It's Time to Get Serious About Your Home Office

You’ve been working from home for the past few weeks and have made quick fixes to your work area to get by for a short term.  But a few weeks is now dragging into a few months or possibly more.  Now is the time to reassess your ergonomic needs not only for your personal comfort but also for your productivity and improved organization.

Let’s face it, working from home can be challenging enough with the demands of homeschooling kids, limited space, technology obstacles, not to mention the countless other distractions.  Unless you have the right setup, you will end up with back, neck and shoulder pain sooner or later.

Now might be the time to invest in a comfortable ergonomic chair. But where do you start with so many choices?  Buying a chair on-line without having a chance to do the “butt test” makes it a bit harder to pick the right chair for you. Your chair is the most-used work tool and can have the biggest impact on your work comfort.

For the best comfort look for chairs that have a high-quality, supportive foam seat pan.  A slightly contoured or moderately contoured seat will work best for dispersing seated pressure on your Ischial Tuberosity, or “sit bones” which absorb your weight when you sit.  If you’re feeling a pain in your buttocks then this will provide the best support. Many inexpensive, imported chairs have cut-foam with inferior foam which may feel good at first but over time will compress and bottom out. 

For good back support, look for chairs with independent back angle adjustments so that you can adjust the angle to fit your position.  Many chairs don’t angle far enough forward and provide little if any upper back support. A quality ergonomic chair will have lumbar support that is height adjustable and if available, an inflatable air lumbar. A mid-back chair may be enough if you just need lower support but a higher back chair will provide better upper back and thoracic support. The choice between a mesh-back and a foam back depends on your needs but whichever you choose make sure that it has good adjustment range and lumbar support options.

Investing in your comfort will pay for itself.  Quality ergonomic chairs are meant to last for years.  An investment in a $600 chair equates to $1.65 per day over the course of a year and will lead to better back health not to mention an increase in productivity as a result!

So many chairs claim ergonomic design – but don’t be fooled by marketing.  Labels and looks don’t mean much if you’re not comfortable or if the chair doesn’t provide you the support that you need.  The cool looking chair may not be the most comfortable.

We are here to discuss your needs and to help you select the chair that best fits your body and needs.

Reference:

I’ve discussed ergonomic workstation set-up in other articles, but here’s a quick reference from Mayo Clinic for your review.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/office-ergonomics/art-20046169