Get your workstation working right
If you are in the office or working from home, it’s important to have your desk space set up correctly. Health issues like Occupational Overuse Syndrome (OOS) and Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) aren’t just a mouthful to say, they can cause serious harm and put you out of action.
The good news is, with a workstation that’s set up properly, you can reduce the risk of these issues from developing.
So where do you start?
1
Get the height right
If you have a seated workstation, there are three things you need to get right when it comes to height: your chair,
your desk and your monitor.
Chair
Have you ever really thought about how you sit in a chair? Here’s how it should look: your feet should be flat on the
floor with your thighs angled down slightly. Raise or lower your chair to get this right.
Desk
Rest your hands on your desk; do your forearms and wrists angle down slightly? That’s the correct posture to help
prevent OOS-type injuries. To get this right, you may need to try desk raisers or a foot rest and raise your chair
height.
Monitor
Look to your monitor, the top of your screen should be just about horizontal with your eyes and about an arm’s length
away from you.
2
Get the right gear
Consider an ergonomic keyboard and mouse. They can help improve the posture of your hands and wrists, encouraging them
into a more natural position.
3
Get away from the desk
It’s important to take regular breaks. Stretch and change your posture from time to time. Make sure you step away from
your desk once or twice an hour to walk to the kitchen, outside or to the other end of the home or office.
A few final tips
- Eliminate glare on your monitor by adjusting the lights or using blinds
- An anti-glare filter can ease stress on the eyes
- A copyholder is a great idea if you need to refer to documents while typing
- Drink plenty of water throughout the day
- Take a lunch break away from your desk, preferably outside.
Get comfy, we all work for a good chunk of our lives, so we may as well feel good when we’re there!
4
Working from home?
Here are a couple of pointers to keep your work day going…
- Start your day with something that isn’t work related, stand up, stretch before you get started
- Structure your day, like you would in the office. Know when you’ll take breaks and have lunch and when it will end
- To stay healthy, keep your work space clean and sanitize the area with disinfected wipes
- Working remotely can be lonely, set up a 10min online catch up with others from the office
- Create a proper work space, shut the door to illuminate distractions.
