Since the start of shelter-in-place, I have been writing in my bedroom because it is the only child-free space with a door, which I prioritized over a table. Every morning, I got out of bed and made my desk. Working from bed was cozy at first, but after three months my body hurt.
My neck could no longer look to the left, my back seized, and the inside of my elbow ached, which is apparently called golfer’s elbow. Since the coronavirus is not going away any time soon, I invested in a workstation. I thought I would share my simple ergonomic set-up in case any of you can’t look to your left either.
To help my neck:
My monitor needs to be at eye level while sitting straight. The average human head weighs 10-12 lbs while sitting upright. As you tilt your head forward, your head increases weight and exerts more strain on your neck. A simple 15-degree tilt increases the weight to 27 lbs, a 30-degree tilt to 40 lbs, and a 60-degree tilt, the angle of looking at a cell phone or book, exerts 60 lbs of strain on your neck.
So in order to keep looking left, I need to stop looking down for long periods of time, which is impossible to do with a laptop alone. To solve this there are two options, add a monitor or use a laptop stand to raise the screen up to eye level. The stand could just be a stack of books (god knows I have plenty of those), but I went with a foldable stand by Roost to maximize desk space.
To help my wrists and arms:
My elbows need to be bent at 90 degrees or a little less and close to my body, and my wrists need to be parallel with my forearms. With my laptop on a stand, this necessitated a separate keyboard and mouse. My partner has a history of repetitive stress injury, so he opted for a split keyboard with a wrist rest and a vertical mouse. I went with a simple wireless keyboard and mouse preferring a lighter footprint despite less than optimal wrist rotation.
To help my back:
My feet need to be flat on the floor with my knees at a 90-degree angle. So I ordered a small desk from Ikea that would fit next to my bed. The desk has a drawer to store my journal, pens, headphones, and craft books so that my limited desktop can keep clear of clutter.
I picked a dining chair because I believed it to be more comfortable than the cheap office chairs, and I couldn’t fit a fancy one. I also prefer sitting without wheels; I feel more stable. I purchased a lumbar support pillow to help my lower back, but you can also ball up a sweatshirt.
I also try to move every 20 minutes, but with small kids, this is not a challenge for me. My partner works at his desk for much longer periods, so he invested in an adjustable height desk and an anti-fatigue mat with raised edges. He bought a small elliptical to walk on while he worked, but it produced an ungodly amount of squeaking, so it has a new home now. :)
To help my mind:
I also added flowers and crystals to my desk for beauty and grounding. I’ve often underestimated these small touches, but they gently stimulate my senses and add a soothing touch of self-care into my day. They remind me to slow down and breathe.
I love the light footprint and aesthetic of my set-up. All the desktop pieces easily fold up and tuck into a small backpack, so when the virus goes away, my ergonomic solution can move with me to a coworking space or the kitchen table. Until then, I’m glad to have a set-up my body needs.
Cheers to looking left!