Having some sort of access to a computer in the modern age is a basic necessity. Whether you’re at university, working, or even playing games, PC’s play an enormous part in this equation. It is also an area that we can tend to take for granted in terms of ergonomics. Incorrectly designed, your environment can have negative effects on productivity, posture, and even long-term health. Approach these areas critically, however, and finding better long-term outcomes is easier than you might think.
For Work and Study
If you’re going to use your computer for work or study, then chances are you’re going to be doing a lot of typing. This means an upright posture, and the right spacing and angles for yourself, your screen, and your keyboard. To get started, you first need to ensure that you’re seated correctly.
In terms of height, you’re going to want to make sure that your knees are about the same level as your hips. If necessary, this could include a small block under your feet to raise them to the correct level. After this, you’ll want to ensure that your armrests allow you to keep your wrists from bending, while your hands are roughly the same level as your elbows, or just below. Finally, the top of the monitor should be at eye level, while the screen itself needs to sit one arms-length away.
Playing Games
If you’re playing video games on your computer, then ergonomics can be quite similar to how you would use a system for work and study, depending on the game. Online pokies like Wolf Gold or Diamond Strike, for example, use a standard keyboard and mouse setup on PC. Whichever of these slots or other casino games you play, since you’ll be using the same types of input as when you’re working, you’ll have the same concerns.
Games that use controllers, however, have slightly different issues. For these games, rather than resting your arms on a desk, it’s safe to place them in your lap. More important, and this is an issue we see often, is incorrectly made assessments about ‘gaming’ chairs. Despite what claims you might hear, the cheaper ones of these can be just as or more harmful than a cheap office chair.
For this reason, it might be a better idea to settle on a decent second-hand office chair instead of a new cheap gaming chair, which are often more ergonomically designed to begin with. If you’re the type to want separate chairs for gaming and work, considering a single more expensive office chair instead. Your back will thank you for it.
The Little Touches
Ergonomics are important, but mentally, just as crucial can be the smaller elements that affect your mood. Personal pictures, a tidy setup, and little mementoes, all of these can pay off into a better short and long-term mental state. The better your mental state, the better you will perform, and the more inclined you’ll be to stick to a correct posture. Little things can be worth more than the sum of their parts, so don’t underestimate them.
Will all these factors in mind, it’s time to start setting some new habits. This can be tricky, as too often we fall back into poor posture by reflex. This is just a matter of creating new habits, where constantly reminding yourself at first will soon become second nature. Keep at it, and you’ll soon wonder how you did it any other way.
