Ergonomics, Your Home-Office, And You

Contributed by Elaine Landau

First, let’s talk about you. Congratulations. You’ve done it. You have always dreamed of starting your own home-based business. You might have to improvise a little. Since your home doesn’t have a real office, you have set up your computer on your vanity in the master bedroom. Your desk chair is actually the family hamper. Your filing system consists of piles on the floor and under the bed.

But that’s okay, because you work part-time. It’s just the beginning. And nobody is going to see this mess anyway. So, you can rough it for a little while. There’s no harm, right?

Wrong. No matter how many hours you spend building your home-based business, you need to treat your work environment as seriously as you treat your clients. If you are surrounded by noise, confusion, and everyday distractions, your work will suffer. You need to set up a workspace that will inspire you to do your best work.

You may find that your Home Based Business would be better located in the garage, backyard shed, anyplace that affords the privacy and conditions that you need to succeed.

Why ergonomics are important to you.
Experts maintain that ergonomics can prevent injuries by reducing stress, both mental and physical, in your workspace and most certainly at your workstation. Here are some ideas to keep your home office organized, injury-free, and ergonomically sound.

Be sure to arrange your workstation so that all of your work is in plain view. Searching for needed items wastes time and sometimes forces us into pretzel-like body positions. If you can see needed documents at a glance without a lot of neck and back movement, you will appreciate it at the end of the day.

Leaning, bending and twisting your waist may be great exercise in your aerobics class, but that kind of stretching and stress should be avoided at your workstation.

If you feel some muscle tension, get up and stretch. We sometimes sit in front of our computer much longer than we realize. Your muscles, brain, and eyes can use a break every now and then.

Breathe. Step outside if the weather permits. Experiencing sunlight, fresh air, and sounds of nature can be invigorating.

Your office furniture needs to be right. Your knees and thighs should fit comfortably under your desk. If you have a large enough desk, use the surface to spread out your work assignments. When you can see what you are doing presently and what assignments await, you will get an idea of how much time you might be spending at that desk or in front of your computer. Again, plan for many breaks to keep your mind and body stress free and fresh.

The placement of your computer is key to avoiding neck and back pain. Experts recommend that the top of your monitor screen be at eye level or within 15% below eye level.

Your computer screen should be positioned less than an arm’s length away. Glare guards may help you avoid eye problems and headaches.

Experts suggest that an ideal chair is adjustable, have a padded seat and be on rollers.

If carpel tunnel and tendon stress in your fingers and wrists are concerns, your choice of keyboards is important. Do your homework to determine the best style for you.

A telephone headset is wise if you spend a lot of time on the telephone.

Learn while you earn.
Vary your tasks during your day. For example, your business requires affixing labels to envelopes. If you have some basic computer education, you can take a break from that job and challenge your mind with basic Internet training. Free Internet tutorials and free Internet training can be done between brain-numbing assignments. There are advanced tutorials for Word, Excel®, Photoshop®, and PowerPoint®. The more programs you learn, the more your clients will look to you for expertise.

Hopefully you’ll find these tips helpful while you set up your home-based business.

Working without pain in the comfort of your home-based business is indeed a dream come true.

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About the Author:
Elaine Landau is a freelance writer, publicist, web site editor, and television writer with more than 15 years of experience in marketing, advertising, and publicity.

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