Working at home shouldn’t be a pain in the neck (or back, or wrists)
- mar
- 25
A lot of us are working from home these days. Regardless of whether you're in an office or a home office, it's important to set yourself up with an ergonomic workspace to avoid getting aches and pains in your neck, back, wrists, and fingers as you work. Consider a standing desk. If you do prefer to sit, or you need to sit, do try to set up an ergonomic workstation. The items on this list can help set you up for success.
Best Standing Desk: Autonomous Standing Desk
Sitting all day isn't great for your health; if you can't move around a lot, at least you can stand while you work. It probably goes without saying, but make sure you have a comfortable (not hard tile or stone) floor and good, supportive shoes to wear at your standing desk.
Get the best of both worlds with the Autonomous Standing Desk, since it can be both a sitting desk and a standing desk. Our editor-in-chief Lory considers this desk an integral part of her home office. You can adjust it from sitting to standing height smooth and quiet hybrid dual-motor electric lift system. There are four different heights, so you can choose which works best for you. Choose from several different colors to match your decor.
Pros:
- Adjustable from sitting to standing
- Electric motor makes adjustment easy
- High-quality, solid piece of furniture
Cons:
- Just four specific heights
Best Standing Desk
Autonomous Standing Desk
Stand for your health
Sit or stand while you work with this high-quality, adjustable, motorized desk.
Best Laptop Stand: Nulaxy Adjustable Laptop Stand
I've worked from a laptop as far back as I can remember. The simplicity and portability just work for me. However, it's not the best from an ergonomic standpoint to have the monitor so close to the keyboard and mouse or trackpad. One solution is the place the laptop on a stand when you're in your (home) office and use a separate keyboard and mouse. This raises the screen to eye level, so you don't have to hunch down to see your screen. The whole idea of using a mouse and keyboard with a laptop takes some getting used to, but you'll feel the results immediately.
I find that when I use a laptop stand, my back naturally straightens up. This one is fully adjustable, both in height and angle, so you can create the perfect setup for you. Rubber feet raise your laptop slightly for air circulation, plus there is a large cutout to prevent your laptop from overheating. It's compatible with any laptop from 10 to 17 inches.
Pros:
- Fully adjustable, both height and angle
- Premium aluminum alloy
- Raised feet and cutout for air circulation
- Fits laptops from 10 to 17 inches
Cons:
- Some won't like using a separate mouse and keyboard with a laptop
Best Laptop Stand
Nulaxy Adjustable Laptop Stand
Better angle
Put your laptop at the ideal ergonomic height and angle with this stand.
Best Ergonomic Keyboard: Logitech Ergo K860 Wireless Ergonomic Keyboard
This keyboard is both sloped and split for a more natural typing position. It comes with a pillowed wrist rest to give more support and reduce wrist bending. The keys are scooped to match the shape of your fingertips. An adjustable palm lift raises the entire keyboard to your optimal angle. The Logitech Ergo K860 Wireless Ergonomic Keyboard is fully compatible with both macOS and Windows. Plus, it has a number pad for quick numerical entry.
Pros:
- Split and sloped keyboard for ideal hand positions
- Pillowed wrist rest for ultimate comfort
- Entire keyboard lifts for ideal angle
- Compatible with Mac and PC computers
- Number pad
Cons:
- Pricey
Best Egonomic Keyboard
Logitech Ergo K860 Wireless Ergonomic Keyboard
Ergonomic style
Logitech's offering is both split and sloped for perfect positioning, plus it has a pillowed wrist rest.
Best Ergonomic Mouse: Logitech M570 Wireless Trackball Mouse
Rather than chasing your pointer around with your mouse, keep control under your thumb with the cleverly designed Logitech M570 Wireless Trackball Mouse. Since the trackball is on rather than under this mouse, you can use it on any surface. Its sculpted shape feels comfortable in hand all day. Use it with your Mac or PC; it's compatible with both. An integrated scroll wheel and backward/forward buttons give you easy control. You can go up to 18 months before you'll need to replace the battery. Sadly, this mouse is just for right-handed people.
Pros:
- Trackball right under your thumb
- Sculpted, comfortable shape
- Integrated scroll wheel and back-and-forth buttons for easy navigation
- 18-month battery life
Cons:
- Sorry lefties, this one's not for you
Best Ergonomic Mouse
Logitech M570 Wireless Trackball Mouse
Sculpted style
This funky-looking mouse is designed for comfort with its thumb-controlled trackball and integrated scroll wheel.
Best Foot Rest: AmazonBasics Under Desk Foot Rest
If you can't plant your feet squarely on the floor while seated and your thighs aren't parallel to the floor, then you'll want a footrest to align your body properly. This one will not only elevate your feet and legs, but it adjusts to different angles for your ideal positioning. Plus, the free-floating platform and nubbly tread pattern let you stretch and massage your feet while you work. Reduce fatigue and increase circulation in your legs when you're sitting for long periods.
Pros:
- Elevates feet and legs to correct height and angle
- Moving platform and tread pattern let you stretch and massage feet
- Well-priced
Cons:
- Some may not like a moving platform
- May not be high enough for very short legs
Best Foot Rest
AmazonBasics Under Desk Foot Rest
Raise and stretch
This footrest can help you get your feet and legs in better alignment with your body. It also lets you stretch and massage them.
Best Office Chair: Modway Articulate Mesh Office Chair
This upright ergonomic office chair has a breathable mesh back and plush fabric seat cushion. You can adjust both the back height and the seat depth to fit your body perfectly. Also, two sturdy armrests help you maintain proper alignment. Incline or recline the chair as desired, thanks to the tilt tension and lock functions. Five hooded dual-caster wheels let you glide effortlessly even over carpet. Choose from six colors.
Pros:
- Breathable and adjustable mesh back
- Plush seat cushion
- Incline and recline chair
- Wheels glide over carpet
- Six color options
Cons:
- Some users support durability issues
Best Office Chair
Modway Articulate Mesh Office Chair
Adjustable
With lots of ways to adjust this chair, you'll be sure to find the perfect comfortable fit.
Bottom line
The Mayo Clinic suggests setting up correct chair height, equipment placement, and desk posture to prevent pain. Your chair should support your spinal curves and allow your feet to rest on the floor with your thighs parallel to the floor. If your chair is too high, use a footrest to achieve this alignment. Make sure there's plenty of clearance beneath your desk for your legs. Keep important objects within easy reach and stand up to reach items that are farther away. Keep your mouse near your keyboard and on the same level.
While typing, keep your wrists straight, your upper arms close to your body, and your hands at or slightly below elbow height. Never cradle a phone between your ear and shoulder; use a headset or speakerphone instead. Your computer's monitor should be directly in front of you, roughly arm's length away, with the top of the screen at or slightly below eye level (or one or two inches lower if you wear bifocals.) Your brightest light source should be to the side of your monitor.
Standing is even better than sitting, according to the Mayo Clinic. If you're looking into a standing desk like our favorite from Autonomous, you'll still want to set it up in an ergonomically correct manner as outlined above. Make every effort to keep your head, neck, torso, and legs in line and vertical while at your standing workstation.
Credits — The person that worked on this guide
Karen S. Freeman is a teacher, writer, social media person, and family woman. She loves to travel, play with tech stuff, drink coffee, discover amazing new restaurants, and experience new things.
Coronavirus resources
- Coronavirus and tech: Ongoing list of event cancellations, disruptions, product delays, and more
- How to clean and disinfect your laptop the right way
- How to properly clean and disinfect your smartphone
- Keep tabs on coronavirus using Bing search
- How to easily make hand sanitizer at home when all the stores run out
- Hand sanitizer is still available via these online retailers