How to Set Up a Computer Workstation During the Coronavirus

Planning for Convenience and Ergonomic Comfort at Home

Today we find ourselves in strange and unprecedented times. The aggressive COVID-19 (coronavirus) is sweeping across the globe, and country after country finds themselves battling a microscopic force. Schools and many businesses have shut down for the foreseeable future. Conferences and meetings have been canceled for fear of spreading the virus. And offices are closing, sending employees home to work remotely. Seemingly overnight, our business climate has changed.

As we find ourselves transitioning to work at home, How do you set up a computer workstation that will be at least semi-permanent, convenient, and ergonomically comfortable? Let’s look at the five steps here from McClure Ergonomics.

Find a Convenient Location

If you’ve not had a home office before, it may be a challenge to designate a space in your home to accommodate a desk, chair, computer, and other office necessities. We recommend a room or space that won’t disrupt your home’s normal traffic flow. Try to take advantage of natural light if you can. Otherwise, find a spot that allows you to plug in an additional light source, such as task lighting.

Gather Your Supplies

What do you need to have at hand during a regular workday? You’ll certainly need a desk, or a table that is desk-height, and a comfortable chair as well as your laptop or desktop computer with a mouse and a keyboard. Here are a few other things you may need, depending on your job:

• Writing utensils
• Printer
• Paper
• Stapler
• Paper clips / binder clips
• Notepads
• Mousepad
• Lighting
• Nearby outlet
• Document organizer

Choose an Ergonomic Chair

Not selecting the right desk chair can result in a sore back, neck, and shoulders as well as carpal tunnel syndrome and other musculoskeletal disorders. If you plan to spend several hours each day sitting in a chair, you’ll want it to be ergonomically comfortable. Here are a few tips to consider when selecting a chair for your home office.

• Chair back should mimic the natural curvature of the spine.
• Feet should rest flat on the floor and knees should be level with the hips.
• Chair should have a comfortable, padded seat.
• The backs of the knees shouldn’t touch the front of the seat.
• Armrests should allow arms and shoulders to remain in a relaxed position.

Select the Right Desk

What you work on is just as important as what you sit in each day. While style and material can differ depending on taste, budget, and what’s available, there are still a few keys to remember when selecting a home office desk.

• Legs and feet should fit comfortably under the desk.
• Minimize below-desk storage to ensure enough space for legs and feet.
• Adjust the chair height to the desk height, allowing feet to rest flat on the floor.
• Desk edges should be rounded or padded to help avoid tissue compression (carpal tunnel syndrome).

Pull It All Together

Now that you’ve got your furniture, supplies, and computer ready to go, placement is also essential to maintaining good posture while you work. You don’t want to spend your day hunched over, straining, or being generally uncomfortable. Let’s look at how to set up your computer workstation so that you can work in comfort from home.

• The computer monitor should be placed an arm’s length away with the top of the screen at or slightly below eye level.
• The keyboard and mouse should be placed side by side between the user and the computer screen.
• Use a phone speaker or headset rather than cradling the phone between your head and neck when you talk.
• Other frequently used objects should be placed closer to the body.
• If you choose to use a laptop computer, make sure you attach a regular keyboard and mouse to the laptop so your hands, arms, and neck can assume proper posture and not develop muscle fatigue or joint soreness.

Follow these guidelines, and you should be working from home in comfort and experiencing better health.