Working from a home office requires more than patience and dedication. The home office will be where you spend a lot of time as you work to get your business up and running effectively, and for this reason, you should strive to build an ergonomic home office. Ergonomics involves using tools and equipment meant to facilitate comfort, because as well all know, if you are not comfortable, you will not be able to work at a consistent pace, and you will lose productivity throughout the day.

Tip 1: Ensure the Desk and Chair are the Appropriate Height

The desk and chair are the two most important parts of the home office when it comes to ergonomics because those are the two things you'll be using the most. The ideal desk will have room for you to move your legs around to avoid stiffness. Make sure the desk is high enough to suit the needs of your hands, because they will need to type on the keyboard. There should be adequate room for your computer monitor, speakers, keyboard, and any other equipment you'll need to use on a regular basis.

The ideal chair will have an adjustable back rest, adjustable arms, and utilize a tilt and swivel base to allow for free movement while in the chair. The back rest and arms can be adjusted to meet the needs of the person siting in the chair at the desk and to accommodate the desk. Position the chair so you will be at an angle 45 degrees away from the desk and all other elements. Ensure the chair allows you to have enough room between your legs and its backing.

Tip 2: Make Sure to Get Adequate Lighting

There needs to be a delicate balance of lighting in the room. Use natural light whenever possible, but always have lighting options available to work when natural light is not available. Do not use lights so bright they hurt your eyes, but avoid using light so dim it forces you to move closer to the monitor (to make use of the light it puts forth).

Tip 3: Take Steps to Reduce Noise

Noise in the home office is distracting, and loud noise can damage your hearing. Take steps to keep the fan noise (from your computer) to a minimum to reduce the distraction. If noise from other rooms is a problem, use another soothing noise to reduce it, or take steps to soundproof the room.

Tip 4: Adjust Your Monitor Height

Most people do not consider the possibility of neck strain from an improperly positioned monitor. To ensure the monitor is in the correct place for you, sit back in the desk chair and adjust the monitor height until the top of the screen itself is eye level (while you are looking forward).

Tip 5: Watch Your Distance from the Monitor

Being too close to the monitor can cause damage to the eyes. To make sure the distance from the screen is appropriate for you, sit in your desk chair and look forward at the monitor. Extend your arm. You should be able to touch the tip of your fingers to the screen, and if not, you are too far from the screen. If your arm bends while touching it, you are too close.

Putting forth the right amount of effort into setting up your home office will pay off in the end, so it is not something you should scrimp on. By designing your home office with these tips in mind, you'll be able to have a much more productive day.