Many of us spend long hours hunched up at our desks for work – sending emails, taking calls, even eating lunch. However, a poor working environment can lead to health issues that range from back pain and carpal tunnel, to swollen joints and vision problems… all sorts of scary stuff.

The good news? Working hard doesn’t need to take a toll on your health. There are easy steps to make your office more ergonomic and keep you productive and healthy in the long-run.

The trick is to tweak your environment to fit your job to your health! Here are some areas you should focus on to make your office ergonomically designed for you.

7 Areas to Focus on When Making an Ergonomic Office

1. Get an ergonomic chair for good posture

Most of us are in a seated position as we work. So, it’s vital that our chair is comfortable and properly supports you in all the right places.

A chair should also encourage proper sitting posture. This helps increase blood flow to the brain, keeping you focused and even energised while reducing fatigue and strain on your body.

Here’s what perfect seated posture looks like:

This means that the ideal ergonomic chair will come with adjustable factors like seat height, seat depth, and even armrests and headrest. Other important factors include lumbar support that supports the natural inward curve of the lower back, and even tilt tension, swivel and wheels of the chair so you can move around easily.

The most premium ergonomic chairs come from brands like Herman Miller and can cost a pretty penny (though they’re the best on the market and arguably a real health investment).

If you’d like something more affordable, you can find plenty of options with said adjustables and lumbar support. The simpler Ticova Ergonomic Office Chair ($199.98 on Amazon) is a decent option.

You don’t have to restrict yourself to office chairs either. Gaming chairs are also designed for comfort and proper posture, such as the high-rated FICMAX Massage Gaming Chair ($189.99 on Amazon).

2. Get a standing desk so you can change your position

As I’ve mentioned, sitting down for long hours can be pretty bad for your health. However, constantly leaving your desk to stand up can be kind of annoying.

One great solution is to get an ergonomic desk with an adjustable height which lets you work while sitting OR standing. Also known as the standing desk.

Using a standing desk means you can switch between sitting and standing throughout the day. This is great, as you avoid being in the same position for too long (as even standing for long hours isn’t good for you!)

These desks are especially great at relieving musculoskeletal strain and provide support when you type on a keyboard, or even if you’re switching between your computer and paperwork.

There are various types of standing desks you can look out for, from around $100 right up to $1000. You can find out more on our guide on standing desks!

3. Get an ergonomic keyboard that reduces injuries

Did you know that some keyboards come with a warning that the use of any keyboard may cause serious injury? These warnings say: “Some experts believe that the use of any keyboard may cause serious injury to hands, wrists, arms, neck and back.” Yikes!

The common keyboard shape is a flat, landscape-format rectangle which can be unergonomic for long hours of use. Due to the design, your hands and wrists are constantly reaching and stretching to type on these keyboards, which could lead to Repetitive Strain Injury Syndrome.

An ideal ergonomic keyboard helps you position your elbows and arms to remain as close to your sides as possible, keep you from stretching, moving or twisting your hands too much, while also keeping your elbows at or below a 90-degree angle.

The keyboards should also be placed:

This is why ergonomically designed keyboards usually include split keyboards that let you change the position and angle of your hands as you type, which is more comfortable for working long hours.

Our favorite options include the amazing Kinesis Freestyle Edge RGB (Amazon price: $199.00) which we’ve reviewed in our round up of the best mechanical keyboards) or the Microsoft Sculpt Ergonomic Keyboard (Amazon price: $60.33).

You can also check out contoured keyboards such as the Logitech Ergo K860 ($129.99 from Logitech) that are designed to reduce strain on the arms and wrists.

4. Get an ergonomic mouse for a more relaxed hand posture

Just like the keyboard, the ideal ergonomic mouse is one that fits snugly within your hand.

Ergonomic mice are designed to keep your hand in the most comfortable position. They come contoured in the right places to eliminate gripping and tension in your fingers that may eventually lead to nerve pain and injury.

You can actually find a very basic ergonomic mouse that looks a lot like your standard mouse like this Amazon Basics mouse ($13.99). But if you want something with fantastic performance, consider the much-loved Logitech MX Master 3 ($99.99 on Logitech) or the MX Ergo (also $99.99).

There are also vertical mice that encourage a more natural, relaxed hand posture. These are designed to change the way you move, from twisting the forearm to flexing through the shoulder.

Our top pick is the Logitech MX Vertical Wireless Mouse ($99.99 on Logitech), but the Anker Wireless Vertical Mouse ($27.99) makes a great cheaper alternative.

We’ve written on how to find the perfect wireless mouse for you, so make sure to check that out as well!

5. Ensure proper lighting for easy vision

The lighting of your surroundings makes a big difference to how comfortable your eyes are.

Typical offices have bright fluorescent lights all day, but monitors can also drive eye strain and other annoying visual-related symptoms like dry eyes, headaches, and even blurred vision.

Check first that the light around you isn’t too bright and glaring off of walls, finished surfaces, or your computer screen. If it is, consider moving your furniture around, or installing an anti-glare computer screen (here’s a popular option under $20).

You can also get a low-glare, dimmable desk lamp, like this LED desk lamp to help ease eye strain as you work, even while switching between computer and paperwork.

Lastly, you might want to look into blue light blocking glasses that help block the harmful blue light emitted from our digital device screens. We’ve written a guide to them here.

6. Organize your workstation into zones

If you’re not in the mood to spend on fancy items, you can always look into the arrangement of your desk.

Regardless of the type of person you are (whether you’re a minimalist or even someone who depends on organised clutter to function), your desk arrangement matters. The items that you constantly need to use should be within comfortable reach, while the items you rarely use need to be easy to find when the time comes.

This is why experts recommend dividing the space on your desk into reach zones, where you arrange items based on how much you use them and how accessible they need to be as you work. There are three zones to consider:

Items you rarely use should be kept within nearby storage units near your desk like vertical shelves or cupboards.

By arranging your desk into zones like this, you further reduce strain on your back and waist and maintain productivity as you go along your work day. Win!

7. Create a comfortable work environment

Look around you – how else can you make your work environment more comfortable and conducive?

Bonus tip: avoid being glued to your desk

Despite everything listed here to boost your productivity, taking breaks still plays a key role in keeping you happy, healthy, and productive in the long run.

Be sure to step away from your workplace every hour for a few minutes. During this time you can get a glass of water, take a step outside or look at the view from your window for a few minutes, or even sneak in a 5-10 minute walk around the house to keep you moving and less sedentary.

Take Small Steps in Creating the Ideal Ergonomic Office

Creating an ergonomic workspace that helps you stay healthy and productive may take some time and investment, but it will be worth it in the end. After all, it could save you possibly thousands of dollars in the future that you’d be spending on treatments for pain, discomfort, and other health issues.

But taking a step back, there are also other factors you should consider for your overall health and productivity. Like eating healthy, exercising and even sleeping better.

You don’t have to do it all at once though! As long as you’re making positive adjustments to your workplace and your health, you’ll be on your way to creating the perfect ergonomic work space in no time.

The post How to Set Up an Ergonomic Office at Home (& Get More Done) appeared first on Bitcatcha - Online Presence DIY.

But oh boy, can getting up just 30 minutes earlier feel painful!

Many guides on the internet have told me to wake at 5 or 6am, but I’m just not a morning person. 8am is the earliest I can do. If you’re like me and tired of the “typical” morning routine, this article’s for you.

One thing I realized is that there was no ‘one size fits all’ perfect morning routine. I decided to identify what was right for me.

Now, I’ve perfected a morning routine that wakes up my body and brain, keeps me grounded, and energizes me throughout the day.

If you’ve tried following a “generic” routine and couldn’t keep it up for more than 2 weeks, hang in there. I’m going to share the exact process I used, so you can design a morning routine that complements your lifestyle, preferences, and schedule.

Before we get into the nitty-gritty, let’s touch on 3 surprising benefits that’ll motivate you a little more.

3 Sneaky Benefits Of Keeping Up A Morning Routine

Benefit #1: Consistency can help you live longer

Routine equals consistency. And our body loves consistency above all else.

One study published in the American Diabetes Association showed the consequences of not sleeping and waking up consistently.

The participants with irregular bedtimes and wake-up times actually put them at an increased risk for obesity, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and other health problems.

But when your body repeats a routine consistently, it’ll reward you back with health and longevity.

This is especially important for freelancers and business owners. Our health is our business! If we’re not in good health, we can’t deliver high quality work to our clients. We need to protect our health as if our life depends on it (it does!)

Benefit #2: The right routine makes you feel great

Did you wake up this morning feeling energetic and motivated? Probably not. Most mornings just feel “normal”.

If you want to feel happy, energized, and motivated, morning routines can hack your body to feel good. This is not a woo-woo thing but scientifically proven.

Some morning routine activities listed in this article (exercise, food, music, meditation) actually stimulate your body to create 4 “feel good” hormones:

Imagine having all these feel-good hormones while working on your project?

You’ll likely enter the “flow” easily because that’s exactly what happened to me. I was able to write an article non-stop for 50 minutes after a yummy yoga session.

Benefit #3: Mornings can give you the most results

There’s just something about mornings! Whether you’re exercising or doing the most important task first thing in the morning, you’re likely to get better results.

If you want to lose weight, exercising on an empty stomach in the morning is linked to priming the body for a full-day fat burn.

If you want to be productive, take advantage of the feel-good hormones and complete your priorities while your brain feels fresh and focused.

But Why Do Most Morning Routines Fail?

“Everyone can have a morning routine, but not everyone has the same morning routine.”

Read that sentence again.

Designing your morning routine is like playing with a shape sorter toy. If you try to fit a triangle into a square, you’ll probably break the toy first.

That’s exactly why morning routines fail. Forcing yourself to wake up at 6 am — when you’re not built for that — is pushing a circle into a pentagon.

A generic morning routine will never fit your unique shape. You need to mold the right morning routine that fits into your life.

Luckily, there’s a simple way to find out what shape you are and each shape comes with multiple ideas for you to experiment with.

How To Design The “Perfect” Morning Routine For Yourself

Before you look at 127 ideas you could do in a morning routine; you first need to find out what “shape” you are.

And what I mean by “shape” is the “where and how” you get your energy from. Energy could mean power, motivation, hope, trust, creativity, or any positive emotion.

In fact, “energy” is the foundation of a morning routine. You do a series of activities that charge you up with energy so you can tackle the day.

Knowing where and how to get your energy is the first step to designing the “perfect” morning routine. And these energies usually come from 4 sources:

To determine which of these sources your energy comes from, ask yourself – when do you feel most invigorated and energetic? Is it when you:

Most likely, you’ll fall into a few categories. That’s great! It’s what makes you unique and human.

Now that you’ve identified your own “shape”, the next step is to select morning routines that can fit and bring you the most value.

1. Physical activities for your morning routine

2. Intellectual activities for your morning routine

3. Emotional activities for your morning routine

4. Spiritual activities for your morning routine

Psst – somewhere down the line, you might notice some ideas overlap with 2 or more energy sources. Awesome! If you can energize 2 sources at one go, it’s even better. For me, doing yoga in the morning fuels me with energy and it comes from 2 sources: physical and spiritual.

The Takeaway Message: Know Thyself!

Designing the right morning routine boils down to understanding your source of energy and experimenting with each activity.

It took me 5 months to develop the “perfect” morning routine that gives me the most energy.

I tried doing aerobic exercises in the morning, I threw up. But when I tried yoga for a few days, I felt great, peaceful, and energetic.

I tried reading a book in the morning, but I fell asleep instead. So, I moved “reading” to the evening where it became my “winding down” routine. Now, I could focus and read for more than 30 minutes without falling asleep.

See what I’m talking about?

Designing your morning routine is a long-term project that requires doing and testing repeatedly. There is no magic potion.

The good news is that knowing your energy source and needs gives you the right direction toward creating the “perfect” morning routine.

Good luck in your journey and I’ll be cheering for you!

The post How to Design a Morning Routine That Energizes You All Day appeared first on Bitcatcha - Online Presence DIY.