Imagine you are sitting at a computer desk. There are books under the computer screen, and there are some cardboard boxes and a pillow lying around. The blinds on the windows have not been pulled down, and there is clutter under your desk. Your back, neck and eyes hurt, so you have to move pillows, books and boxes to adjust your sitting position and make yourself more comfortable.
These things may make you more comfortable:
- Move a pillow behind your back. A pillow behind you supports your back and prevents it from aching. Sitting on a pillow gives you more height.
- Put a box under your feet. A cardboard (or wooden) box means you can rest your feet flat and not have your legs dangling. You can try painting the box bright colours or cover it with stickers.
- Remove the books from underneath your computer screen. This allows you to look straight ahead at your monitor — much more comfortable than bending your neck a long way up or down.
- Change the mouse to the left-hand side. It's OK to use the mouse with either your left or right hand, but the further you have to reach with your mouse, the more discomfort and pain you'll feel. If the mouse is on your left, you don't have to reach as far for it because there's no numeric keypad on the left side of a keyboard — so the mouse is more comfortable to use. Learn to use the mouse with both your left and right hands.
- Use a document holder. A document holder lets you look straight ahead at documents — you don't have to bend or twist your neck to read.
- Trying using a palm rest and see if that makes you more comfortable.
- Pull down the blinds. You can get a headache when there are reflections or sunlight on your computer monitor. If you pull down the blinds, you can read the screen much better and your eyes don't get sore.
- Adjust your monitor. If you can look straight ahead at your computer monitor without bending your neck too far up or down, you will feel far more comfortable. If your monitor is too low, put something solid underneath it, but be careful it doesn't topple! If it's too high, lower it or sit on a cushion.
- Remove clutter from under your desk. Clutter under your desk stops your legs from getting right under the desk so you can't get your body close to the computer. You have to reach and stretch, which will cause discomfort and pain, and you won't be able to work so well.