If you usually spend most of your time sitting behind a desk, you know the significant discomfort it can cause your body. Despite seemingly being safer than most work environments, offices can cause substantial harm to your body as there are multiple hazards. As evidenced by increasing research, workplace injuries are among the most common issues for office workers. From short-term injuries to long-term disabilities and even slight discomfort, the nature of your office can significantly compromise your productivity levels. However, there is some reprise as office ergonomics has long been touted as a solution to this problem, with the benefits being supported by health and engineering specialists. It involves designing your work environment to accommodate your unique requirements best; ergonomics aims to reduce discomfort in your office so that you can focus on doing your best at work.
It involves various aspects of your office, from the desk to the chair and lighting. It focuses on your well-being at work, so you are in no danger of developing musculoskeletal disorders such as repetitive strain injuries. However, it is easy to get it wrong as you attempt to introduce ergonomic equipment with a lot of details going into ensuring every aspect fits your individual needs. Ergonomic synchronicity thus means adjusting the finest features of your office and ensuring they are in sync so that hazards often ignored do not compromise your effectiveness or overall well-being. Details such as getting the angles wrong on your PC monitor or the brightness of your lights can seriously keep you from gaining meaningful work done. Pay attention as we break down for you the specifications of various aspects of office ergonomics that you should implement for a better overall working experience.
Tips on how to organize your workplace for ergonomic synchronicity:
Buy an ergonomic chair.
Each list involving office ergonomics must touch on office chairs, highlighting the importance of acquiring the right one. Ergonomic chairs are markedly different from typical leather office chairs because they are specially designed with your needs in mind. However, there is more to getting the best out of an ergonomic office chair than meets the eye. For the best ergonomic synchronicity, get a chair with an adjustable backrest that supports your back and prevents slouching. It will also let you reach most of your office supplies and see the monitor with no effort, while the reclining ability will let you relax your muscles after extended periods of sitting. In addition, the chair should have lumbar support, another critical feature designed to mimic the natural curve of your spine while supporting it. The feature prevents your spine from rounding, which can be painful and prolonged, ensuring all the joints in your elbows, waist, knees, and ankles should be at right angles for a neutral sitting position. The chair should also have adjustable armrests that support your arms, a headrest that supports your head and neck for less stress and stiffness, and a seat whose height is adjustable to ensure you can align your body with the desk's height.
It is critical to ensure the height of both the desk and chair are aligned because if the latter is too high, the back of the knees becomes obstructed, damaging blood circulation. Getting the desk and chair's synchronicity wrong could also prevent you from keeping your feet flat on the floor, which can cause injuries. The framework of the backrest should be a mesh for sufficient airflow across your body while working, which is especially beneficial in poorly ventilated offices. Finally, the chair's seat should have added padding for comfort on your posterior bones and muscles while ensuring your knees are at least a centimeter away from it. One manufacturer that's got you covered is Flexispot. Visit their website for a host of best-in-class ergonomic chairs.
Get an ergonomic desk.
The next step of synchronizing the ergonomics of your office usually involves buying a suitable desk. It can be attributed to the fact that desks are among the centerpieces of an office and one of the most frequently used equipments, which means getting a suitable office desk. You should avoid traditional leather ones, which prioritize elegance and stature, and instead go for a modern and adjustable standing desk. Standing desks let you select the correct height in which you are comfortable while working; they also make it possible to stand while, which is healthy for your body. The latter is the desks' most vital feature because of the option to shift between sitting and standing without compromising on work hence their alternative name, "sit-stand desks."
Sitting for too long can result in various injuries, as mentioned earlier, and others like hypertension, obesity, or type-2 diabetes; standing desks let you exercise a bit so that slowly but surely you reduce the risk. It is, however, more challenging than simply getting a standing desk and knowing all your worries are over because you also have to understand what it should provide and how to use it. A suitable standing desk should give you ample leg room to approach your workstation without reclining or sitting awkwardly. It should also be at the correct elevation to look at the monitor in a straight line for minimal tilting of your head, which can significantly affect your neck and shoulder. The right height should let you quickly see the monitor and use your keyboard for minimal strain. It should also give you a large enough keyboard tray for placing your keyboard, mouse and even wrist rests while being strong enough to support several items while adjusting its height. You should typically schedule your intervals for standing after 30 minutes for minimal injuries to different body parts. With the Proplus E7 standing desk, Flexispot has one that ticks all the checkboxes while still giving you an aesthetic upgrade at an unbelievable price; check out their website today.
Adjust your screen.
Another crucial part of an ergonomic office set-up is the monitor, which can be the source of significant discomfort if you are not careful. You should adjust it to a height and angle which you can quickly see without straining the eyes or taking up awkward postures. To do this, buy a monitor arm designed to hold your PC's screen in a position where you can adjust its positioning at your convenience. The best position for it should be directly in your line of sight and with a range of 20 to 30 inches from you, which means you will not strain while trying to make out characters. It will also prevent you from leaning forward, disrupting the natural body curve and hurting the neck, shoulders, and back. It should also be tilted strategically to about 10 to 20 degrees to reduce glare on your screen.
If you use a laptop, however, a laptop stand is the best option because it lets the device slot in for you to adjust its height and angle easily. Adjusting the device's screen will enable you to clearly and easily see while reducing neck and eye strain. Finally, you should change your screen's brightness level to match your room's lighting. It is essential to ensure this aspect of ergonomic synchronicity because getting it wrong could create too much contrast in the room, affecting your vision and causing strain while looking at the screen. The benefits of using this ergonomic equipment on the well-being of your neck and eye muscles greatly outweigh the purchasing cost, so grab one today.
Invest in a footrest.
Consider a footrest to compensate for the extra centimeters if your chair cannot be lowered enough to lay both feet flat on the floor. The footrest also enables you to shift your posture while standing or even sitting so that excess stress doesn't build up in your feet which can cause significant discomfort and pain. The footrest's height should be adjustable to ensure the angle of your knees is 90 degrees. In addition, some more advanced footrests have features that gently rock your feet for a relaxing feeling that reduces tension by improving blood circulation. The rocking motion lets you periodically switch your posture for added comfort in your workstation. Finally, the footrest should have some padding to cushion your feet for additional comfort while you work. Regardless, a footrest might only help a little when the chair is too high because you are left with a limited number of postures you can assume. Consequently, ergonomic synchronicity dictates you ensure the height adjustment feature of any chair you buy is sufficient, highlighting its importance.
Flexispot is committed to seeing this level of ergonomic synchronicity in offices through its quality equipment that continues to spare thousands of work-related injuries. Visit their website today for a wide range of products that pique your interest.
