Posted on 16th Nov 2011 @ 11:53 AM

Many of us long to bid adieu to the cubicle farms at our offices and start working from home. Some people have already achieved this goal by either formulating a telecommuting arrangement with their employer or going into business on their own. These are the lucky few who hit their snooze buttons a few extra times, measure their commute in steps rather than miles, and consider shoes to be "formal wear."

But are these home office workers putting their health at risk more so than those who slave away at the office?

While a number of companies pay attention to the ergonomics of their workspaces, many "work at home" types do not. As a result, home office inhabitants may be subjecting themselves to repetitive stress injuries or other conditions that could affect their well-being.

Thankfully, most of these potential health hazards can be eliminated by making a handful of ergonomic changes to a home office. Here are some tips:

• Invest in ergonomic products. Most home workstations are more about fashion than function. So augment them with products like a mouse wrist rest, footrest, and laptop stand.

• Find a high-quality ergonomic chair. Purchase a comfortable chair on which the seat height, seat tilt, back, armrests, and lumbar support can all be adjusted. It's worth spending a little extra money on a home office chair that will help prevent sore shoulders, a stiff neck, and an aching back.

• Take steps to minimize glare and eyestrain. A computer monitor should be placed about 20 inches away from your head with your eyes aligned with the top two inches of the screen. Also, position your monitor so it is perpendicular to windows and keep ambient lighting from shining onto the screen.

• Adhere to healthy typing practices. The proper typing position includes relaxed shoulders, elbows down at your sides, straight wrists, and forearms which are parallel to the floor. Adjust your keyboard height accordingly (or buy an ergonomic keyboard) and keep your mouse within easy reach at all times.

• Make adjustments for laptops. If you do a lot of work on a laptop, try to mimic the computing experience that you would get from a desktop model. This means raising the laptop to the proper eye height (or getting an adjustable stand for this purpose) and investing in a wireless mouse.

It's silly to free yourself from the shackles of the corporate workplace and still be encumbered by common office injuries. A home office designed with ergonomics in mind will boost your productivity and minimize your chances of pain and discomfort.