It’s no surprise that for much of corporate America, working from home is here to stay. A 2022 article from Forbes states that before the COVID-19 pandemic, 4% of all high-paying jobs were remote, 9% were remote by the end of 2020, and as of 2022 more than 15% of those jobs were remote. Many project that this number will continue to rise. This means that working from home ergonomics have never been more important.
Are you still using your kitchen or dining room table as a makeshift office? Keep that space reserved for eating and socializing, ditch the sprawl of papers and cords, and most importantly, the flimsy chair or stool that you’ve been sitting on. Show your body some love, make better use of that would-be commute time, and stop feeling wrecked by the end of your work-from-home day.
The challenge of working from home
Working from home has a ton of perks– fewer gas expenses, less time sitting in traffic for the morning and evening commutes, dressing more casually (at least from the waist down), and increased flexibility and family life. That being said, there are some downsides to working from home too.
Walking from your car to your desk to the bathroom to lunch to your boss’ desk and back to the car again adds up to a good amount of steps throughout the day, especially if your office is large or the parking lot is far away. At home, all these things are within 50 feet of each other and it’s very common to check your watch at lunchtime and only have walked 300 steps. Snacks are more readily available, the boundaries of work and life are blurred, and there isn’t necessarily an ergonomic desk setup to walk into every day. All of these things can leave you feeling pretty rough come 5 pm.
Working from home ergonomics
If you haven’t adjusted your routine and gotten a great desk setup at your home office yet, it’s time! Working from home is here to stay, so let’s adapt to it. Here are my top 3 tips I implemented when working from home to not feel wrecked by the end of the day.
1. Get an awesome chair.
Having a solid chair is crucial to supporting your body throughout the workday. I’m begging you to get rid of the stool, dining room chair, 20-year-old office chair, or exercise ball (I know those exercise balls are popular but I am not a fan…use them for exercise, not for sitting all day).
90% of your posture is driven from your low back. Try this experiment. I want you to sit on the edge of your chair and slouch. Like really slouch. Then all I want you to do is straighten up through your low back without moving your head, neck, or shoulders. Do you see how much more upright you become?! It’s a ton! Then you can straighten up your head, neck, and shoulders to a fully upright position.
This highlights the importance of having great lumbar (aka low back) support in a chair. Stools and exercise balls give zero support. Crappy old desks and dining chairs offer very little support. You need to get a chair that fits you well, has low back support, and feels comfortable. The next thing is to actually USE that backrest! Don’t sit on the edge of your chair because gravity will always win and you’ll end up hunched over your computer.
2. Get an awesome desk.
Next comes the desk. To know what height desk you need, sit upright in your chair all the way back so your back is on the backrest and your feet are flat on the floor. From here, bend your elbows. This is exactly where your keyboard should be. If it’s too far away from you, again, gravity will win and you’ll end up hunched over your keyboard. No good. Be sure your chair can scoot close enough to your desk to ensure you have the optimal setup.
I’m a huge fan of desks that easily transition from sitting to standing. For one, this makes it really easy to adjust the height of your desk so your chair can get nice and close while sitting. But equally important, it allows you to move around throughout the day as you move from standing to sitting. The best posture is one that is always moving, so every hour switch between sitting and standing. This leads us perfectly to the next tip…
3. Move!
As I mentioned, I believe the best posture is one that is always changing. It’s impossible to hold your body in the “best” position for more than 10-15 minutes. Plus, our bodies are made to move! If you follow my content then you know that my favorite saying is “motion is lotion.” Our bodies are made to move, so get moving!
A quick and easy way to incorporate movement is to set an alert to go off every hour. This will prompt you to move your desk between sitting and standing and at that time, you can stand up and stretch out a little, even if it’s right there at your desk.
To get even more movement in, stay hydrated! Having to go fill up your water cup will naturally get some steps in, and before too long you’ll have to use the bathroom which means more steps! Plus staying hydrated will help your body feel more mobile and energetic.
Lastly, schedule movement time. Take advantage of your 30-second commute and capitalize on the 30-60 minutes you gain each day by not being on the road. Don’t have a working lunch every day either. Your brain needs some decompression time and your body needs to move.
If the weather allows, go outside, get fresh air and sunshine, and take a walk around the block. If it’s a crummy day, walk circles around your house, go up and down the stairs, or march in place. Shoot for 20-30 minutes of movement before you log on, at lunch, after you’re done for the day, or 10-15 minutes spread throughout your day. Make it something that is attainable and fun for you and schedule this on your work calendar. Hold that time as sacred as you would an important meeting and make your movement happen.
If you’re a remote employee for the foreseeable future, focus on working from home ergonomics to keep your body and mind feeling good. Need help determining the best setup? Let’s chat.
