Easy tips for Home Office Set-Up
Easy Tips for HOME OFFICE Set-Up
Are working from home and you’re finding that your low back, neck and shoulders are starting to give you problems? This video will give you some useful tips for home office set-up. Your home office may not have a comfortable ergonomic chair, multiple screens or a sit stand desk. Working from home can be tough if you have to make do with your dining chair and a laptop,
How can we make this home office set-up situation better?
How can we get a better set up without spending hundreds and hundreds of dollars?
We are going to address a few areas in setting up a better home office. These include:
- height of laptop
- Separate keyboard
- Chair set up
- How often to take a break
- Some stretch suggestions
1.Height of laptop
Elevate your laptop with whatever is at hand, boxes as I have done in the video.
AIM: eyes just above the top of the computer screen. This will help to avoid a forward head posture which will increase the mechanical stress on shoulders and lower neck.
2. Keyboard
You may not have a separate keyboard and you weren’t able to borrow one from work. I suggest investing in one is important. It is worth it. You cannot use the keyboard on your laptop if your laptop is elevated.
3. Chair set up
Aim to have elbows at right angles. This will help you to maintain a neutral posture while typing.. If you need to, as I needed to in the video, I sat on a cushion. Place a pillow in the small of your back to maintain a lower back curve. If feet are not touching the ground, a foot rest will be required to allow foot support.
4. How often to take a break
When we are focussing on our work, we often lose track of time and forget to move. Pop a reminder on your phone to get up every half an hour. You may go for a short walk, grab a healthy drink, such as water or herbal tea. Check out some of the following stretches that you can do in a short break. CLICK HERE for a link to a 3 minute yoga stretch session.
5. Stretches
In the video you can use a tennis ball or spiky ball to massage the front of the chest and the mid back. Do that for a minute of so.
A Thera-band looped is a wonderful way to get some stretch in the chest and some strengthening in the mid thoracic. Start with the band looped around your wrists, arm straight down by your sides with palms facing down. Get some tension in the band by separating your hands from each other. While maintaining some tension in the band, slowly rotate palms so they are facing the front. As you are doing that your will feel a stretch in your chest and shoulders. You will also benefit from gently pulling shoulder blades back and down, working on strengthening the mid back and shoulder blade muscles. Repeat 5-10 times.
Other ideas are lying on a Posture pole or towel rolled up for a few minutes. Lying with the pole along your spine with knees bent and palms facing up. Go for a walk or use a skipping rope for a minute. All these will help to get you moving and help you get through your work day.
CLICK HERE to see a previous blog for pectoral (front of chest) stretches.
Our tips for home office set-up are a guide to help you. If you have any further questions, please feel free to call us on 9329 1118.
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