How to Make Your Desk Work for You, Not Against You

When I started my first desk job, I was given zero advice on how to set up my desk.
I honestly had no idea it mattered.

I attributed any new pain to ‘getting older’ rather than connecting it to the positions I was putting my body in all day long.

I was shocked to recently learn that in many European countries, employers are required by law to assess their employees’ desk setups.

Some European companies even hire third-party ergonomic experts to conduct hour-long assessments (!) of their employees’ workstations.

Here’s how it works. The ergonomics expert:
1) Shows up at an employee’s house
2) Watches the employee sit at their desk and work
3) Analyzes any long-term risks of their setup, and
4) Offers suggestions for how the employee can modify their existing workspace to prevent problems in the future

Regulations for employers in the United States are unfortunately lax enough that most companies will just send you a laptop and hope you figure out the rest.

But that’s the point of this email - to help you run a quick assessment of your own workspace.

Take a few minutes this Friday afternoon to run through this checklist- after all, you might be spending the next few years sitting in the exact chair you’re reading this from.

So, where do we start?

Step 1) Adjust your chair height

• Your chair should be low enough that your feet can rest flat on the ground, or on a footrest.

• At the same time, your chair should be high enough relative to your desk that your arms form a ~90-degree angle at your elbows. If your forearms are angled upwards, you might be putting extra strain on your shoulders, neck, and wrists.

• If you don’t know what makes a good chair, check out my last post.

Step 2) Adjust your monitor height

• The top of your screen- whether a monitor or laptop stand- should be right around eye level. If you’re on a laptop, use a laptop stand or stack of books to elevate your screen.

• The screen should be roughly an arms-length away from you with a font size that you can easily read. If you’re too far away, you’ll squint and lean forward for extended periods. If you’re too close, you risk straining your eyes. No bueno.

Step 3) Position your mouse and keyboard close to yourself

• Your mouse and keyboard should be at elbow height. In terms of distance, it just shouldn’t feel like you’re reaching for your mouse & keyboard.

• If you work on a laptop, I’d recommend an external keyboard & mouse in addition to a laptop stand.

Step 4) Create a system that promotes movement throughout the day

• For me, this means designating a place where I can work while standing. I sit a good amount, but I alternate with my ‘standing spot’ at least 1-2 times per day. What works for me is starting the day using my walking pad + standing desk and then sitting down when I get tired of it.

• When I want to shift to standing at home, I just elevate my desk to a standing position. When traveling, I’ll usually stack up books on a counter and put my laptop stand on top.

In case you’re curious, here’s what my home setup looks like:

It’s nothing fancy, but includes:

• An under-the-desk walking pad from Amazon

• A used sit/stand desk from Autonomous

• An adjustable-height monitor that I stole from the office during COVID

• A big fish vase that I chug water out of

• A wireless keyboard and mouse from Amazon

• (not pictured) A Steelcase Leap chair that I found on Facebook Marketplace

Years from now, your everyday desk setup will have massively influenced how your body feels, and even the form it takes. Your body adapts to the positions you put yourself in most- that’s why more and more people are developing nerd neck (a topic for another time).

Take some time and spend some money to get your desk setup right. Your future self will thank you.

Talk soon!
Nico