CNN Business: It's been a year. Here's what your home office should look like
UC expert offers tips on having a proper home work environment
For the past year, people all around the world have had to adjust to the new normal for how they do their jobs from their homes. Creating a workspace that is functional but still maintains a good work/life balance can be challenging. In a story on the topic, CNN Business turned to Susan Kotowski, PhD, of the Department of Rehabilitation, Exercise and Nutrition Sciences in the UC College of Allied Health Sciences for some suggestions on creating a home work space.
Susan Kotowski, PhD, of the Department of Rehabilitation, Exercise & Nutrition Sciences in the College of Allied Health Sciences/Photo/Colleen Kelley/UC Creative + Brand
Kotowski, who studies occupational ergonomics and biomechanics, recommends getting an external monitor, keyboard and mouse, if possible. She says if you can't get all three external elements, you can improvise by raising the entire laptop to get the monitor to eye level and then get an external keyboard and mouse. Or, use the laptop's keyboard and mouse and an external monitor.
"If you think about a monitor being connected to the keyboard, you are almost always going to be looking pretty far down," says Kotowski. "Your neck is going to be bent pretty far down, so lots of upper back, shoulder discomfort, neck discomfort from that constant looking down."
And even if you have created the perfect home office, it's still important to take breaks—a lot of them.
"You want a change in posture no longer than every 30 minutes," says Kotowski. "So if you are sitting, change to standing or stretch. Get up and go fill your water bottle. Do something. It doesn't have to be very long and doesn't have to be unproductive."
Lead photo/Roberto Nickson/Unsplash
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