When working from home, you may quickly begin to experience pain in your neck, shoulders, back, or legs—for example—due to poor posture or unsuitable equipment. In this context, how can you minimize the loss of comfort compared to your usual workspace? How can you set up a comfortable workspace using the equipment you have at home? What is the best posture to adopt on a daily basis?

The first piece of advice we can give to a remote worker is to get moving! Working remotely offers fewer opportunities for movement than working in an office, which is why it’s even more important to pay attention to your body and its needs. Check out our tips for taking effective breaks in the advice sheet “Remote Work: 10 Tips for Staying Organized and Productive.”

The following recommendations will help you work comfortably while seated and reduce the risk of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) by maintaining as neutral a posture as possible. However, keep in mind that there is no such thing as an ideal static posture, because the human body needs movement. Be sure to vary your work postures by regularly alternating between sitting and standing.

1. Organize your workspace

Choose a dedicated space for working from home: ideally, this is a quiet room with a desk, or a corner of a table. Keep your cell phone close by, within your comfort zone, so you don’t have to reach too far or twist your body to grab it.

Use the hands-free kit as often as possible, as it allows you to:

• Taking notes by hand or on a computer during the call
• To stand up and walk around during calls that don't require note-taking
• In both cases, avoid straining your neck if you’re in the habit of holding the phone between your ear and shoulder.

Our ergonomic solution:

The Tilde Pro selective noise-canceling headphones for reducing ambient, while staying connected to the outside world and making perfectly intelligible calls. 

2. Learn how to sit properly

• Sit all the way back in your seat to avoid the temptation to lean forward.
• To protect your back, avoid crossing your legs.
• Place a cushion on the seat if the desk is too high and you can't adjust the height of your chair. This will ensure you're at the right height and can rest your arms on the desk.
• Relax your shoulders as much as possible to loosen them up, avoid straining your neck, and prevent any discomfort or pain in that area.
• Be sure to place your feet flat on the floor, keeping a 90° angle at the back of your knee.
• If they don't touch the floor, prop them up with a thick book, for example.

Our ergonomic solution:

An ergonomic footrest designed to keep your knees at a 90-degree angle.

3. Place your documents

If you are viewing documents, Place them between the keyboard and the screen, if possible, on an inclined plane: a binder, for example. You'll limit repetitive movements

You'll keep your head aligned between the documents and the screen, thereby reducing neck pain as well as eye strain.

Our ergonomic solution:

A document holder to position documents directly within their field of view.

To learn more: Our advice sheet , “Document Holders: How Do They Benefit My Posture?”

4. Adjust your screen

• The screen of your desktop computer or laptop should be positioned directly in front of you, not at an angle, to minimize strain on your neck and lower back.
• The distance between you and your screen should be equal to the length of your arm when you are seated, or about 50–70 cm. If the screen is too close or too far away, you may experience eye strain, such as headaches, dry eyes, etc.
• When you’re sitting correctly at your workstation, with your back against the chair’s backrest, your line of sight should be level with the top of the screen: raise it with a thick book or a ream of paper if necessary. In this position, the information you’re viewing is at a downward angle of about 15 percent—this is your visual comfort zone. This will help you maintain a neutral posture and prevent neck pain.
• Adjust your screen settings: setthe contrast, brightness, resolution, and text size on the screen. This will improve your visual comfort and, as a result, relieve strain on your neck, since you won’t need to lean forward to read the information on the screen.
• If you wear progressive-lens glasses: position the screen a little lower and tilt it slightly backward.

Our ergonomic solution:

A monitor arm or a laptop stand to position the screen at the correct height. If you're using a laptop, you'll need an external keyboard and a mouse.

To learn more: Our advice sheets “What Are the Best Ergonomic Settings for Your Monitor?” and “Choosing a Monitor Arm for Your PC: Key Points”

5. Laptop: Use a separate mouse and keyboard

If you're working on a laptop or tablet, your screen should be at eye level to minimize neck pain. If you raise your screen, you won't be able to use your keyboard or trackpad. So use a separate mouse and keyboard. This will bring your arms closer to your body, helping to relax your neck and shoulders.

If you use a standard mouse and experience pain in your shoulder or arm, try moving the mouse closer to you— in front of the keyboard if necessary. This will reduce the strain of extending your arm outward.

Our ergonomic solutions:

A central pointer to keep your workspace close to your body and relieve muscle tension in your shoulders and neck.

If you experience pain in your wrist and elbow (carpal tunnel syndrome), a vertical mouse can help prevent compression and hyperextension of the wrist.

A compact keyboard to keep your arms close to your body, or a keyboard designed for the center pointer.

To learn more: Our advice sheet , “Ergonomic Mouse vs. Center Pointer: Which One Should You Choose?”

6. Reduce eye strain

Eye strain is a common risk when working in front of a screen. It causes headaches, glare, blurred vision… To prevent it, there’s nothing better than micro-breaks! Look away from your screen and gaze into the distance for 20 seconds. Repeat these breaks about every 20 minutes to give your eyes a proper rest. A room with good lighting will also help reduce eye strain.

To learn more: Our advice sheet “3 Tips for Reducing Eye Strain at Work” and our infographic “Eye Strain: How to Prevent It at Work”

7. Alternate between different positions

• • Sitting for long periods of time can cause a variety of aches and pains and increase the risk of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs).
  • Be sure to take breaks and get up every hour, especially when you're on the phone and not taking notes.
  • If possible, tryto alternate your posture by working while standing for 30-minute sessions—for example, by standing at a high countertop, such as a kitchen island. Be careful, however, to keep your arms at about a 90-degree angle and to avoid raising your shoulders too high, which can happen if the countertop is too high.

To learn more: Our tip sheet “Sit-Stand Workstations: The New Office Tool for Alternating Postures.”

Our ergonomic solution:

The Oploft sit-stand workstation, for easily alternating between sitting and standing positions.

Are you looking to improve your concentration and productivity at home? Be sure to check out our guide: "Working from Home: 10 Tips for Staying Organized at Home."

(1) Source: PLANCHARD, J.H. and VELAGIC, Z. Assessment of the Psychological Impact of Telework. Nice University Hospital (CGU), 2020. Study summary available upon request at communication@azergo.fr
(2) Source: Le Comptoir de la nouvelle entreprise by Malakoff Humanis, 2019

Follow @Az_ergo

Illustrations: Azergo 2020