Laptop - ergonomics - home setup

Once the points made in the picture below are understood, it would be easier to arrive at a setup that works for you.

Good posture

Chair and writing pad

• If you have a comfortable chair or sofa with armrests, check if it is possible to place a wide writing pad across the armrests. The must extend beyond the armrests on the front and sides.
• Buy a pad that can support the weight of a laptop - plywood or cardboard writing pads with 0.5cm thickness are enough.
• Place the laptop on the pad and check if you can work comfortably (check if the feet, elbow, back and head are as given in the above picture).
• It must be stable enough to survive minor knocks that are inevitable.

Chair and table

Check if you already have a chair and table that fit the requirements. Otherwise, buy suitable ones.

• Buy a basic computer table with a pullout tray on which a mouse can be placed alongside the keyboard.
• Buy a chair that has height adjustment. If the room does not have temperature control, the chair's seat and backrest must allow circulation of air e.g. chairs woven with flat wire, wooden chairs with slits.
• Place the laptop on a few thick books. Or, buy a stand for the laptop - with the stand’s height in mind.
• Connect an external keyboard and a mouse to the laptop (USB port).

External monitor

Here's how to use an external monitor if your work demands one.

• Connect the monitor to the laptop via HDMI.
• If the monitor does not have speakers, sound has to be played via the laptop’s speakers or external speakers (select the device for sound output in the Operating System’s control panel). If you still have a problem, search the internet for a simple solution.
• Power settings may need to be changed so that laptop continues to be switched on when its lid is closed.