5 great tips to work better at home

Many of us are forced to work from home by the Corona virus. Unfortunately, not everyone has a well-equipped home workplace and many are forced to work at the dining table. That does not always go well. Sometimes you develop back, shoulder and neck complaints within a few days.

That is why we are giving 5 tips that you can start immediately.

TIP 1 – don’t sit too low
If you do not have a height-adjustable office chair at home, you will soon end up on a dining room chair.
The seat is almost always too low. You can see this from the position of your thighs.

seat too low – thigh higher at the knee than at the pelvis
seat height good – upper leg at knee lower than at the pelvis (the same height is also acceptable)

The result of sitting too low is that the pelvis tilts backwards and you will therefore have a bent back. You will then experience back pain (muscle complaints) as quickly. Trying extra to tilt your pelvis forward and sit upright does not help. You will also engage and strain your back muscles.

Solution:
– place a firm cushion on the seat
– higher chair / height-adjustable office chair

TIP 2 – do not sit on the front edge of the chair
This is common both at home and in the office. If your chair is not “comfortable” then chances are that you will sit on the front edge of the seat. You no longer have contact with the back cushion of the chair. Often you still want to sit upright. However, that only works by tightening your leg, back and abdominal muscles. As a result, you get tired and overworked muscles for some time.

Solution:
– always sit in the back of the chair and use the back cushion to support your pelvis
– unfortunately almost all dining room chairs are unsuitable to sit in properly.

TIP 3 – do not work at a table that is too high
We estimate that a large proportion of people at home and in the office work at too high a table or desk.
As a result, you have to constantly lift the hands and arms, causing unnecessary stress on the shoulder and neck muscles.

Solution:
Sit straight on your chair, if possible adjust the height of the chair. Relax your shoulders and bring your arms into a 90 degree position: upper arm vertical and forearm horizontal. The ideal height of your tabletop / worktop is now equal to the height of your elbow. An inch higher or lower is no problem, but the difference should not be too great.

– table too high: raise your chair or, if not, cushion it firmly
– table too low: raise your table (blocks under the legs)

TIP 4 – watch out if you are working with a laptop
Working with a laptop is very handy, but also an ergonomic disaster. Because key lock and screen are attached to each other, you can never place the screen at the correct height. Result: arched back and arched neck. This leads to unnecessary stress on the back and neck muscles.

Solution:
– place the laptop on a stack of books. Your screen is now a lot higher. Now connect a separate keyboard and mouse to the laptop.
– alternative: buy a separate monitor, connect it to the laptop and adjust the monitor to the correct height.

TIP 5 – take a break
Even if you take the above tips to heart, the situation is often far from ideal. That is why it is wise not to work too long at a time. After an hour of work, take a break, stand, walk, stretch. Doesn’t matter, as long as you get out of the monotony of sitting. You can already achieve a lot with a 5-minute break and variety.

Do you want to know more? Do not hesitate to contact us.