Whether you work on a computer all day or you’re just on it for a couple of hours at a time, finding a set up that keeps you comfortable is so important and can feel so elusive. When you’re thinking about desk ergonomics, it’s really important to remember that computers (and especially laptops) were not designed with human bodies in mind. We have to intentionally set up our desks to accommodate ourselves, not the computer. Let’s start from the floor and work our way up.
You don’t need to be this very uncomfortable looking person hunched over a laptop. (Stock image)
Note #1: I am not getting into the sitting or standing desk debate. One isn’t universally better than the other. Go with your personal preference! The same goes for whether or not to use under-desk treadmills and the like.
Note #2: I am not going to give advice on what specific chair you should have. There are general tips here for what to look for in a chair, but chair preference is so personal that I can’t give specific recommendations. The only way to find the best chair for you is to go try them.
Your Feet (Standing)
Wear supportive shoes and get an anti-fatigue standing mat. There are tons of different styles of mats out there - some are just cushioned, some are bumpy, and others are more like balance toys and move!
Soften your knees. Please. Everything is better with soft knees.
Your Chair (Seated)
Your feet need to be able to touch the floor. If this isn’t possible, get yourself a footrest and bring the floor to you!
The seat of your chair should be parallel to the floor or slope slightly forward. If it’s sloped back or has a lip around the front edge, it’s a bad design and you’ll cut off circulation behind your thighs.
If your chair has armrests, they need to be low enough that you can use them without your shoulders around your ears, but high enough that you don’t have to lean over to use them.
Watch out for too much lumbar support. If your chair is convex and pushes into your back, it’s too much. If you can lean against it and it just holds you upright, that’s what you want.
Your Desk (Seated or Standing)
The height of your desk relative to your height is the most important thing regarding your desk. Sit or stand upright with your arms by your sides and your shoulders relaxed. Bend your elbows to 90 degrees (like you’re putting your hands on a desk) - that is ideally the height your desk should be. Chances are it’s lower than you expect.
Your Desktop Computer (Seated or Standing)
Experiment with where you want your mouse to be and find your sweet spot. Too far forward, too far off to one side, too close - those all cause wrist, shoulder, and neck strain. There are also all kinds of styles of ergonomic mice out there!
Keyboards don’t cause too many problems unless they’re too narrow for your hands. If you have to pull your wrists together to type, you need a wider or split keyboard.
The center of your monitor needs to be at eye level when you’re sitting or standing upright. Imagine looking out at the horizon with a wide open view - that’s the height you want. It’s probably higher than you expect.
Your eyes are most relaxed when looking out into the distance, so keeping your monitor too close will cause eye strain. If you can’t read at distance, increase the font size and/or get reading glasses!
If you have two monitors, please use both of them! So many people I talk to use only one of them 90% of the time and are therefore twisted all day long.
Your Laptop (Seated or Standing)
I sincerely hope that if the majority of your work is on a computer, in the office or remote, that your employer or self-employment budget has paid for a desktop computer. Working on a laptop all day every day is a terrible idea because they’re designed for portability, not for any kind of ergonomic comfort.
If you do need to work on a laptop, please don’t use it for hours on the couch. That’s a guaranteed recipe for back and neck pain. Here are ways to mitigate laptop problems, essentially turning it into a small desktop computer:
Get an external keyboard and mouse (see keyboard and mouse tips above).
Get a laptop stand (see monitor height and distance tips above).
If those aren’t possible for some reason, or you just need to use your laptop for a little while…
Experiment with how far away your laptop can comfortably be. The closer it is, the more tempted you’ll be to curl up over it.
Sit or stand upright and look into the distance, then keep your head there and try looking down at your laptop screen with just your eyes. It might be too low for this to be comfortable, but the more you can keep your head upright the better your neck and back will feel.
Move Your Body!
Along with all these complicated details, the best thing you can do for your body when you’re stuck on a computer is to move! Listen to music you love and dance while you work. Take breaks and walk around now and then. Give your eyes a break and regularly look away from your screen and stare off into the distance. Your body will thank you, and I bet you’ll find it changes your ability to focus and be creative.