How to Create an Ergonomic Desk and Monitor Setup

Whether working from home, gaming, checking emails, or simply browsing the web, it’s essential to create a healthy desk environment. According to one study, Americans sit for an average of 10 hours each day. Poor posture can lead to a range of health problems, including muscle strain or atrophy and increased blood pressure.

Whether at home or in an office, there are various steps anyone can take to improve the environment around their desk. Natural light, fresh air, potted plants, and more can all help to improve a desk’s surroundings. Yet, when it comes to the immediate space reserved for actually working, one thing, in particular, is of the utmost importance: an ergonomic desk and monitor setup. By creating an ergonomic desk and monitor setup, you can decrease the negative effects of sitting for long periods.

An ergonomic desk and monitor setup is crucial for numerous reasons. Firstly, it’s important for good overall health. A poor desk and monitor setup can lead to bad posture, strained eyes, neck pain, back problems, and more. Secondly, studies have shown that a comfortable, ergonomic desk setup is fundamental in boosting productivity and overcoming general displeasure.

According to one piece of research, a whopping 92 percent of people reported that an inadequate desk setup would negatively impact their productivity. What’s more, the same number also suggested that it could have a potentially detrimental effect on their mental well-being at the same time. So with that, here’s how to create an ergonomic desk and monitor setup in any space.

An ergonomic work, study, or home office setup starts, of course, with the right desk. Various options for both sitting and standing exist, with prices ranging from under $100 to $1,000 or more.

Top-rated examples include the Uplift V2, TechRadar’s best overall standing desk, which costs $599. Less expensive options include desks from FlexiSpot, Fezibo, and the more gaming-focused brand Eureka Ergonomic.

Before spending money on a new desk, it’s a good idea to try sitting (or standing) at a few different options. Any suitably ergonomic desk should see that a person’s wrists sit flat at their keyboard when typing, rather than being angled up. Furthermore, their elbows should be at their sides, bent at a 90-degree angle or greater. The same is true whether sitting or standing.

It’s not just desks and monitors that are important to create an ergonomic workspace. Unless someone exclusively uses a standing desk, a suitable chair is just as important. Ideally, aim for one with lumbar support that can be reclined slightly to around 100-110 degrees.

When looking specifically at chairs designed to be ergonomic, they should support the natural S-curve of a person’s spine. Unfortunately, high-end ergonomic office chairs can be wildly expensive, with models like the Herman Miller Aeron costing as much as $2,195.

Thankfully, more affordable options are widely available. Different chairs can suit individual sitting styles with an appropriate lumbar-support pillow or seat cushion. In fact, it may be possible to transform an existing chair into something more ergonomic with such products alone.

Either way, when in use, the best ergonomic chairs or chair setups should ensure that a person’s knees are level with their hips or just below. Their feet should then be flat on the ground or a footrest.

Once a suitable ergonomic desk and chair have been selected, it’s vital to double down by ensuring that an appropriate monitor setup is also in place. How a monitor is positioned or mounted is often more important than the actual display itself.

For example, you should position your monitor roughly an arm’s length away. When in use, your eye level should then be around two or three inches below the top edge of the display.

Further to that, investing in a monitor designed to protect users’ eyes is also a great idea. The best are those that feature blue light filters and flicker-free technologies to keep people’s eyes healthy in today’s digital world. Asus’s Eye Care monitors are a great place to start for those interested in finding out more.

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