What do you look for when buying a piece of furniture for your home office? I guess you have your own basis or requirements that you consider when you buy one. For me, I also have to consider some things when I buy my own pieces of furniture to work on. My first preference is the cost of that furniture that should be within my budget. I am not particularly after the aesthetic value of it as long as I can afford to buy it and it won’t hurt my pocket.

For others, they have their own set of preferences before they buy their home office furniture such as the size of the space where the piece of furniture will be placed, the cost, materials used to make it, features or the design, color, and the comfort it brings to the user.

These preferences are common but today the ergonomic design is being given emphasis among furniture buyers especially when it comes to purchasing a computer table and chair. Many buyers today consider the ergonomic design of a piece of furniture which implies that a table or a chair must not only give comfort but also it will improve productivity and reduce injury when it is being used at home or office.

The term “ergonomics” is defined by Webster's dictionary as “an applied science concerned with designing and arranging things people use so that the people and things interact most efficiently and safely.” On the other hand, the Oxford dictionary shares its definition of “ergonomics” as “ the study of working conditions, especially the design of equipment and furniture, in order to help people work more efficiently.”

The two definitions of the word “ergonomics” point out that a piece of furniture such as a working table and desk should be designed wherein the user can perform the tasks at hand the right way or with efficiency in a safe working condition. I mean, the emphasis now is not only the beauty or the aesthetic appeal of a working table or chair but the main thing is the ergonomic feature of the furniture.

Actually, ergonomics was officially accepted” in 1950. The term came from the Greek word “ergon” which means work or labor, and “nomos” meaning natural laws, and the term was coined by a Polish scholar. (https://www.google.com/). The term became popular in World War 11 when “military equipment, machinery, and weaponry — specifically airplanes — was becoming increasingly complex ” (retrieved from the same reference). 

Employers, according to a study conducted in a workplace, should consider ergonomics inside the office if they want to increase the workers’ productivity, reduce work-related injuries, and improve the workers’ quality of life” (https://www.emerald.com/insight/).

Let us focus more on the ergonomic design of a work chair. Most workers perform their tasks sitting on their chairs usually for more than eight (8) hours a day, especially those who are using computers in the office. They sit most of the time during the performance of their work and this excessive sitting posture is usually the cause of discomfort and illness such as musculoskeletal disorders such as muscular pains on the neck and lumbar region.

In this regard, work chairs must be ergonomically designed to conform to the nature of the job, freedom of movement, and reduction of injury in the workplace. It means that an ergonomic chair should be created having in mind the posture, support, and health of the worker.

Regarding posture, a worker should be able to sit properly and should remember these things: (https://www.chairoffice.co.uk/blog).

• Maintain an arm's length away from the computer screen and see to it that the monitor top is at the same level as your eyes.

• Try to sit up straight without slouching. Your neck should be relaxed and in a "neutral position."

• Have your "arms parallel to the floor."

• Your feet should be flat on the floor while sitting 

• Avoid cross legs to allow the right blood circulation within the legs

Following these good sitting posture will complement the productive performance of your work. Moreover, you may also consider checking the ergonomics of your chair to boost your work productivity in the workplace. You may test the ergonomics of your chair with the following (retrieved from the aforementioned source).

• Height of the seat - “Proper seat depth should leave between 2 and 4 inches between the edge of the seat and the back of your knees. If the seat is too far forward, it may put undue pressure at the back of the knees.”

• The seat should be tiltable that enables the pelvis to be in the correct position. The anterior pelvic tilt is a posture problem that affects those who sit excessively. So, it is necessary to keep the pervis ``in a neutral position while sitting. 80-degree angles at the hips, knees, and ankles." 

• "An adjustable backrest allows for greater tailored positioning for the user, as they can move the backrest to more specifically support their natural spine position. Using this feature throughout the day allows the backrest to take some of the weight from your upper body, reducing the pressure on your spinal disks and muscles."

• The swivel feature helps users to maneuver and make it easier for them to reach different parts of the desks with no excessive strain.

• Armrests reduce tension in the upper body and shoulders are allowed to relax. 

These features of an ergonomic chair will enable you to choose the best computer or work chair for your home office. At Flexispot, there are ergonomic chairs that you could choose from that are packed with wonderful features such as the Ergonomic Mesh Office Chair 5405.

It is comfortable with a flexible backrest and adjustable armrest. The ergonomic back support eases back pressure caused by excessive sitting. It is 360 degrees rotatable and has three different tilts. The seat height is also height adjustable and there are tension knobs to make reclining or rocking easier.

For more details about this product, please check on the website now. It is just a click away.