The 1-minute ergonomics scan

Start your working day well by investing one minute every morning in setting up your workstation. Start with your office chair, adjust your desk, and enjoy an ergonomic and comfortable work environment all day long!

Ergonomics is easy to forget in the rush of everyday life. Time to pay some attention to setting up your own workstation correctly. You can do this with a quick scan that, once you have done it a few times, takes less than one minute. So there is no excuse not to spend that one minute on it in the morning when you start your working day. It brings you plenty of benefits all day long. That one-minute investment gives you hours of benefit!

The order in which you adjust things is very important. It ALWAYS starts with the office chair and only AFTERWARDS moves on to the desk.

Office chair

When you set up your office chair, always follow this order:

1. Height: set the height of the chair so that the angle between your torso and thighs is at least 90°. In this position, can you rest both feet fully and firmly on the floor?

2. Depth: sit with your back fully against the backrest and see how much space is left between the front of the seat and the back of your knee. There should still be a gap about three fingers wide so the blood vessels behind your knee are not squeezed.

3. Lumbar support: sit with your back right against the back of the backrest. Move the adjustable part of the lumbar support so that it supports the hollow of your lower back. That is where you should feel the support. If you feel it higher than the hollow of your lower back, move the support lower. If you feel it closer to the seat, move the lumbar support higher.

4. Armrests: place both arms on the armrests on the left and right. With your arms supported, your neck and shoulders should always be relaxed.

Desk or table

When you set up your desk, always follow this order:

1. Height: the height of the desk should follow the height of the armrests. So set the height of the desk so that the armrests and the desk are in 1 line. That way your forearms can rest on the armrests of the office chair and your wrists on the front edge of the desk.

2. Keyboard: this should sit right at the front of the desk and not be tilted, so your wrists can work on the keyboard in a neutral position.

3. Screen position and distance: if you work with 1 screen, it should be 1 full arm's length away from you and straight in front of you. If you work with 2 screens, place the main screen straight in front of you as well, and place the second screen at an angle of +/- 30°, at right angles to the main screen, on the side where you do not use the mouse. So if you use the mouse on the right, place the second screen on the left.

4. Screen height: the top edge of the screen and your eyes should be on 1 horizontal line.

5. Mouse: you should be able to use it with a slight bend in the elbow, so not too far away, to avoid working with a stretched arm.

6. Other items: anything you do not really 'need' to work is best placed somewhere else. As a rule, avoid printers on your desk too, unless there is no other option.

Golden rule: just before you start working, do that quick check to see if everything is still set up well, and adjust if needed. Ready to start your day ergonomically.