
mouse and keyboard. Your spine will thank you.)
Keyboard
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| Courtesy of Wikimedia |
An ergonomic keyboard is
curved and raised in the center. It takes some getting used to. It will keep
the wrists straight when the elbows are at the user’s side. If you don’t spend much time entering
numbers, you might consider getting a keyboard without a numeric keypad. This
will enable you to keep the mouse closer to the area where you’re typing.
Adjust your keyboard so
the home keys are right in front of you. They should be close and low enough so
your forearms stay straight. A keyboard drawer or tray may be needed to get
things aligned correctly.
Mouse
There are lots of
variables with computer mice. Some people like mice with trackballs. Others
prefer an optical mouse. Mice come in different shapes and sizes. They’re not
very expensive, so get one that you are comfortable with.
A computer mouse has
settings that can be changed. If you’re left handed, you can change the button
functions to make your mouse left-handed. You can adjust the speed to reduce
the distance you need to move the mouse.
Monitor
For people who spend
much of their workday looking at computer screens, eye strain is a serious
issue. High quality monitors are worth the cost because they will help to
minimize eye strain. If you look at a computer screen for a large portion of
your workday, it shouldn’t be an unpleasant experience. Some experts say a
monitor should be just above eye level. Others say it should be slightly below
eye level and tilted slightly away. It may take some experimentation in your
workspace to determine what the best setup is for you. If you’re having any
problems with eye strain, it’s also a good idea to adjust some of your monitor
settings to see what setting will help to minimize any eye strain issues.
Do You Have Computer Neck Syndrome?
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If you spend the
majority of your day in front of a computer, you could wind up with a case of
Computer Neck Syndrome. This malaise is
caused by long periods of staring at a computer screen. Over time, the weight of your head will
slowly begin to adversely affect the curvature of your spine, resulting in neck
ache, back ache and headaches. (An offshoot of this syndrome is called text
neck, which is caused by people hunching over their smartphones to send text
messages.)
Both these problems are
caused by forward head position (FHP), which leads to an unnatural
straightening of the cervical spine. This causes improper loading of the spine
that over time will lead to degenerative changes, including pinched
nerves. While chiropractic treatment and
exercise can repair the damage, the best way to thwart FHP is to change the
angle at which you view your computer or smartphone.
While it seems that
there are a myriad of variables to consider when it comes to maximizing comfort
and productivity in the workplace, making the right choices in the short term
will more than pay for themselves over the long haul.
In this article, I have
explained some of the key factors to creating an office workspace that is ergonomic.
This article discusses the chair, keyboard, mouse, and monitor. It also
discusses how to avoid eye strain and Computer Neck Syndrome.
At Vibrant Life, we
address all of the key elements to add vibrance and vitality to your life. The
rest of your days can be the best of your days! Are you sick and tired of being
sick and tired? Have you been “just dealing with it?” It’s time to come to the
experts at Vibrant Life Health Center.
If you found this
article useful, or are inspired to make a change, please share it with your
friends, family and co-workers. Take the time to visit our testimonials page on
our website and don’t forget we are a full service chiropractic office that is
here to help you deal with pain as well. If you have a comment you would like
to express about this article, please leave it in the comment section of this
blog.
Dr. Jon
Thomas is a Board Certified Chiropractic Physician, his interest in health
started at an early age resulting from an athletic life, including BMX racing,
Professional Snow Skiing, Water Skiing, Baseball, Weight Lifting, and Martial
Arts. After learning from top health experts in the world, Dr. Thomas’s life is
dedicated to reaching people of all ages to begin their life transformation.
The goal is to start the body healing resulting in a body that is functioning
at its optimal. In addition to serving his community in his Mandarin
Based Practice, Dr. Thomas is seen regularly on TV’s First Coast Living talking
about his patient’s transformations, speaking at events throughout the
community, and writing articles to re-shape the health of the Jacksonville
Community.
