Designing Your Workspace around YOU

The daily demands and stresses at the office leave us counting down the minutes until 5pm (and often later!). Fatigue and unproductivity set in and disable our ability to focus and feel efficient. It may be time to evaluate our workspace layout, habits, and whether/not our space promotes comfort and efficiency, two key factors for a healthy work environment. This is known as ergonomics.

While sitting at a desk seems relatively stress-free on our bodies, the truth is we may be putting ourselves at risk for repetitive motion injuries (RMI). RMI results from repeated activities and motions performed regularly at the office. If the majority of your time at work or at home is spent sitting and/or on a computer, the following tips will help you to revamp your space and adopt healthy desk behaviors, which your mind and body will thank you for!

1.     Proper Posture:Keep your entire body in alignment while sitting in your chair. Avoid the slouch position or other awkward sitting positions that can promote back pain. Ensure that your feet rest comfortably on the floor and if necessary use a footrest to provide support.

a.      Strive for straight, rather than bent, wrists when typing or working in your space.

b.     If you use the phone frequently, and for long periods of time, try using a headset to avoid your neck being in a bent position while on the phone.

c.      Remember to relax your body to avoid muscle tension!

2.     Enlightening Vision: Eyestrain is characterized by headaches, blurring, tightness, and other discomforting symptoms. It can be caused by glares from the computer screens, readability of the words on the screen, and/or the contrast between the screen and surrounding space.

a.      To avoid these symptoms, try the 20-20-20 rule! Every 20 minutes, take 20 seconds, to look at something 20 feet away. This will give your eyes the rest they deserve to avoid eyestrain.

3.     Perfect the Layout: The arrangement of your work space can enhance efficiency and ease the tension on your body by not having to bend and twist to find the things you need! The first step to creating an efficient workspace is to keep the items that you use frequently close to your central area and within reach.

a.      If relevant, position your computer monitor so that it aligns directly with your chair.

b.     Avoid excessive clutter which can inhibit efficiency and organization.

4.     Pause, then Break! Short breaks throughout the day give your body, muscles, and mind time to recover from the fatigue of prolonged sitting.

a.      Trying taking 2 minutes every half hour to relive the stress from your body. Use the time to get up and move!

b.      Stand, take a quick walk, and/or stretch! Here are ideas to get you stretching!

For more info and ideas visit: OSHA.gov 's E-tools.