Average rating:
Over a very short period of time, computers have come to occupy a central place in our lives. There are many of us who do their work entirely on the computer, sitting in front of a screen and keyboard for 10-12 or more hours in a day. This is a very unnatural situation which the human body is not designed to emulate and hence the entry of the science of ergonomics. Ergonomics, in simple terms defines the way the human body can be comfortably and painlessly adapted to new technological developments. Today, every office that has a computer, has specially designed workspaces where we can sit comfortably for long periods of time, staring at the computer in front of us and avoid maladies such as stunted postures and repetitive stress injuries. While some success has been achieved in a scenario with a fixed desktop computer, the arrival of the laptop or notebook has added a new twist to the problem. Laptops, by design are to be used when one is mobile and frequently travelling on work, but today most laptop users actually use it when they are situated at a single place and their laptop has replaced the traditional desktop. The issue at hand - how can a laptop be set-up ergonomically like a desktop and avoid stress and injuries in the long term? Read on to find out how this can be done!
Step 1:

Design constraints in a laptop. Given its primary functionality, a laptop needs to be compact, light in weight and small in size as compared to a desktop. What this means is that all features on the laptop are crunched into a smaller space, than they would be on a regular computer. The screen size is smaller, which means more eye strain, keys are all bunched into a small space and the layout is different from a typical desktop. This places more strain on the wrists, shoulder and neck. An ideal ergonomic set-up would have the monitor or screen at eye level and the keyboard at a lower position from the monitor facilitating easy access for the wrists and fingers. This is not true of a laptop at all. To remove all such disadvantages and to have the laptop become a device that is as ergonomic and comfortable as a desktop, some solutions are discussed in the next few steps.

Step 2:

Docking station. A docking station is nothing but a set-up similar to a desktop. Once you connect your laptop to the docking station, you use the monitor and keyboard which are part of the station and ignore the laptop screen and keyboard.

Step 3:

Dual keyboards and mouse. Somewhat similar to the previous solution, only, instead of the docking station, get an ordinary keyboard and mouse and connect them to the laptop. Use only the laptop screen as a monitor, but use the second independent key board and mouse for your typing.

Step 4:

Alternative with no additional hardware. If you do not have access to hardware as described in the previous two steps and can only place the laptop on a desk, try the following adjustments:

  • Adjust the laptop position based on the work you will be doing - if there is a lot of typing to be done, place the laptop in a position where the keyboard is placed on a low table, relieving the necessity of straining your hands and wrists
  • If you will be only reading and browsing through various screens, place the laptop such that the screen is at eye level when you are sitting in your normal posture.
  • In case desks at different heights are not available, tilt the back of the laptop such that the keyboard is angled downwards. Adjust your chair accordingly, such that the keyboard is at a bent-elbow level and the screen remains at an elevated angle.
By tweaking a few features or getting access to additional hardware, you can make a laptop as ergonomically comfortable as a desktop. Indulge in a bit of creative thinking to get ergonomically correct screen and keyboard heights!!
About this Author:
Garrett has recently discovered the joy of grilling chicken like a confident, pro griller, and wants to share the article with all you readers out there.
View more information and all guides by Garrett Nielsen

Be the First to Comment on this Article