Implementation of good ergonomic principles ultimately ensures maximum comfort and safety, which helps you stay pain-free and enjoy better efficiency and productivity at work. Regular screen breaks are very important to remember when you work from home as well as incorporating movement into your day. Historically, repetitive tasks increase the incidence of musculoskeletal pain and strain injuries.
If you continue to work in a home-based work setup that isn’t ergonomically designed, you may end up with aches and pains that will only continue to increase over time. Fortunately, you can try out several things to improve laptop ergonomics, such as getting yourself a separate screen, keyboard, or mouse, so you don’t injure yourself. While using a laptop gives you portability, it doesn’t provide you with the ergonomic support you need. The main concern with a laptop is that the attached keyboard and screen are not ergonomically designed, which can lead to aches and pains if you use a laptop for a prolonged period.
Specifically, we calculated the average months WFH in the months after the previous wave up until the next wave. For example, work from home ergonomics the Wave 0 WFH measure was based on the average months working mostly from home between February through April 2020; the Wave 1 WFH measure was based on the average months working mostly from home in May and June 2020. The cut-offs were based on when most participants completed each wave of data collection. Yes, standing desks can boost productivity by increasing energy levels and focus, especially when you alternate between sitting and standing throughout the day. Many users report increased alertness, better concentration during afternoon slumps, and reduced physical discomfort. These benefits combine to create a more comfortable, distraction-free work experience.
Remote Work Tips for a Productive and Comfortable Home Office
As a change of pace, try working occasionally from a local cafe or coworking space to refresh your environment and be around others, even without direct interaction. Also create team rituals such as starting meetings with quick personal updates or celebrating achievements together. These small practices significantly contribute to team cohesion and overall job satisfaction. Moving beyond ergonomics, your surrounding environment plays a crucial role in your ability to concentrate. First and foremost, your physical environment directly influences how you feel and perform during your workday. In this guide, we’ll explore practical remote work tips that will help you do your best work while supporting your overall wellbeing.
- Have your own special workspace that is used exclusively (or mostly) for work.
- Furthermore, as you type on the keyboard, your wrists should remain straight, and your upper arms must be as close to your body as they can conveniently be.
- Plan as much of your day as possible the night before, so you can start your morning without wobbling between decisions.
- Flexibility is important in working from home because it can help you balance your personal and professional life, adapt to changing circumstances, and improve your productivity and well-being.
Work From Home Ergonomics: The Do’s
I am always making micro-adjustments to meet my current needs.” – Matthew Budau, Health and Safety Consultant. For best results, pair a quality ergonomic chair with an adjustable height desk to give yourself flexibility throughout the day, which reduces physical strain and helps maintain alertness. We surveyed college graduates in 40 countries across the Americas, Europe, Asia and Africa during November 2024 to February 2025 to collect information on working from home (WFH). Ergonomics in the work environment refers to optimising how we work. It brings together our anatomy, physiology, data, and engineering to help us design a work environment fit for those in it. It primarily involves designing the workplace in a way that is conducive for better productivity and wellbeing.
Moderators are staffed during regular business hours (EST) and can only accept comments written in English. Statistics or facts must include a citation or a link to the citation. Ergonomic hazards are factors that can cause discomfort, pain, or injury to the musculoskeletal system, which includes the muscles, joints, bones, tendons, and ligaments. Here are some frequently asked questions on work-from-home ergonomics.
Likewise, I have reviewed the best ergonomic office chairs available in the market and all the essential WFH accessories to help you with your purchase. English-speaking countries have, on average, the highest levels of people working from home. The right panel reveals a different story when we distinguish fully remote work from hybrid arrangements, whereby someone works some days at home and other days at the employer’s (or client’s) worksite. In particular, employees with children are much more likely to have a hybrid arrangement that involves 1, 2 or 3 days a week of working from home.
Use a monitor or laptop stand and place it at an arm’s length away from you and at eye level or slightly below. The survey – which collected data from more than 16,000 college and university graduates across 40 countries from November 2024 through February 2025 – also shows that WFH levels have dipped but are far from disappearing. From 2022 to 2023, workers around the world went from an average of 1.6 days in the home office or kitchen table to 1.3 days.
Buro Tidal Mesh Back Chair Review (
Each issue of The Homeworker magazine looks at your wellbeing, productivity and home workspace. Stay up to date with our newsletter to get regular tips and find out about each issue. However, 11 million people in the UK are suffering from back pain due to their homeworking setup, according to Bupa. You’re stuck with having to look down at your screen or elevate your wrists into an unnaturally high position. Remember – everything you share with your colleagues shapes your personal brand. Use multiple light sources with soft diffusers to create pools of light in your home office.
Do something that distinctly lets your mind know you’re done with work, whether that’s cooking dinner or working out. That being said, being stuck in a closet or the attic isn’t the best space either. To improve continuously, end each week with a brief reflection on what worked well and what could be better in your remote work approach.
Prioritize Tasks with a Daily Plan
- Given mixed findings from previous studies regarding the magnitude and nature of the relationship between WFH and well-being, we did not specify any hypotheses about either the direction or linearity of the relationships 8.
- Even 60 seconds of deep breathing between tasks helps reset your nervous system and preserves mental clarity during busy periods.
- Future studies should investigate mediators and moderators of inter- and intraindividual associations of WFH and different indicators of well-being.
- Find time in your day or week for “microadventures,” short, local, affordable activities that offer novelty, excitement, and fulfillment.
- For example, you can set up Pomodoro Session #1 to run on weekdays at 11am, with both your Work and Sleep blocklists activated.
If you have a higher cafe-style kitchen table, you need to use a chair that allows you to sit higher while working. In that case, you may also need a small box or stack of books to place your feet upon to keep your hips and knees in an optimum position while working. A typical kitchen or dining room table height is about 28 to 30 inches, so the height of your table should be fine for setting up your home office there. Many physical therapists (PT) are consulting patients via telehealth or E-visits. You may be able to visit your PT without leaving your house, maintaining safe physical distancing guidelines.
Desires to WFH are highest for women with children
To help maintain boundaries, create a mental transition between work and home by taking a short walk before starting and after finishing your workday. This simple “fake commute” helps your brain switch between work and personal modes with greater ease. Ergonomics is the study of people’s interaction with their working environment.
Choose an ergonomic office chair that provides support to your spine’s natural S-shape. Moreover, your chair should be adjusted to a height such that it allows you to sit with your thighs parallel to the floor and your feet placed firmly on the ground. Well-designed chairs include adjustable armrests, a contoured front edge, fabric that breathes, adjustable backrests with lumbar support, adjustable height, and a tiltable seat. If your hybrid or work-from-home office is not adequately addressing your unique needs, contact your employer. With screens and keyboards fixed roughly at the same level, they prevent you from placing both into an ergonomic position.
This is why understanding ergonomics is so important when working from home because we don’t have occupational health around to assess us. Despite the challenges, the benefits of remote and flexible working are now being proved. Surveys are showing that many employees now want work-from-home setups to continue post-pandemic.
Optimise Your Lighting, Ventilation, and Noise Levels
Figure 3 plots WFH rates for men and women with and without children. The left panel reveals little difference in overall WFH rates between persons with children and those without children. Freedom’s guest series highlights the best productivity content and advice from Freedom users.