When your working environment is ergonomically friendly, your health will benefit from the steps you take in order to make the place where you work not only more comfortable, but will enable you to produce more than you thought was possible. When you are feeling good while you are working, you are apt to produce not only more accurate findings, but a higher output than you ever thought possible.



Things to Consider

When you are trying to produce an ergonomically friendly workstation for you and your computer, you need to ask yourself what, "How will the computer be used?" not only that, but whom besides yourself will be using the computer. If you will be the only one using the workstation, it can be customized specifically for the person's special needs, size and shape. If more than one person is planning on using the station then you will need to make arrangements that will please the most people for their different sizes.

Another factor you need to consider when you are planning your workstation is how long the computer will be used in each session. The ergonomic guidelines for workstation computer arrangements use a desktop system as their model, so it is assumed that the screen will be separate from the computer. Laptops are considered good for short periods of use, but many people, myself included are using laptops as their main computer at their workstations.

Laptop Add-Ons

If you are using your laptop as the main computer for your work, you can add an external keyboard and a mouse to make the laptop more like a desktop screen. I find I use this after spending a few hours cramped in bed using the laptop exclusively. For those who have laptops, studying ergonomics can make the difference between 8 full hours of output and 8 hours spent stretching and feeling discomfort. Which scenario do you think will produce the most accurate and interesting work.

Furniture For Function

Now that you have decided what type of computer set up you are going to have, you now have to get the proper furniture. Your computer should be on a sturdy and stable surface with enough room for you to spread your supplies around. If you plan on using this surface for writing on paper as well as a flat computer surface, the height should be from 28 inches to 30 inches above the floor. This is an arrangement that will suit the average adult.

A keyboard and a mouse tray that have adjustable height is the ideal addition to a workstation that will be used by more than one person. You will also have to take in mind the proper seating that each person should use. Everyone should be evaluated so that they can get to use the chair that will give them the least amount of discomfort in a worst case scenario, and getting up from your chair after a long day at work and feel just as good as you did when you first sat down.