As the work-from-home lifestyle has become a more permanent reality for countless people, now is a great time to consider how to make a makeshift office more functional. Especially when you don’t have a room you can fully dedicate to your work space, staying comfortable and productive while doing your job remotely can be a challenge—and furniture brand Herman Miller wants to help.
While its high-design, ergonomic office chairs might not be in financial reach for everyone, the experts behind the brand have done plenty of research on how to construct the ideal work station—so they’ve created a quiz to help you figure out what’s not working in your own work-from-home set-up and how you can fix it. “We wanted to show there are a lot of ergonomic improvements anyone can make that are really simple and don’t require purchasing anything but can still boost health and productivity,” says Ben Groom, Herman Miller’s Chief Digital Officer.
You might eventually consider splurging on that chair or investing in a bigger computer monitor, but there are plenty of changes you can make to your workspace right now. Here are a few key takeaways we learned from Herman Miller’s quiz.
Find your light
While you might be in the position of finding a space surface wherever you can, Groom’s assessment particularly calls out the importance of having some natural light, as a way to improve your mood and productivity. Think like a cat and follow the sun.
Adjust your screen
A proper work chair and desk can work wonders on your posture as you tackle that to-do list, but a dedicated set-up isn’t a reality for many. You can still make a difference in your physical comfort by aligning your computer screen with your line of sight—the top third of the screen should be at eye level. Stacking your laptop on a small pile of books can help with this.
Plant your feet
Ideally, if you’re sitting on a chair with adjustable height, you can move it up or down so your feet are planted firmly on the ground—this allows for good posture and therefore comfort as you work. If not, you can still use a small box or bin to give your feet something to rest on—your back and shoulders will thank you, too.
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