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5 min readErgonomic Setup Audit
Your chair, monitor, and desk height matter more than any app. A 10-point checklist to fix the physical side of remote work.
✶ What's inside
The good stuff.
The 90-90-90 rule
Elbows at 90 degrees. Knees at 90 degrees. Ankles at 90 degrees. This sounds basic, but most home setups fail at least one of these. Your forearms should rest flat on the desk without shrugging your shoulders. If your feet don't touch the floor flat, use a footrest (a stack of books works in a pinch). Your knees should sit slightly below hip level — this keeps your pelvis in a neutral position and reduces lower-back strain.
Monitor at eye level, arm's length away
The top of your screen should be at or slightly below eye level. Most people look down at a laptop, which rounds the shoulders and compresses the neck. Raise your screen with a stand, a stack of boxes, or a book. You should sit an arm's length away — roughly 50–70 cm. If text feels too small at that distance, increase font size rather than creeping closer.
Keyboard and mouse positioning
Place your keyboard so your elbows stay at your sides. Reaching forward strains the shoulders. Your mouse should sit at the same height and distance as your keyboard — not on a different surface off to the side. If you use a laptop keyboard for long sessions, consider an external keyboard so you can raise the screen while keeping your wrists flat.
Chair: the one thing worth buying
A dining chair is not a work chair. Look for adjustable seat height, lumbar support, and a backrest that reclines slightly (100–110 degrees is ideal). Your lower back should touch the backrest — use a small cushion or rolled towel if the gap is too big. Armrests are optional; if present, they should let your shoulders relax, not force them up.
Lighting that doesn't fight you
Position your monitor perpendicular to windows to avoid glare. If the window is behind you, it creates a backlight that makes your eyes work harder. Use ambient lighting rather than a single overhead bulb. A desk lamp pointed at the wall (indirect light) reduces eye strain compared to a lamp pointed at the screen or your face.
The 20-20-20 rule for eyes
Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. This relaxes the ciliary muscles in your eyes that contract when focusing on a screen. Set a timer if you need to — most people forget within the first hour.
key takeaways ☼
- ✦Laptop on a stack of books + external keyboard = instant ergonomic upgrade for under $30.
- ✦Your feet must touch the floor flat. Everything else builds from there.
- ✦Chair > desk > monitor > keyboard in order of impact on your body.
Quick Audit Checklist
□ Feet flat on floor □ Knees at 90°, slightly below hip level □ Lower back supported by backrest □ Elbows at 90°, close to body □ Top of screen at eye level □ Screen an arm's length away □ Keyboard and mouse at same height □ Window to your side, not in front or behind □ No glare on screen □ Timer set for 20-20-20 breaks
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