Setting Up A Home Office

In the wake of the current Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak and subsequent restrictions being imposed by many workplaces, UpDown Desk has been asked by several customers about setting up their home office as well as the ergonomic considerations. 

A home office can be an effective place to operate and get the most out of a workday without being distracted by colleagues, though it does come with its challenges. The two main areas of challenge within a home office are physiological and physical. Physiological challenges include lack of social contact with colleagues, external distractions (that new computer game…), or simply not enough natural light which can help to improve your mood. We’re going to concentrate on the physical/ergonomic challenges in this article.

The biggest problem is that people who work from home tend to do more sitting hours. They become focused on what they’re doing and often forget to move! Sitting less is essential. No matter how active you are, even if you’re getting plenty of exercise daily, you still might be sitting too much. There are great benefits of standing desks.

Danger appears sooner AND later. Short terms risks can often be felt by the individual the same day or within days; lower back pain for example. Clinically proven medium and long terms risks include posture problems, weight gain and reduced energy.

If you’re in the boat of needing to work at home soon, here’s UpDown Desk’s guide to setting up a standing desk in a home office:

1. Make sure your chosen desk location has plenty of space, decent natural light, few distractions, and enough power points.
2. Measure the area to decide what size desk you will need. To help you out, UpDown Pro Series desks are 750mm deep and either 1200mm, 1500mm or 1800mm wide. We also have 3-legged corner desks.
   
3. On the UpDown website, pick the desk size, frame colour, type of desktop (bamboo or Melamine) and then add a cable tray and standing mat. Take advantage of our current “FREE home delivery” offer. If you’re in Melbourne, you’ll receive your desk as soon as the next business day. If you’re in Adelaide or anywhere along the eastern seaboard, it’ll only be a couple of days.
   
4. Unpack the 3-5 cardboard boxes that arrive on your doorstep by courier and follow the instructions on how to assemble your desk. Within 30 minutes you’ll have a fully functioning sit/stand desk. There is also an installation video on the product page on our website (link) if you get stuck.
5. Ensure you read our detailed information on how long should I stand as well as standing stance on our website to ensure you get the most out of your UpDown desk.

Enjoy the ongoing health benefits, which should be noticeable almost immediately!