Hi, everybody It’s Gemma from Bodyfixit. I hope you’re well.
I thought I would just share with you what my home office looks like and things that you might be able to do to help you be able to work from home better.
Here are our tips to help with setting up your desk without back or neck aches and pains. This blog might be more appropriate if you are working from home using a laptop. These simple tips are things I have picked up along the way, which have really helped me. So, here are three things that I think if you’re working from home that are going to help you.
Number 1 – wireless keyboard and mouse
wireless keyboard and mouse
The first one is something really simple – get a wireless keyboard and mouse. It doesn’t have to be wireless but it makes everything a little bit easier. These can be really inexpensive, I got mine for £20 from Amazon. This is really important as it allows me to sit typing in a better posture and position. This help to reduce the posture most people end up in which is leaning forward and hunching over the keyboard. Really inexpensive piece of office equipment which can can connect to any computer, makes life a lot easier and better for your neck and your shoulders. If you would like more help with your posture at your desk please look at our blog here https://www.bodyfixit.co.uk/further-info/8-simple-tips-to-help-you-sit-comfortably-at-your-desk-now-without-back-pain-or-neck-pain/
Number 2 – raise up laptop
raise up laptop
The second tip is thinking about raising or lifting a laptop up, again really important to help your posture and help your neck and shoulders particularly by raising your laptop up into your line of sight. Here is use a riser but it actually is a little bit low.
If you think about where a monitor screen would be positioned this is the height you are aiming for. You should be able to sit at your desk and the screen be straight ahead not down low or up so you have to tilt your head down or up . If you haven’t got a riser just pile up some books or use a box.
Lift the screen up, so you’re looking straight ahead. This makes it even more vital that you have a wireless keypad and mouse, because if you’ve lifted your screen up and then you’re trying to type on the keyboard it’s really difficult. Once you have set up the keyboard and got the screen height correct you can then improve your posture by tucking your elbows into the side. You want the keyboard and mouse within easy reach or span with your elbows staying touching your side. This help to reduce neck and shoulder tension when you are working.
Number 3 – use a timer
use a timer
The third thing is a timer. I don’t know about you but when you are working from home it can be really easy to get stuck in a project, fully absorbed and the next thing you know you suddenly realise, “Oh, my gosh, I’ve sat still for two hours,” Maybe even longer and you haven’t moved.
This is where the timer comes in I use a kitchen timer. It’s not very swish, you can use your phone but I tend to find this encourages you to look at your phone. I set it to a particular time, i.e 30 mins or an hour it beeps at me, which reminds me to get up and move. One thing I would mention if it counts down it’s probably best to put it face down or away from you as you can feel the time pressure of it ticking away.
Those are our three tips that you can do really simply if you are working from home on a laptop to ease neck and shoulder aches particularly. Two final things if you are working from home to keep motivated and have a better mindset is to put some pictures up, things about being outside, things you’ve really enjoyed doing, moments with family and friends that are going to help you to feel good and not feel like you sat in a dark corner. Also, it is essential to make sure the lighting’s really good in your working environment for your eye health hand to reduce headaches. so you can see really well.
We hope you find these tips useful to help you be able to work from home better and have less aches and pains and feel less stressed and anxious as well.
Gemma