Speaker 1: Good morning. This is Laura. Welcome to the New Corner Office,
Speaker 1: the podcast where we share strategies for thriving in the
Speaker 1: new world of work, where location and hours are more
Speaker 1: flexible than in the past. Today's tip is about how
Speaker 1: to set up a comfortable and ergonomically sound office space.
Speaker 1: This will help you work with better focus and prevent
Speaker 1: physical discomfort from infringing on your day to day productivity.
Speaker 1: These days, many of us are settling into newly minted
Speaker 1: at home workspaces, whether that means a private office or
Speaker 1: a corner of the kitchen table. Skipping a daily car
Speaker 1: commute is likely a good thing for everyone's overall physical
Speaker 1: well being, but it can be hard to feel comfortable
Speaker 1: right away in a new office space. This is especially
Speaker 1: true if you just grabbed whatever space seemed most convenient
Speaker 1: in mid March. Perhaps you're working with a laptop setup
Speaker 1: that forces you to crane your neck down at an
Speaker 1: awkward angle to see the screw, or maybe you've repurposed
Speaker 1: a dining room chair for nine to five duty. We
Speaker 1: all have different thresholds for comfort, and many of us
Speaker 1: get used to little aches and pains. However, if you
Speaker 1: want to set yourself up for maximum success in your
Speaker 1: new corner office, it's a good idea to optimize the
Speaker 1: ergonomics of your space as soon as possible. Back pain
Speaker 1: is one of the most common reasons for missed work
Speaker 1: in the US, and even a little bit of physical
Speaker 1: discomfort can be distracting when you're trying to do meaningful work.
Speaker 1: With stay at home orders currently in place, you may
Speaker 1: be limited in how much you can change your setup.
Speaker 1: You likely aren't going to be able to hire an
Speaker 1: ergonomic consultant to come to your home or go shop
Speaker 1: in person for the perfect chair, but smaller tweaks can
Speaker 1: still have a big impact. For example, if your computer
Speaker 1: screen is too low and you find your neck getting sore,
Speaker 1: try changing up the angle by placing a thick book
Speaker 1: or two under your laptop or monitor. If you find
Speaker 1: your wrists or shoulders straining, try to adjust your desk
Speaker 1: and chair so that your forearms are level with the
Speaker 1: desk when you type. If you already have equipment like
Speaker 1: a standing desk or a balance ball, now is definitely
Speaker 1: the time to try it. Ordering relatively inexpensive items such
Speaker 1: as a wireless keyboard and mouse through online delivery can
Speaker 1: also make quite a difference. Try to find what experts
Speaker 1: call your natural posture while sitting spine stacked shoulders, relaxed
Speaker 1: feet on the floor. Then set up your screen, keyboard,
Speaker 1: and mouse so that you can use them while maintaining
Speaker 1: this posture. Another even cheaper idea is simply to change
Speaker 1: your position multiple times through the day. There may be
Speaker 1: times when you'll need to be seated at your desk
Speaker 1: for a while, but simply migrating between the couch, the
Speaker 1: kitchen table in your office chair throughout the day can
Speaker 1: lessen the effect of any flaws in your office set up.
Speaker 1: Take standing or stretching brakes once an hour or whenever
Speaker 1: you take a bathroom break, and you'll likewise lessen any strain.
Speaker 1: The key is to avoid being stuck in any one
Speaker 1: position for too long. Discomfort is distracting. That slightly too
Speaker 1: low table might have seemed okay when people thought this
Speaker 1: would all be over in a few weeks, but remote
Speaker 1: work will likely be at least part of the mix
Speaker 1: for a while. So take a few minutes right now
Speaker 1: to check in with your body. Fix what you can,
Speaker 1: and you just might get a new outlook on life,
Speaker 1: or at least a better view of your laptop screen.
Speaker 1: In the meantime, this is Laura. Thanks for listening, and
Speaker 1: here's to succeeding in the New Corner Office. The New
Speaker 1: Corner Office is a production of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts,
Speaker 1: visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get
Speaker 1: your favorite shows.