Almost a century of the 9-5 office job, people found that the office life is not the best life because of too much sitting and slouching. Sitting all day can really wear you down, quite literally. People get accustomed sitting at a desk for 8 hours a day right when they start school. And children are taught to sit with their toes pointed and back straight all day. It doesn’t stop the students from giving into their urges to slouch, hang their arms over the back, and just sit in positions that don’t look comfortable.

Fast-forward through a decade or two of habitual sitting and the slouching takes its toll. Every part of your body seems sore – your wrist from writing or typing, your shoulders from awkwardly holding your weight, and your back never seems to not hurt at any part of the day. Although there’s not much you can do about the years of poor posture, there are steps to take to make new, better habits to prevent anymore soreness!

What Is Ergonomics

Ergonomics is the study of customizing and adjusting someone’s workplace to their needs, or, in other words, “fitting a job to a person.” It has been found that using ergonomics in the workplace improves the overall working environment both physically and mentally.

Benefits of Ergonomics

It may seem doubtful that an unconventional looking keyboard or mouse can change so much, but ergonomics improves so much more than bad posture including:

• Finances – removing ergonomic risks reduces the amount of musculoskeletal disorders, which ultimately reduces lost work days and need for worker’s comp among other indirect costs.
• Productivity – being comfortable has a significant impact on a person’s productivity. Awkward sitting positions can increase fatigue, work errors, and force needed to perform tasks.
• Risk of long-term musculoskeletal injuries – the major goal for ergonomics is to reduce musculoskeletal injuries that form over time and are the source of the problem affecting costs and office environment.
• Morale – when everyone’s comfortable, productive, and not tired, the overall environment will improve. This reduces employee turnover rate and conflict.

Invest in Ergonomic Office Supplies

Get started on improving your ergonomic situation to feel and work better!

Ergonomic Keyboard Tips:

• The B key should line up to your bellybutton
• Use a keyboard specifically designed for improved ergonomics:
  • They’re usually curved for a more comfortable wrist position
  • The keys are lined up in a way that is more natural for your fingers to use comfortably

The Logitech Ergo K860 doesn’t lay flat on your desk with its split curved keyframe. Its elevated front and back ends allow for a more natural position while typing.

Ergonomic Mouse Tips:

A traditional mouse involves wrist movement and positions that can cause sore tendons. Find an ergonomic mouse that:

• You can use with a more natural position like a handshake
• Requires less grip strength to relieve tension in your hands and fingers

Consider an ergonomic mouse like Logitech MX Master Wireless Mouse that connects to your computer via Bluetooth, can be used on virtually any surface, and designed for more comfortable use.