Ergonomic Work Habits
The most expensive ergonomic office furniture will avail you not a bit if you don't develop the right kind of posture and habits while in the workplace. Here are some tips to make sure your office habits are ergonomic, too:
Breaking Tension
*Make sure to break up keying and mouse work with other work tasks.
*Include small pauses to break up tension while waiting between keyboard tasks. For instance, while waiting for a document to save, you can place your hands on your lap and consciously relax them.
*Take time to pause at least once an hour while using your computer. It's especially important to change your visual focus.
*It's important to change your seated posture whenever possible during the course of a workday. You may try leaning back during phone calls and then sitting up once again when you begin to key.
*Your chair should be high enough, or have your desk low enough so that your elbows are at the same height or a bit higher than your keyboard as you type.
*Your chair should have a lever to adjust height, seat tilt, and back rest positions.
*If your feet are not flat on the floor as you sit, make sure you have a footrest so your feet don't dangle as you sit.
Leg Space
*Your workstation should provide enough space for your legs so you can get up close and personal to the tasks at hand. This means a minimum depth of 550 mm. and a minimum width of 800 mm.
*Tuck your chin in so it is close to your chest and in alignment with your spine. Your chin should not jut forward or in an upward direction.
*For best viewing comfort, your screen should be placed from 350 mm-750 mm away from you.
*The image provided by your screen should be free of glare and reflections, and remain stable and clear.
*Your monitor and keyboard should be right in front of you so you don't need to twist or reach in order to use the keys.
*Items you must access with frequency should be able to be reached with ease and weigh less than 4 kg.
*When your hands are resting on the keys, your shoulders should be relaxed, your upper arms hanging in a natural manner, and your lower arm situated at around 90 degrees.
*As you key and use your mouse, you should be able to keep your wrists straight and aligned with your forearms rather than need to bend to the side or in an upward direction.
*Your mouse should be at the same height as your keyboard as well as close by your keyboard so you don't need to stretch out your arms to the side or over your desk.
*Your hands should be relaxed while gripping the mouse or keying.
*Your source documents should be close to your monitor and at eye level so as to avoid the need to twist or bend your neck.