Have you ever felt pain and fatigue sitting for long stretches at a time at work? Whether you’re sitting in front of a computer, at a desk, or standing at a whiteboard, there’s no escaping that you’re putting your body through a lot. Proper office ergonomics – such as good posture, equipment, and work setups can make the difference between a positive day and one filled with pain. Ergonomics can help reduce fatigue in many ways: by encouraging you to take regular breaks from your work, giving you tools that help you work more efficiently, helping you organize your space, so it’s easier to navigate, and helping you with posture so that you don’t have to strain your body to stay focused.
The Benefits of Utilizing Proper Office Ergonomics
Ergonomics is the study of making work more accessible and productive.
In the workplace, it’s important to keep ergonomics in mind because it can help you maximize productivity and comfort. Here are a few benefits of utilizing proper ergonomics:
- Reduced musculoskeletal disorders.
- Improved productivity and employee morale.
- Reduced risk of illness or injury.
- Reduced fatigue and improved alertness.
- Reduced muscle tension in the neck, shoulders, and back areas.
- Improved concentration levels.
- Less strain on eyesight from glare or reflections.
Here are 15 quick fixes to improve your office ergonomics and have consistently positive and pain-free days:
- Sit up straight with good posture. Good posture is essential for reducing fatigue because it helps keep tension from building up in the body’s muscles and joints over time – leading to poor circulation, which causes aches and pains throughout the body (especially in the back). Make sure you’re sitting with both feet flat on the floor so that neither leg supports more weight than it should.
- Use a chair that is adjustable and has good back support.
- Ensure your keyboard is level with your elbows at a 90-degree angle and that your wrists are straight when typing.
- Adjust the monitor, so it’s at eye level and slightly away from you.
- Ensure your office has enough light, so you don’t tire from squinting too much!
- When using a mouse, hold it gently between the thumb and index finger; keep it close to the keyboard and use arm movements rather than wrist movements when moving around on the screen (this will also help reduce neck pain.)
- Avoid using rolled-up towels or other objects as a support for your wrists while typing (they can make carpal tunnel syndrome worse)
- Try to take breaks every 30 minutes or so. The best way to reduce muscle fatigue is to take frequent breaks from sitting at your desk. Walking around the office or going outside for some fresh air will help keep you energized.
- Use a standing desk when possible. If you have a standing desk at work, use it instead of sitting down all day long! Standing up while working can burn calories and improve circulation throughout your body which helps prevent muscle fatigue, especially in the calves and thighs (if you’re wearing jeans).
- Use a document holder so you don’t have to keep holding papers while you work on them, or try using a laptop stand to position your laptop at eye level (or below).
- Stretch out regularly throughout the day—even if it’s just for 2 minutes at a time!
- Don’t sit too close or too far away from the screen—the optimal distance is about an arm’s length away from where you’ll be looking at it most often (about 20 inches if you’re using a laptop.)
- Stand up straight and tall as much as possible throughout the day (it’ll make you feel better).
- Rotate your workstation so that you aren’t always facing the same direction (this also helps reduce muscle fatigue).
- Remove clutter from your workspace so that there are no distractions.
Become A Corporate Wellness Partner With Us
At Avid Sports Medicine, we offer holistic corporate wellness solutions to support and engage your employees. We know that when employees are healthy, they are more productive, so we provide on-site fitness programs for your employees.
Depending on where they work, these workshops are offered at our location or in their homes. They can choose various options to meet their needs: yoga and meditation classes, weight-loss programs; nutrition counseling; and more. Our services help you save money by keeping your employees healthy and productive.
For more information about ergonomics, read our Ergonomics 101 blog post.
Co-Author: Arun