Ergonomics Unsolved; How To Work Effectively From Home
Ergonomics; a much-talked-about subject we understand little about. We know that our office/work setup needs to be more ergonomic, but what does that mean?
"Ergonomics is the discipline of understanding interactions between humans and other elements of a system. Ergonomics applies theory, principles, data and methods to design in order to optimise human well-being and overall system performance." International Ergonomics Association.
Simply put, ergonomics is when our environment - work, home, or any environment we utilize - is optimized to support our well-being.
To help us better understand this, take your current work from home setup. Are you sitting on your bed as you read this article in between your break? Or are you sitting on your couch?
For instance, we make a common mistake while working from home and take a casual approach to our work setup. This means we are hunched over our screens worse than usual. This is the root cause of back, neck pain, and spinal injury. An article in the Economic Times Panache talked about work from home ergonomics, and the rising health problems professionals faced.
That's to say, many employees have reported an increase in neck and back pain and spinal cord issues as they worked from home.
Dr. Apurv Shimpi of Sancheti Hospital Pune and his physiotherapy department had the following tips to reduce the strain.
Here are some benefits napEazy® provides as an ergonomic pillow.
- Its use as a back support pillow can help reduce back pain and improve your posture.
- You can use napEazy® to support your side while napping or sitting. If you are in the habit of leaning while working, use napEazy's support to keep your spine straight.
- napEazy® can be used to support your elbows on either side while you work on your laptop to bring your hands level with the computer.
- Unofficially, in some cases, it can be used as a stand for your laptop if you like sitting cross-legged. Therefore bringing your computer to your eye level and reducing strain.
- It's important to remember that napEazy® is not the only solution to creating an ergonomic environment. You must take breaks, exercise and walk. Your work from home desk setup should support your body and health.
Here’s how you can improve your ergonomics at home.
Firstly, we find a suitable place to work from, not the bed or the sofa, but a desk and chair. Now we can turn it into an ergonomic environment where our health is protected.
Keep your laptop at eye level
There are handy laptop stands that can bring the screen level to your line of sight. Since it might be difficult for you to purchase a new desk altogether, this is a viable alternative. Keep your screen at eye level is important because it prevents you from straining your neck by always looking down. You can even use a few books to raise the computer to eye level. You can also increase your chair's height to sit level with your laptop. You can also open napEazy® and keep it on your lap to keep your wrists at a level.
Take breaks
Avoid sitting in a chair for long hours. It can cause your glute muscles to weaken and lead to high cholesterol, weight gain, and obesity. However, breaks can help you reduce strain on pressure areas like your feet, neck, and lower back. Remember to stay hydrated, and don't skip lunch.
Walk often
Walking frequently between breaks every hour or half an hour will protect your muscles from deteriorating. As you work from home, you can use your break to do chores around the house. It's also a good idea to get into a routine that allows you to exercise every day. Long walks in the evening or early morning can give your body the much-needed movement it needs.
Do ergonomic stretches
Watch this video from our resident ergonomist Dr. Deepankar and his exercise tips. You can do them as you sit in your chair.
Accordingly, we recommend that you go with a combination of all these tips to get the best results. You need to be continuously committed to your health.
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