Sitting posture

Sit at the back of the seat

Place your buttocks at the bottom of the seat and use the backrest to support your lower back. Adjust the height to keep your feet flat and your knees around the right angle. The front of the seat must leave room behind the knees. If you need to raise the chair to reach the desk, add support under the feet.

Then bring the chair closer to the desk: your elbows should remain close to the body, with your shoulders at rest. Adjust the armrests to support the forearms without shrugging the shoulders. If they prevent you from approaching the keyboard, lower or remove them. The correct setting is recognized by working, with your hands on the keyboard.

Place the screen in front of you

Center the screen in front of you, with its top edge at or just below eye level. Start about an arm's length away, then adjust to read without moving your head forward. If the characters are too small, increase the zoom. Place the keyboard and mouse close enough to use them without reaching out.

On a laptop that has been in one place for a long time, raise the screen with a stable stand or stack of books, then plug in a separate keyboard and mouse. This allows you to adjust the reading height and hand position independently. With two screens, keep the one you view most directly in front of you.

Take advantage of transitions to get up

Get up between tasks, to get water, or during a call that doesn’t require a screen. If you work for hours without interruption, schedule a reminder: five to ten minutes of change of activity after fifty to sixty minutes of continuous work is a benchmark proposed by the HSE. Take the opportunity to walk rather than continue on your phone.

To maintain a routine, check your setup at the start of the day, then use a single trigger for breaks: completion of a task, call or reminder. You can also change the angle of the seat and extend your legs. An adjustable desk is useful if you actually alternate between sitting, standing and moving around.