Unbelievably, it has been nearly 5 years since the beginning of Covid lockdowns and home working! Looking back, that time feels surreal but the legacy lives on in more ways than one.
The pandemic changed how many people, including myself, work and working from home remains a part of many people’s roles. Still today, I work with people who are working from home in suboptimal conditions, with inadequate furniture or equipment, resulting in discomfort, stress, reduced productivity and injury.
Don’t wait until you start to feel pain to step back and look at your workstation. Grab a coffee and take a few minutes to read through my guide to the must haves for a safe and productive home workstation.
The DSE Workstation Foundation – Your Furniture
Your work surface and chair are the foundation of your home computer workstation. Getting these right gives you a great base to build on.
Your Work Surface
This may seem obvious, but not every desk or every table is suitable for use as a DSE workstation. Some surfaces, especially those that have not be designed to be used as DSE workstations can be too shallow, have support beams and drawers underneath that impact posture or are too high to be used seated but too low for use standing.
The surface that you choose to use for your workstation should meet the following criteria:
- Stable – it does not wobble or shake when you type, the legs are firmly attached and it can take the weight of your equipment
- Have appropriate depth – It is deep enough to allow you to place your screen at least arm’s length from your seated position. It is deep enough to accommodate your monitor (external monitor or laptop on riser) and your keyboard in front of your seated position. It is deep enough to allow you to place your legs under the surface without your knees coming in contact with a wall or barrier.
- Have appropriate width to accommodate your screens and any other equipment that you use frequently for work.
- Have appropriate clearance space underneath between your thighs and the desk surface, or support beam.
Your Workstation Seating
Ideally, and legally depending on where you are based, if you are working at a DSE workstation you should have a chair that can be adjusted in height, with a tilt adjustable backrest and height adjustable backrest or lumbar support. These are the basic adjustments needed, not taking in to consideration any special requirements.
However, usually for space reasons, not everyone can accommodate an office chair in their home work area. Many have to try and make do with the seating that they have.
Any seating being used should be at the appropriate height to allow you to be seated with your elbows level with the workstation surface and should support your lower back when you are seated upright in your typing posture.
If you cannot accommodate an office chair, be sure to adapt the chair you have with additional cushioning to improve support and posture.
The desk and chair make up the foundation of your workstation. Now to build on it with your computer workstation peripherals
The DSE Workstation Peripherals
Your Workstation Screen
All DSE workstations have a screen, the clue is in the name!
The screen you are using, laptop, tablet or external monitor, should be positioned at arm’s length from your seated position, at a height that allows you to look at the top third of the screen while your head is facing forward.
If you are using a laptop or tablet, use a riser to safely elevate it to the appropriate level.
If you are using 2 screens, how you position them is based on how you use them. They should both be at an appropriate height for you, as above.
If you use one more than the other, the main monitor should be in front of your seated position, with the second screen on your dominant side, slightly angled in towards you.
If you use both 50/50, the position them side by side, with you in the middle, and angle them inwards
For 3 screens, place one in front of you and the other two on either side, angled inward toward you.
Your Workstation Inputting Devices
When in the office, your workstation will be equipped with a keyboard and mouse (hopefully!) but this is not a given when you are working from home.
If you are using a laptop or tablet, once you elevate it to the appropriate height, it is no longer practical or recommended to continue to use them to input data.
Using an external keyboard and mouse will allow you to sit back in you seat, with the inputting devices close to you when the screen is at the appropriate height.
There are a wide range of keyboard and mouse devices available and the right ones are the ones you can use comfortably and efficiently.
These essentials will allow you to adopt appropriate postures at the workstation, reducing the risk of musculoskeletal strain and injury.
Your Computer Workstation Accessories
In addition to the four essential DSE workstation components above, below are additional pieces of equipment that can help improve support and encourage mobility when working at a computer workstation.
Your Wireless Headset / Earbuds
With virtual meetings tying so many of us to the desk, using a wireless headset is a great way to encourage more mobility in your day. If you have back-to-back meetings or if your meeting is going be more than 45 minutes long, use the wireless headset, turn off your camera and get up and walk around the room for a couple of minutes during the call. This will reduce static loading and muscular strain, boost respiratory and circulatory function and give your eyes a break from the screen.
Your Footrest
Footrests are not just for us vertically challenged DSE users! They can be a great way to improve stability and circulation when seated, once it is not so tall that it lifts your knees higher than your hips.
It does not have to be a conventional office footrest. A yoga brick or foam roller can work really well too.
A footrest works really well with a sit stand desk too. Position it close to your standing position and alternate which foot you rest on it. A great way to shift your weight while maintaining a balanced hip position.
Additional Back Support
A foam back support is a great way to get additional support when you are seated at the workstation, especially if using a dining chair or if you do not feel that your current seat does not provide enough support for your lower back.
Mobile Phone Stand
For most of us, the phone itself has become an additional screen when we are at the desk.
Elevating it from the desk on a stand reduce your risk of neck strain when using the phone.
Combined Document Holder & Writing Slope
A common issue with DSE users that work off paper-based documents as well as the monitors is poor posture caused by the positioning of the documents and the keyboard.
A combined document holder and writing slope allows for improved positioning of documents, both when reading and writing, without impacting keyboard position. They are a very useful tool for improving posture but can take up a lot of surface area and so are only usually suitable for desks 700mm+ in depth.
Additional Lighting
Working at home can mean that you are working in areas with lower or fluctuating light levels.
Ensure you have the lighting you need no matter the time of day or year by equipping the work area with an ambient light and an adjustable desk light.
Your Computer Workstation Decorations
If you are fortunate enough to have a dedicated computer workstation area at home, decking it out with the things that you like and make you feel happy is a great way to make the space comfortable and less sterile.
Add a desk mat in your favourite colour, add pictures or photographs to the desk or walls or use a diffuser to fill your work area with your favourite scents.
Every DSE user should have the essentials, these are the very basic pieces of equipment that can help prevent adverse postures and the associated risk of musculoskeletal injury.
It is important to remember though that there is no piece of equipment that replaces the benefit of frequent microbreaks and movement from the workstation (a wireless headset will facilitate it though!).
This is why I did not include a sit stand desk or adaptor in my list of desirables. I believe that they have their uses and are of a benefit to certain groups of DSE users.
However, for the general population, there is a greater benefit to overall health to be had by leaving the workstation frequently, removing yourself from chair, desk, keyboard, mouse and screen, giving your whole body a break from static postures and boosting your circulatory and respiratory system.
Using a break reminder app on your phone can be a great way to kick start the microbreak habit. Set the reminder to alert you to move every 45 minutes. By using an app on your phone, you will have to break your concentration and attention to turn off the alert, increasing the likelihood that you will take the time to move from the desk for a minute or two.
Good posture + frequent breaks = happy, healthy DSE user 🙂
