Comfort Matters When You Work

ARTICLE CONTRIBUTED by ROSE JOSEPH If you work a desk job, you probably feel like you're spending most of your time at the office—and that's because you are. This piece from Gettsburg.edu reveals that, on average, we spend a full third of our lives at work. Given how many hours you clock in, you'll probably want to be comfortable while you're at your desk.

Yet, for the majority of employees, that's easier said than done. Do you get cold easily? Blasts of air from the office AC can make it difficult to concentrate. If you're working in a sterile or poorly lit space, it can also be more challenging to get work done. However, arguably the biggest discomfort you may face may be physical in nature. Those who require computers to accomplish their tasks are often more vulnerable to musculoskeletal injuries due to spending prolonged periods sitting in a single position. The resulting aches and pains from conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome definitely aren't comfortable!

But wait—why should you worry about comfort while working in the first place? The truth is that aside from making you feel more relaxed, prioritizing your well-being in the office offers a host of other benefits. Here's more on why comfort matters when you work and how you can achieve it.  

Why comfort matters when you work

You may think discomfort in the workplace is minor enough to ignore. However, prioritizing it can actually benefit you in multiple ways. In a post on LinkedIn.com, CEO Jason Miller explains that because it provides feelings of peace and relaxation, comfort can help you feel happier, more engaged with your work, and thus more productive. Crucially, being comfortable also means none of your body parts are positioned in unnatural ways (like your neck craning down just to see your laptop screen). That means fewer aches, pains, and injuries that force you to call in sick or spend money on costly medical treatments. 

How to be more comfortable in the office

Want to be more comfortable at work? Try these tips to prioritize your well-being in the office in ways that help you feel better physically—while simultaneously nourishing your soul and inspiring you to do your best every day. 

Declutter your space

Have a messy desk? All the items you have may cause you to twist and turn in uncomfortable positions just to work properly. In writing for VerywellMind.com, physician Kristen Fuller adds that clutter can increase feelings of stress and make it harder for you to focus on what you're doing. All that can stop you from achieving peak performance. If you're looking to uphold comfort in your workspace, you may thus want to consider starting from the bottom with a good decluttering session. Remove any objects you don't use on a regular basis and organize the remaining items according to purpose, leaving a clear space in the middle of your desk for you to work more comfortably. 

Leverage ergonomic pieces

The next thing you can do is add some ergonomic furniture to your workspace. Ergonomics is, quite literally, the science of comfort. Its design principles help your body rest in the most optimal positions to promote comfort and prevent pain and injury. If you want to invest in such pieces, consider starting with what you sit on all day. You can look at the ergonomic chairs on PainFreeWorking.com to get a good idea of what to look for. Here, you'll find that models like the Herman Miller Body and Steelcase Gesture boast multiple features specifically aimed to provide comfort in the workplace. That includes dynamic matrixes that promote natural spine alignment and armrests that turn 360 degrees to support proper arm placement even as you move around your desk. You can also consider getting ergonomic accessories, like wrist rests and computer mice that promote proper wrist alignment, to prevent carpal tunnel syndrome. 

Light things up

Your eyes have to strain just to see what you're doing in poorly lit environments, and that can similarly cause pain and discomfort. To avoid that, illuminate your workspace with the right lighting. Warm or soft white lights are often the best for promoting comfort and productivity, so look for fixtures—like desk lamps—that provide those hues for the best effect. You can see a great example of what you can get in this piece from LEDsMagazine.com. It particularly features Bridgelux's newest range of RGBW LED products, including lamps, that produce white light among what's known as the blackbody locus. The result is a collection of fixtures that can closely mimic sunlight and give you a rush of endorphins, even on cloudy days—all while giving your eyes enough brightness with which to see so they stay comfortable. 

Decorate your desk 

Though you want to avoid a cluttered desk, that doesn't mean you have to work in a completely bare, soulless space. Here on LeeSilber.com, we emphasize that keeping mementos close by—the kind that serve as powerful reminders of the years you've lived so far and inspire you to embark on new frontiers moving forward—is a great way to celebrate your successes and motivate you to keep living life to the fullest. That said, don't hesitate to decorate your desk with your favorite pictures of your families and pets, your kids' artwork (or maybe even your own!) and other keepsakes you've collected over the decades. It can help make your office feel more familiar and just like home, which is something that can help you work at your best whenever you're at your desk.