Thinking about a desk for your computer?

If you’re buying a computer desk for yourself, it can be difficult to know what to get, especially if you have never bought one before and have no idea about ergonomics. Remember that ergonomics isn’t just about stopping injuries when it comes to computer desks – it’s also like a kind of feng shui, making your work space the best possible one for you to be in.

You don’t need to go all-out on spending lots of money on some great kind of wood for your desk – something cheap from a DIY shop or Ikea should be fine. The important things are how big it is, where you put it, and its shape.

You should measure the space the desk is going in beforehand and make sure that any desk you buy will fit comfortably – there are few things worse than a crowded work room. If the room is too small to fit a desk comfortably, you might want to reconsider using it.

The ideal desk will have a slide-out tray of a size that can easily fit a keyboard, as well as a shelf underneath for a printer or scanner. Nothing should be too near the floor, as it’s not good to be bending down all the time – ideally the computer’s system box should fit on top of the desk, to allow you to turn the computer on, put in discs and so on without bending down.

If you can, make room for a piece of paper and a pen on your desk too – it’s good to be able to jot things down easily and have somewhere to put any pieces of paper you need to make use of, instead of having to perch paper on the side of your keyboard. The time and effort you save this way is well worth the tiny amount of extra space it requires.

Your computer desk, it might not look like much, but if you work with your computer a lot, it’s actually a very important thing in your life. If it’s configured wrongly, you could find yourself with wrist and back pain, not to mention struggling to think or work up the motivation to do anything at all. Why is this? It’s all down to ergonomics.

Ergonomics, also known as human factors, is the science of how we interact with things like computers and desks. The theory is that even the smallest things in our environment build up over time, and can cause physical and psychological problems.

So what could happen? Consider, for example, having a chair or a desk that is the wrong height for you. It’s not wrong by much, but you have to tilt your head ever so slightly downwards to see the computer screen. Now imagine that you’re doing that every day, for six hours, for months or even years. It’s easy to see how that small problem would get magnified, until it could eventually cause you back or neck strain.

The most common ergonomics-related injuries are caused by mice (the computer kind, of course). When people are moving a mouse around every day from a slightly awkward position, they can get a condition called repetitive strain injury (RSI) that can leave them unable to move their hand at all. Although it is less common, there is a similar risk with keyboards. That’s why your equipment is so important, and it is especially important how it is positioned on your desk relative to you.

Basically, if you’re not comfortable using your computer, you’re not moaning or being awkward – you’re looking out for your safety at work. We all have to be vigilant when it comes to ergonomics, as it’s not in anyone’s interest for you to be left at home, unable to do your job.