With at-home work at an all-time high and many people adapting to non-traditional office settings, the importance of a proper workspace setup has become more essential than ever. Ergonomics refers to designing a job to fit the individual, and implementing ergonomic solutions can make you more comfortable, reduce muscle strain, and increase productivity.
This Ergonomic Guide offers a few simple tips and pointers for adjusting your home office to be more ergonomically friendly along with some easy stretching exercises to improve flexibility and mobility.
- Adjust your chair – Make sure your back is properly supported – small adjustments can make a big difference, reduce muscle strain, and result in greater productivity.
- Work/desk area setup – Having a well-designed workspace, proper posture and small physical adjustments can help decrease fatigue and overuse of certain muscle groups.
- Carpal tunnel exercises – Carpal tunnel syndrome causes pain, tingling, and numbness in your hand from pressure on the median nerve in your wrist. It’s often caused by repetitive motions, so some simple exercises can help prevent this serious condition.
- Daily stretching exercises – From shoulder rolls, side stretches, and hamstring stretch – it’s important to be diligent about stretching every day.
- Good posture – Sitting and standing with proper alignment improves blood flow, helps keep your nerves and blood vessels healthy, and supports your muscles, ligaments and tendons. People who use correct posture are often less likely to experience related back and neck pain.
You can also learn more about an individualized evaluation of your workspace(s) or assessment of your organization’s return-to-work program, please contact the Health and Productivity Director in your area: Download the Unum Ergonomic Guide.
