Educator Work Spaces

It's no surprise that educators spend a lot of time at their desks.  And sadly that time is rarely wholly comfortable, not to mention ergonomically friendly.  From your head to your eyes to your neck and shoulders to your hands and wrists, educators experience undue strain and some even suffer repetitive stress injuries.  If you're an educator and you'd like to avoid these strains and injuries, check out the following tips.    

A few work space tips for educators

Look at your work space design.  Is it set up for ergonomic comfort and ease of work?  Consider the following factors:

• Make sure you keep your monitor at eye level so you don't strain your neck or eyes to see it.

• Your keyboard and mouse should be tucked in next to each other to minimize movements. 

• Your body should always feel relaxed and positioned neutrally .  You should never cock your wrists or have to angle them to type or reach the mouse (see above for keyboard and mouse placement).

• Your feet should rest comfortably and flat on the floor.  This is usually an issue of a poorly positioned desk and chair.

Ergonomic solutions for comfort and productivity

• To get the very best ergonomic advantage, many workers and educators use an ergonomic desk and/or chair that facilitate easy and comfortable reach of all essential items, while still providing the structure and support you need.  Adjustability is key here.  Being able to raise and/or lower your chair and desk will enable you to get the best position for your body so that it can be relaxed and neutral.  Even adding back support to your current chair will ease back discomfort.

• Not everyone can fly for a new desk.  if that's the case for you, try reworking the space you already have.  One of the best things you can do is get your keyboard and mouse lined up correctly.  Even righties like a left-handed keyboard (which puts the rarely-used number pad on the left) or even a mini keyboard to free up some space to allow you to pull your mouse in closer. 

• A wrist rest is a simple and affordable solution for wrist or forearm discomfort, which allows you to type in a neutral position by resting your palms at the same time, thus alleviating strain on the actual wrists.  Please note that wrist rests are meant to be used for breaks between periods of typing, not for sustained use while typing.

• White noise generators create peace and quiet during office hours or a planning period (or even when giving a quiz, test, or exam).  White noise generators (aka sound machines) provide a low-level hum so that you can tune out otherwise distracting noises and just feel more relaxed.  The result is less stress and increased productivity.

If you're an educator, make sure you practice good ergonomic principles and maybe invest in good products, such as an ergonomic desk or ergonomic keyboard.

Top Ergonomic Products for Teachers

Designing Your Dream Ergonomic Space

People often go to Home Depot, Lowe's, or even IKEA to get creative, practical ideas and tips for their dream kitchens, bathrooms, and house projects.  I frequently find myself dreaming about my ideal ergonomic set-up in the space I currently have.  You see, I wasn't always a stay-at-home online writer- in fact, I used to teach high school Spanish.  In those days, I would have designed a completely different work space because I had more space and different needs.  For example, I would have loved a wireless presentation keyboard or even a mobile stand for my laptop as I presented new concepts and vocabulary.  

However, now that I now that I work from home 7 days a week, my needs and wants are quite different.  I don't have a classroom I can leave behind at the end of the day- I have to live with my choices 24/7.  So, if I could pick anything, here is what I would choose after a year+ of researching and writing about ergonomic products.

My Actual Work Station {Computing}

I mentioned last time that I would design around the Sit or Stand WorkStation and the Body Bilt Ergonomic Chair.  With a great ergonomic desk and ergonomic chair in place, I can consider my computing needs.

• Wireless Ergo Wave Ergonomic Keyboard- I do work on a laptop, but we all know that for sustained periods of typing, we should dock our laptops.  {We do all know that, right? ;)}  The reason for this is that the lowered position of a laptop on the lap is not ideal for ergonomic posture in that we tend to drop our heads {thus straining our necks} and cock our wrists {thus straining our wrists, hands, and fingers}.  As a result, it's better to raise the laptop to desk level.  All that to say that if I'm going to the trouble to dock my laptop, then I'd love to ergonomify it as much as possible.  I would LOVE a wireless ergonomic keyboard that offered a great set-up and a built-in wrist rest, and I just found it.  
• Evoluent Ergonomic Mouse- Again, if I'm going to set up an ergonomic work space, then I want all the benefits!  I love the handshake position this mouse provides.  After a long day of typing and mousing, I usually walk away with strained wrists, thumbs, and forefinger.  The latter two are usually from my touch pad.  Thus, I'd love an ergonomic mouse that would take better care of my wrists, hands, and fingers.

If I could design my own ergonomic work station, I'd choose the Wireless Ergo Wave Ergonomic Keyboard and the Evoluent Ergonomic Mouse for when I dock my laptop- be sure to check back next time for more of my dream ergonomic set-up!