Home Office Setup Ideas to Optimize Health & Productivity

Now that we all have to stay home, let’s set up our home office or home work space the right way!

When it comes to a comfortable home office setup that suits your needs, the benefits to health, wellness, and your bottom line will quickly sell themselves.

Have you heard that sitting is the new smoking?

If you work from home or in an office all day where most of your tasks require long periods of sitting, you’ll want to pay special attention to the adjustable height workstation guide in this post.

It could save you some serious health issues down the road. There are numerous health risks of sitting at a desk all day … and we’ll cover several of those, as well as what you can do about it.

Home Office Setup Ideas to Maximize Productivity and Health

A productive home office setup is a major component of your work-at-home success! Productivity is the foundation of a successful work day. And the principles of ergonomics ensure a comfortable and efficient work space.

Beginning freelancers and bloggers, you may be tempted to skimp on your home office by thinking you can’t afford a good setup. Don’t do it!

Setting up your own quality home office has seriously positive effects on your business mindset, too.

Ergonomic products in your office will ensure proper work space comfort that prevents much more than a sore back.

The principle of ergonomics is simple — fit the environment to the person — not the other way around.

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Throwing together a bunch of cheap office stuff to get the job done will work against productivity and affect your long term well-being.

A poorly planned home office space can cause many of the following:

back issues
elbow pain
headaches
carpal tunnel syndrome
blurred vision/eye strain
neck and shoulder pain
weight gain — including its many associated health issues
various repetitive strain injuries from poor typing posture
sedentary habits which can cause blood clots or nerve pain in your legs

Ergonomic tools and home office productivity go hand in hand. So invest in yourself and your business right from the start!

Setting up a great home office qualifies as tax-deductible business set-up expenses (up to $5,000). I hope that makes you feel a little better.

You wouldn’t dream of delivering low quality service or product to your clients, so don’t sell yourself short.

The adjustable height workstation and health risks of sitting at a desk all day

We’re going to start this ergonomic home office setup guide with a comprehensive look at standing desks and how they’re revolutionizing work spaces everywhere. The health benefits of an adjustable height workstation are fantastic.

MOST IMPORTANTLY:

The substantial health risks of sitting at a desk all day must be addressed.

Decreased metabolism due to expending less energy while sitting… compared to standing and moving your body.
This leads to weight gain and possible obesity.
There are also risks of higher blood pressure and poor blood sugar regulation.
And we can’t ignore the fact that long bouts of sitting affects blood circulation and can lead to leg cramps, back spasms, and blood clotting (which is why you’re encouraged to move around on long airline flights!).
Excessive sitting has also been compared to the health risks of being a smoker … that’s pretty bad news if you pride yourself on having never been a smoker.

These scary health risks of sitting at a desk all day — if you happen to have an office job or you’re a writer (like me) — can be easily counteracted with a few simple changes.

Adjustable height workstations are standing desks that can solve the issue of sitting all day at a desk.

The benefits are numerous:

Increased calories burned due to extra movement.
Better circulation (of course).
Much better posture … if you pay attention to how you’re standing AND make sure your standing desk setup is in correct proportions to what you need.
Most people report that leg cramps and backaches are much improved if not eliminated all together.
You simply feel better inside knowing that you’re taking important steps to protect your health from the dangers of sitting too long at a desk.

Types of adjustable height workstations and standing desks

There are several different models and types of standing workstations. That’s a good thing, since everyone is different and their needs may vary according to workplace guidelines, height, how many monitors they have etc.

The most common types of standing desks:

Fixed-height standing desks … which actually don’t adjust to height needs, so may not be a good option for optimal health benefits.
Standing desk converters, which sit on top of your desk and adjust to different heights as needed.
Desktop risers are like little tables which sit on your current desk to raise your computer or laptop to a proper standing height. These can sometimes be adjustable, but more often are a set height and may not be optimal for a permanent standing desk solution.
Adjustable height workstations are the true metric of a standing desk, with all of the benefits. They adjust to any height, and most have various level shelving to keep your keyboard at the correct hand position while elevating your monitor for proper neck alignment.

Amazon standing desks – variety and convenience

If you’re concerned for your health and ready to make that change as soon as possible, look no further than good old Amazon.

They carry all varieties of adjustable height workstations, standing desk converters, standing mats, and everything else you’ll need for an optimal home office setup. If you have a Prime account then shipping is always fast and free.

Best standing desk converter on Amazon

If you don’t like the idea of another piece of furniture, or you’re really attached to the desk you have, you could consider some standing desk converter Amazon options!

The Stand Steady X-Elite Pro Height Adjustable Desk Converter gets rave reviews from over 600 customers and is an Amazon standing desk converter top pick. It has a generous 28″x 20″ surface, comes fully assembled, and an advanced air pump system adjusts the height with your equipment safely on top.

Another super sit stand desk converter option is the Vivo Height Adjustable Standing Desk with two tiers. A large upper surface measures 36″ with plenty of room for dual monitors.

The lower keyboard shelf is roomy enough for your keyboard, mouse pad, and a few extras. Customers love how sturdy it is and the smooth adjustments from the gas spring lift to 8 various height choices.

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Adjustable Stand Up Desks on Amazon

Adjustable height workstations with wheels:

My pick is the Mount-It! Mobile Stand Up Desk. It’s an incredibly easy adjustable stand up desk to customize for your comfort. You can sit or stand, and it comes with different levels of shelving for all of your tech stuff, books, and supplies.

Since it’s on wheels, I love that I can move it near a sunny window during my work day!

With almost 400 perfect reviews, this adjustable height workstation is roomy and adjusts with a crank. A great choice if you need more work top space for your sit-stand desk. At 59″ wide with a 14″ deep top and 16″ deep second shelf, you’ll have plenty of room for multiple monitors, laptops, and accessories. It’s also on wheels.

Adjustable standing desks without wheels:

If you prefer a stationary, fully adjustable height workstation from Amazon, this one takes the cake! The Stand Steady is fully height adjustable with an easy to use crank, and has a ton of room on its full-size 55″ work top. It even has a keyboard shelf for ergonomic hand positioning.

For a deluxe adjustable sit-stand desk experience, this one has ALL the bells and whistles! Picture a programmable desk that adjusts electronically and knows your optimal height preference for BOTH sitting and standing positions so you can mix it up during the day.

Amazon desktop riser

If you simply need a bit more height for your monitor or laptop in addition to your sit-stand desk, a desktop riser provides some added height. Many risers are sold at a set height, but you can always opt for a standing desk converter if you need full height adjustment.

This simple Amazon desktop riser comes in two different sizes and is quite budget friendly. It clamps onto any standing desk with no screws needed, and offers either 48″ or 55″ of extra work space. The clamp-on design gets great reviews for being sturdier and not wobbly like a standard desk shelf.

If you prefer a simple shelf-style riser for your desk or adjustable height workstation, there are several options on Amazon for those as well. This sleek tempered glass desktop riser is very modern and chic. And it also comes in an amazing three section version for displaying THREE monitors on a classic natural wood surface design.

Healthy home office setup ideas include many other ergonomic tools

You definitely want to go beyond a standing desk setup for optimal home office health benefits!

Some of the smaller items you’ll want to consider are computer glasses that cut the blue light from your computer screen and decent lighting if you’re short on natural light.

Reducing glare from screens can reduce eye strain, headaches, and blurred vision.

If your home office area is noisy, or you’re easily distracted, noise-cancelling headphones are a great investment as well.

Best Computer Glasses

Computer glasses help prevent eye strain, glare, and headaches associated with long hours in front of a screen. If you already wear contact lenses and normally need reading glasses, you’ll love having blue light computer glasses to reduce glare!

My favorite computer glasses by far are TruVision Computer Reading glasses. I picked up a two-pack in the strength I normally use for regular reading glasses. You’ll need to choose your appropriate strength or get ones without magnification. I love that the TruVision comes in a two-pack!

If you’re looking for super stylish computer glasses, in a great price range, with almost 5 stars from nearly 1,000 customers, these J+S Vision computer glasses are a steal — and so cute!

Home Office Lighting

If you don’t already have a functional desk lamp that you love, there are dozens of home office lighting fixtures to fit any office space and design. Desktop models come in all shapes, sizes, and levels of flexibility.

Adjustable Desk Lamps

The TaoTronics LED desk lamp has 5 stars with almost 7,000 reviews…that’s impressive! It is energy efficient, stays cool (good for small office spaces), has 5 color modes with 7 brightness levels and is flicker-free. It also has a USB charging port.

If you’d rather have a gooseneck model that adjusts to any position, the TaoTronics wins again with an almost 5 star rating from over 3,000 customers. It also has 5 color modes and 7 levels of brightness.
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Chic Home Office Lighting Fixtures

If you prefer home office lighting that’s not desktop. You’ll love a chic office ceiling light fixture.

Try this brushed nickel home office ceiling light that has a dimmable LED bulb, modern look, and great energy efficiency!

Best Over Ear Bluetooth Headphones Under $100

I’m extremely distracted by noises around me. If your home office environment isn’t very quiet, a pair of noise-cancelling headphones could save your sanity.

This set of incredibly comfortable active noise cancelling headphones has almost 5 stars from over 7,000 customers. They’re a great choice for quieting your work environment — and in a very affordable price range. There are many positive comments for more comfortable air travel, too!

You’ll appreciate these great noise cancelling Bluetooth headphones that are wireless and foldable. They’re a great option in this fantastic price range. They’ve got rave reviews from almost 5,000 customers!

Ergonomic Workstation for a Healthy Home Office Setup

An ergonomic workstation setup includes the desk tools we use on a regular basis. A comfortable keyboard, mouse, and hand/wrist rest makes all the difference for hand and arm health. Don’t skimp on healthy home office equipment. It’s a huge part of a productive home office setup.

Ergonomic Keyboards

Microsoft’s Wireless Comfort Desktop keyboard is a top-rated ergonomic keyboard in the lower price range. Its curved design keeps wrists in good alignment and the wireless design is very convenient. This is a great choice if you don’t have a lot to spend.

The Logitech MK55o Wireless Wave Keyboard is one of Amazon’s top selling ergonomic keyboards with almost 6,000 stellar reviews. The wave design eases stress on fingers and hands, it has a built-in palm rest for wrist health, and the height can be adjusted for optimal comfort.

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Keyboard Mouse Options

Logitech sells a vertical “mouse” that’s not your average desk tool. It requires no hand/wrist movement since your thumb rolls the trackball anywhere you need the cursor to go. It has almost 13,000 near-5 star reviews and it’s very affordable!

If you’d like a more traditional mouse, the Microsoft Sculpt Ergonomic Mouse has top ratings from over 900 happy customers. The curved design and height, as well as the thumb indent, aids in natural wrist and hand posture.

Keyboard Wrist Support

If you’re an artistic type who loves color and design, you’ll go crazy over this ergonomic wrist pad for mouse comfort by Lizimandu. Customers like the supportive, high-quality foam and shape, as well as the dozens of different design patterns to choose from.

For a great combo deal, Gimars has a memory foam mouse pad with wrist support plus a separate keyboard wrist pad. It’s close to a 5 star rating from almost 1,000 customers. This amazing combo keyboard and mouse pad deal is under $20!

Standing Desk Mat

Most people who opt to stand for part of their work day recommend a mat for a standing desk or other cushioned surface to prevent foot and back pain. You can opt for a stationary standing desk mat or a core-strengthening option like a balance board surface.

This budget-friendly standing desk mat gets rave reviews for its comfort and size. It has a non-skid and easy to clean surface, too!

For a different take on a standard mat, the Butterfly Ergonomic Non-Flat Anti Fatigue Standing Desk Mat offers textures, bumps, and uneven surface areas that encourage foot/leg movement.

Ergonomic Office Chairs

There are a lot of great ergonomic seating options these days. Each of them offers a unique solution for good posture and back support while working at a desk.

Standard Ergonomic Office Chairs

The Flash Furniture Mid-Back Black Mesh Chair has great reviews and is a bargain at under the $100 mark. Customers love the cool mesh back, the arms that can flip up and out of the way, and adjustable tension for the rocking/leaning motion of the chair.

Office Factor Ergonomic Mesh Office Chair is a hit with its multi-adjustable features. Practically everything on this chair is adjustable, including the arm rests. It has a thick foam molded seat, and it gets rave reviews for its great lower back support!

Ergonomic Seating Alternatives

For a different take on office seating try the LuxFit Ball Chair. These are great for releasing back and spinal tension from sitting on hard chair surfaces, and they engage some of your core muscles as well.

The LuxFit Ball Chair has rave reviews from almost 1,000 happy customers and comes with a 2-year warranty. One thing to watch for is ball size — most people are actually happiest with an extra large exercise ball.

Otherwise, be sure to inflate it several times over the course of the first ten days to ensure a proper desk height. It stretches more as you use it to allow extra inflation.

The DRAGONN Ergonomic Kneeling Chair is another great office chair alternative if you have back pain and posture issues. This model gets consistent 5 star reviews from its customers.

It sports a thick seat cushion, that’s supportive but soft, which angles to form a perfect fit for each person. The kneeling design keeps your back in an upright position and evenly distributes weight between butt, knees, and shins for less pressure on your back and behind.

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Add Movement to Your Seated Tasks

The DeskCycle Desk Exerciser Bike Pedal Exerciser gets consistent 5 stars from 1,800 happy users. Many customers claim that they’ve lost weight, concentrate better while working, and have improved leg circulation.

It fits nicely under various desk setups and is quiet enough to use in a traditional office setting.

If you prefer the smooth motion of an elliptical machine, The Cubii Jr. Desk Elliptical w/Built In Display Monitor has near perfect reviews! Its users love the quiet, fluid motion and sturdy build.

There are many customers who are also claiming weight loss and leg toning benefits. It’s a great way to get in all your “steps” while working.

A productive home office is a happy and healthy one!

Whether just starting out on the work-from-home journey, or you’re ready for a healthy redesign of your home office set up, there are fantastic options to maximize your health and business productivity.

You may work at a desk most of the day, but you don’t need to compromise your inner and outer wellness because of it. Invest in yourself wisely, and the benefits will be multiplied.

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