Work From Home - Macally Blog

ErgoZone: Mastering Home Office Comfort

David Chen — Thu, 29 Jun 2023 15:35:41 +0000

As the new trend of working from home grows from its covid boom, the need for comfortable, productive workplaces at home has arisen. Enter Home Office Ergonomics, simple design choices made to help you work harder for longer.

It has become essential to assess and optimize the ergonomic layout of your workspace, as long hours spent in the wrong conditions can lead to serious issues. Poor home offices can ultimately lead to neck, back, and especially wrist strain if your setup isn’t ergonomically friendly.

To help you understand how to create the ideal home office we’ve outlined a step-by-step guide to home office ergonomics, with a particular focus on Mac-compatible peripherals.

Firstly, What Are Ergonomics And Why Do We Need Them?

Ergonomics is the science of understanding how humans interact with their environment. It applies to almost everything, from how we sit at our desks to how often we take breaks.

When it comes to home office ergonomics, the aim is to provide an environment that fits the individual user and allows them to work comfortably for longer periods of time. It may sound like a modern invention to make us buy more products we don’t need, but there is significant, credible evidence for the benefits simple changes can give us.

During the pandemic, the switch to working from home arrived overnight and left people without adequate home office ergonomics. Due to this, 92% of chiropractors reported a significant increase in the number of clients complaining about recent, serious neck pain, back pain, and other musculoskeletal issues. In conjunction with insurance companies reporting 41% of Americans have made claims for new or increased back, neck, and shoulder pain since they started working remotely. These are not small numbers, and the evidence shouldn’t be ignored.

Before the pandemic, in 2019, the Bureau of labor statistics reported that over 33% of all workplace injuries were caused due to a lack of ergonomics. This may lead you to ask the question, what should I do to increase my home office ergonomics?

The most important factor in creating the ideal home office ergonomics is choosing furniture and devices that provide proper support for your body and provide good posture when sitting or standing. Here are some key points to consider when designing your space:

Start With The Desk:

When choosing your home office desk, it’s critical to ensure it’s the proper height. The perfect desk height is one that aligns your elbows parallel to your desk surface. Moreover, your monitor should be at or slightly below eye level, and your keyboard and mouse should be at the same level.

When selecting a desk, if you’re able to extend your budget, a desk that can double as a standing desk is ideal. As this allows you to rotate between sitting and standing, reducing the amount of strain on your back throughout the day.

If your budget is tight, consider altering your desk setup with a laptop stand to increase the height of your screen without having to purchase a new desk. This Macally brand stand is highly recommended for its high-quality construction and ideal height. This stand contains a bundle with a wireless mouse and keyboard to allow you to position your laptop ideally without having to sacrifice any comfort.

Monitor Positioning:

If you use a monitor and not a laptop, poor monitor positioning can often be the source of neck and eye strain for people. Make sure your computer screen is at or slightly below eye level. Additionally, choose a monitor that is large enough to read text comfortably and supports adjustments to tilt, swivel, and height.

Typing And Mouse Work:

Typing and mouse work are some of the most significant causes of strain resulting from poor ergonomic setups. It’s critical to focus on two main things: your positioning and your design.

Positioning refers to where you place your devices, a wireless keyboard and mouse for example will grant greater flexibility to position them ideally. Allowing you to place every component to increase your home office ergonomics. This bundle here contains both a high-quality, wireless mouse and keyboard for a competitive price.

The second aspect, design, refers to the physical design of your products. An ergonomic keyboard design is regarded as the best way to increase your home office ergonomics. This is due to the design allowing ideal wrist and arm placement during the motion that causes the most amount of strain – typing. This ergonomic keyboard design is great as it’s also wireless, ticking both of the boxes. Again if budget is a factor, this wired option is still designed with excellent ergonomic properties, whilst saving some important cash.

Posture Support:

Your posture plays an important role in reducing strain and long-term pain. In your office chair, ensure adequate lower-back support, like a lumbar support pillow or rest. Poor posture could lead to slouching, which strains your spine and causes long-term health issues.

Lighting:

The lighting and general ambiance of your home office play a crucial role in your productivity, happiness, and health. Poor lighting can cause eye strain and headaches, so aim for natural sunlight and choose your artificial lights carefully. If you’re in need of a source of lighting for your desk, this Macally desk lamp offers ideal lighting to reduce eye strain as well as offering 4 USB ports to reduce desk clutter.

Conclusion:

Taking your home office ergonomics seriously is the best thing you can do for your work life. By improving our workspace, you can reduce your risk of long-term pain and strains whilst also improving your productivity.

The Mac-compatible accessories and peripherals in this guide help to ensure optimal workspace health and productivity. Please consider the advice in this guide and choose a quality brand like Macally for the products to outfit your office with the comfort you deserve.

The post ErgoZone: Mastering Home Office Comfort first appeared on Macally Blog.

WFH Ergo Checklist: Optimize Your Workstation

David Chen — Thu, 29 Jun 2023 15:08:15 +0000

s working from home becomes more common, the importance of ergonomics has become an increasingly vital issue. Without the proper setup, prolonged computer use can lead to health issues like wrist or shoulder pains, eye strain, and backaches. To make those who use a home office, or use their computers for long periods each day, we have developed the ideal WFM Ergonomic Workstation Setup Checklist.

From adjustable chairs to wireless keyboards and mice, read on to see what items you need to improve your home office experience, and ensure you’re doing the best thing for your body.

What Is Ergonomic Design & Why Should You Care?

Ergonomics is the study of how our bodies interact with objects and equipment. Ergonomic design takes into account both the physical needs of a human body, as well as its cognitive abilities when creating products or environments, making an ergonomic workstation setup checklist vitally important to anyone using their computers for long periods each day.

When it comes to workstations, ergonomic design helps ensure that you can maintain a good posture even for long periods of time. This helps to reduce strain on your body, prevent eye strain, and can even improve productivity.

Ergonomics is not a niche field, as the US government recognizes it as essential in the workplace. More workplaces are making the transition to ergonomic-focused office spaces, as you might have already seen at previous places of employment – so why shouldn’t you do the same for your home office?

The results are immediate and significant, as the US government found that 1/3rd of all sick days were due to a lack of ergonomic design choices in the workplace. So not only will this simple switch be better for your health, but it will also help with productivity as you’ll make fewer mistakes and be able to work harder, for longer.

The Basics of a Good WFM Ergonomic Workstation Setup Checklist:

These are the essential components in any ergonomic workstation setup checklist:

1. Chair: A quality chair with an adjustable seat height and lumbar support is essential for good posture when working from home. Choose one that allows you to sit comfortably without slouching or hunching, and is at the height that sits your knees in line with your hips.

2. Monitor: Make sure you get a monitor or laptop with an adjustable viewing angle and a glare-resistant screen. The ideal height is one that allows your neck to be at a 90° angle with your back.

3. Keyboard & Mouse: Choose a wireless keyboard and mouse to avoid cables, to allow greater freedom to position them when typing or clicking. A compact size can help reduce shoulder and wrist pain associated with prolonged use, preferably find an ergonomic design like this one.

4. Desk: Your desk should be adjustable to support a sitting or standing position, and big enough to house all of your equipment without causing clutter on the surface. The benefits of standing desks are significant, but if you do not have the budget they’re not essential.

5. Lighting: Proper lighting helps reduce eye strain, so choose a lamp that emits a soft light and illuminates your workspace evenly.

6. Accessories: Invest in a headset if you are making phone calls or video conferencing frequently. An ergonomic keyboard tray can also help to reduce strain on the wrists and arms, as well as keep your desk free from clutter.

By creating an ergonomic workstation setup at home, you can improve your overall comfort and productivity. Take time to assess your needs and choose the right equipment to ensure you are working in a safe and healthy environment.

In this checklist, we will go through each of the options in detail for you to make an informed decision.

Adjustable chairs and Sit-Stand desks

The first item to consider in your ergonomic workstation setup checklist is the desk and chair. Sitting for long hours in front of a computer can cause bad posture, chronic back and neck pain, and other health problems.

An ergonomic, comfortable desk chair can alleviate all of these. However, it is essential to find a chair whose height you can adjust, and that has lumbar support to avoid slouching. Alternatively, a Sit-Stand desk will enable you to switch between sitting and standing positions during the day, helping you avoid the negative effects of prolonged sitting – and can be used in combination with a slimline treadmill for walking while working which is a great way to get exercise into your daily routine.

External Keyboard and Mouse

Many laptops come with smaller than regular or confined keyboards, which can be a hassle to work with over the long term, especially if you have large hands. Therefore, it is better to use an external keyboard and mouse set that allows you to customize the position and angle of the keyboard and mouse. By using a separate keyboard and mouse from the laptop’s built-in ones, you can control your monitor screen’s positioning and avoid neck and eye strain.

An ergonomic keyboard like this option here is even better for this. It has been designed with a split down the middle with each side positioned at an opposing angle. This provides the optimal wrist position for typing, allowing you to type for longer while making fewer mistakes.

If you’re on a tighter budget, this wired option is cheaper and achieves the same desired goal. The only downside is the cable which can restrict your positioning in some setups.

Monitor Stands

Having the proper height and distance between your monitor and eyes will help prevent neck and eye strain. Monitor stands are a cost-effective solution to arranging your screen. These stands help raise your display to a comfortable level and often come with the option to adjust the height to your preferences.

This option here is cost-effective, ticks all the boxes, and looks amazing.

Multi-port USB Charging Hub

An underrated option in the ergonomic workstation setup checklist is a multi-port USB charging station. With many devices using USB ports, it can be a hassle to choose between charging or using some other peripheral devices for work.

It can be especially awkward, fighting for desk space and untying the knots competing for the USB port. A multi-port USB docking station makes it easier to charge and connect those peripheral devices.

This option here comes with 4 ports and looks great. It’s also ideal as it doubles as a desk lamp, which kills two birds with one stone, as the lighting can help reduce eye strain.

This option has a different, slimmer design that could work better for your setup.

Conclusion:

Working from home can provide a flexible and tranquil atmosphere, but it is essential not to neglect your overall health and well-being.

In this blog post, we have outlined some of the must-have components in any ergonomic workstation setup checklist that will help change your work area and improve your posture, comfort, and productivity.

By changing small things and following the ergonomic checklist, you can help yourself remain healthy and comfortable while working, whether you work remotely, in an office, or from a coffee shop. Implementing ergonomics in your work style will reduce stress and increase your work productivity.

The post WFH Ergo Checklist: Optimize Your Workstation first appeared on Macally Blog.

Top 5 Essentials To Enhance Your Work From Home Setup

David Chen — Fri, 05 May 2023 18:38:18 +0000

Anyone working from home (WFM) knows the struggles that come with home office setups and attempting to make your workspace more engaging. Whether you’ve just made the transition or you’re trying to find ways to make the most of it. We believe we’ve come up with the perfect list of 5 accessories that will make your life working from home, just that little bit easier.

Declutter and Organize Your Workspace

The usual culprits that make working from home difficult are limited space, distractions and inconvenient products. Leading to the conclusion that the ideal accessory should solve one or more of these issues. Nothing is worse than forgetting to charge a device when working from a café you’ve made the journey to, or worse yet, getting there only to find the tables too small for your work.

Enter, the perfect working-from-home accessory for your home office, or on-the-go workers.

1. Compact USB C Mouse for Mac & PC

The first product on our list is the compact USB C mouse. This pocket rocket is the perfect companion to boost your productivity without taking up too much space. It’s ideal for that table at the café that’s just a little too small as the compact, ergonomic design is crafted to perfectly fit anywhere you need it to.

Unbelievably, some people still do not use computer mice in their day-to-day work. If you’re one of these people then this product is a superb introduction to what you’re missing out on. It’s affordable, and high-quality giving you access to the wonderful world of increased productivity you really need to try.

The USB C connection is a convenient and up-to-date addition, as the current lineup of Macbooks is often missing the previous generation ports – saving you headaches.
Coming in 3 distinct colors, you can personalize or match your new addition to your current setup – which we all know is of vital importance. With classic, white and black complemented by a unique aluminum color, this accessory is not one to miss.

2. Vertical Laptop Stand for Desk - Adjustable

The second entry we’ve found ideal for making your working-from-home life easier is this handy Vertical Laptop Stand. This adjustable stand is just the right size to fit anywhere in your home office whilst allowing you to store any size laptop. As you are most-likely already aware, working from home can quickly fill up any home-office space.

The adjustable design elements not only allow you to store even the oldest of laptops but also allows for easy storage when not in use – a highly underrated design choice. In combination with its aesthetic look and feel you’ll wonder how you lived without it.

Available in Space Grey, or Aluminium – you can match your stand with your current setup with ease.

3. Bluetooth Numeric Keypad for Mac

The third product on our list is well-suited for those whose roles require inputting numbers. The Bluetooth Numeric Keypad is a Mac essential, as the smaller entries often omit the keypad to reduce space.

This Bluetooth Keypad can be positioned wherever you find most comfortable, offering a large range and quick performance. Which we all know is a necessity when working from home.

The addition of a keypad is definitely an underrated addition to your setup, as the accessibility it provides for those in roles like finance or logistics is honestly profound. It feels as if you have the perfect-sized calculator just where you need it, offering a health productivity boost with the added bonus of looking tidy, and high-quality.

With universal compatibility and a long-lasting battery, this keypad is the perfect companion.

4. Laptop Stand for Desk

The previously mentioned lack of space is sadly not limited to when you’re out and about, home offices often suffer the same fate. The laptop stand is a cunning new product that you’ll kick yourself for not finding sooner. The ergonomic design has clearly been crafted to work perfectly in home-office arrangements.

The open-air feel to it makes your workspace feel that much cleaner and avoids the distraction of losing that sneaky item hiding behind your laptop. Adding some verticality to your desk it opens up some space, previously non-existent. The added space makes all the difference, once you’ve got it – you’ll struggle to go without it.

It also is a great companion to another popular working-from-home product, the under-desk walking treadmill. If you have one of these products – which surprisingly is more than likely. This laptop stand is the ideal partnership for your desk exercise. The design of the stand makes it ideal for standing whilst working, as well as for the previous decade’s arrangement of sitting.

5. Desk Lamp with USB Port

The final product on our list is the perfect working-from-home desk companion. This handy Desk lamp has 4 USB charging ports, allowing you to charge multiple devices from your desk without using your precious laptop ports.

The amount of cords that can accumulate in home offices is frightening, leaving the space for products that remove that clutter wide open. This desk lamp does just that and more.

Creating the ideal working-from-home environment often requires some research into the psychological benefits of certain aspects – one of these being light. The amount, and importantly type of light at your workstation can have dramatic effects on you and your productivity. The desk lamp uses the ideal light range and brightness for creating the perfect conditions.

It is definitely not one to miss out on.

Working from home is becoming increasingly popular, making having the right products paramount. Solving the typical issues that come with working from home territory whilst creating the ideal workspace is the key to your success – and these 5 accessories do just that.

Whether you’re just starting out or have been working from home for years, these products will make your life easier. Which is what makes it so appealing.

The post Top 5 Essentials To Enhance Your Work From Home Setup first appeared on Macally Blog.

Work From Home - Macally Blog

ErgoZone: Mastering Home Office Comfort

Table of Contents

Firstly, What Are Ergonomics And Why Do We Need Them?

Start With The Desk:

Monitor Positioning:

Typing And Mouse Work:

Posture Support:

Lighting:

Conclusion:

WFH Ergo Checklist: Optimize Your Workstation

Table of Contents

What Is Ergonomic Design & Why Should You Care?

The Basics of a Good WFM Ergonomic Workstation Setup Checklist:

Adjustable chairs and Sit-Stand desks

External Keyboard and Mouse

Monitor Stands

Multi-port USB Charging Hub

Conclusion:

Top 5 Essentials To Enhance Your Work From Home Setup

Table of Contents

Declutter and Organize Your Workspace

1. Compact USB C Mouse for Mac & PC

2. Vertical Laptop Stand for Desk - Adjustable

3. Bluetooth Numeric Keypad for Mac

4. Laptop Stand for Desk

5. Desk Lamp with USB Port