The Home Office Ergonomics Checklist

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Picks are research-based, not hands-on tested. Full disclosure

Working from home often means working from whatever furniture you already had: a dining chair, a kitchen table, a laptop on a stack of books. Mayo Clinic notes that good office ergonomics may help you avoid some of the problems linked to desk work, such as neck and back pain and sore wrists and shoulders. The good news is that most fixes cost little or nothing. They come down to adjusting what you have in the right order.

This checklist pulls together guidance from OSHA’s Computer Workstations eTool, Cornell University’s ergonomics guidelines, Mayo Clinic and the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Work through it top to bottom, because each step affects the next: your chair sets your body position, and your desk, keyboard and screen should then fit around you.

Please note: this is general setup guidance, not medical advice. If you have pain, numbness or tingling that doesn’t go away, talk to a doctor or physical therapist.

The checklist at a glance

1. Chair: feet flat on the floor or a footrest, thighs roughly parallel to the floor, lower back supported.
2. Desk: room for your legs and feet, nothing stored underneath, no hard edge pressing on your wrists.
3. Keyboard and mouse: directly in front of you, elbows close to your body, wrists straight, shoulders relaxed.
4. Monitor: directly in front of you, about an arm’s length away (20 to 40 inches), top of the screen at or slightly below eye level.
5. Laptop: add an external keyboard and mouse, and raise the screen with a stand, for anything more than short sessions.
6. Lighting: screen at a right angle to windows, no glare or bright light behind the screen.
7. Calls: use a headset or speakerphone instead of cradling a phone.
8. Movement: change position often and stand up and move for a couple of minutes every 20 to 30 minutes.
9. Eyes: blink, look into the distance regularly, and match screen brightness to the room.

Step 1: Decide how much ergonomics you need

Cornell’s ergonomics guidelines suggest starting with how much you use the computer. If it’s more than an hour a day, Cornell advises creating an ergonomic arrangement, and if it’s more than four hours, doing so right away. It also points out that a setup used by one person can be tuned to that person, while a shared setup needs more adjustability. If you and a partner share a home office, adjustable furniture matters more.

Step 2: Set up your chair first

OSHA describes a good chair as one that supports your back, legs, buttocks and arms, and recommends trying chairs before you buy if you can. Check these points:

• Seat height: OSHA says the height is right when your whole foot rests on the floor with the back of your knee slightly higher than the seat. Mayo Clinic says to use a footrest if needed so your thighs are parallel to the floor.
• Lower back: the backrest should support the natural curve of your spine. If your chair has no lumbar support, OSHA suggests a rolled-up towel or a removable back cushion as a temporary fix.
• Seat depth: you should be able to sit back against the backrest without the front edge of the seat pressing into the backs of your knees.
• Recline: Cornell notes that studies favor a slightly reclined posture of about 100 to 110 degrees over sitting bolt upright, because the chair then takes more of the load.
• Armrests: if you have them, they should let your shoulders relax with your elbows close to your body. Cornell advises against resting your forearms on armrests while you type or use the mouse.
• Base: OSHA recommends a five-leg base with casters.

If your current chair can’t meet these points, see our research-based picks for the best ergonomic office chairs for working from home, or our comparison of two popular premium options, the Steelcase Gesture vs. Herman Miller Aeron.

Step 3: Check your desk height and legroom

With your chair set, look at the desk. Mayo Clinic and OSHA both recommend keeping the space under your desk clear, so don’t store boxes, files or a computer tower where your legs need to go. OSHA suggests leg clearance of roughly 20 to 28 inches in height.

• Desk too low? Raise it with sturdy risers or blocks under the legs (Mayo Clinic and OSHA both suggest this).
• Desk too high? Raise your chair instead and use a footrest to support your feet.
• Hard desk edge? Pad it or use a wrist rest to avoid what OSHA and Mayo Clinic call contact stress on your wrists and forearms.
• For paper work too: Cornell suggests a flat work surface about 28 to 30 inches high suits most adults.

A height-adjustable desk makes it easier to fit the desk to you, and OSHA lists it as one solution. If you’re short on space, our guide to the best standing desks for small home offices includes compact desks and desktop converters.

Step 4: Position your keyboard and mouse

OSHA’s quick tips are simple: put the keyboard directly in front of you, keep your shoulders relaxed and your elbows close to your body, and keep your wrists straight and in line with your forearms.

• Height: your elbows should be about level with the keyboard. Mayo Clinic says your hands should be at or slightly below elbow level.
• Mouse: keep it within easy reach on the same surface as the keyboard, and set the pointer sensitivity so you can use a light touch (Mayo Clinic).
• Tilt: OSHA cautions against keyboard feet that bend your wrists upward. Cornell’s research favors a keyboard slightly below elbow height that tilts gently away from you, often achieved with an adjustable keyboard tray.
• Distance: close enough that you’re not reaching or leaning forward.

Step 5: Place your monitor

Getting the screen right takes strain off your neck and eyes. Here’s what OSHA and Mayo Clinic recommend:

• Directly in front of you, behind the keyboard, so your head and torso face forward. OSHA says monitors shouldn’t sit more than 35 degrees to the left or right.
• About an arm’s length away: Mayo Clinic says no closer than 20 inches and no farther than 40 inches. Increase the text size rather than leaning in.
• Top of the screen at or slightly below eye level. OSHA says the center of the screen should usually be 15 to 20 degrees below horizontal eye level.
• Bifocal wearers: Mayo Clinic suggests lowering the monitor an extra 1 to 2 inches.
• Working from papers? OSHA suggests placing the monitor slightly to the side and keeping the documents directly in front of you, with the two as close together as possible.

Step 6: Fix your laptop setup

Laptops are the biggest ergonomic problem in many home offices. Cornell explains that when a laptop’s screen is at a comfortable height and distance, the keyboard isn’t, and vice versa. Mayo Clinic notes the low screen and cramped keyboard can cause discomfort. For anything beyond short sessions, both recommend making it work like a desktop:

• Raise the laptop with a stand so the screen sits at the height described in Step 5.
• Add an external keyboard and mouse.
• Or connect an external monitor and use the laptop as a second screen or close it.

Step 7: Control lighting and glare

OSHA notes that glare and poor lighting can cause eyestrain and headaches and push you into awkward postures to see the screen.

• Place the screen at a right angle to windows rather than facing or backing onto them.
• Use blinds or curtains to control bright daylight.
• Position desk lamps so their light doesn’t reflect off the screen.
• Keep the screen clean, since OSHA notes dust can add to glare.
• Match screen brightness to the room. The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) says a screen much brighter than its surroundings makes your eyes work harder.

Step 8: Make calls hands-free

Mayo Clinic advises using a speakerphone or headset if you spend a lot of time on the phone or type while you talk, and never cradling the phone between your head and shoulder. For video meetings, see our picks for the best headsets for Zoom and Teams calls.

Your camera matters too. If your monitor is set at the height in Step 5, a webcam mounted on top of it sits near eye level, so you’re not tilting a laptop lid or hunching to stay in frame. Our guide to the best webcams for remote meetings covers options that clip onto a monitor.

Step 9: Build movement into your day

Even a perfect setup won’t help if you don’t move. OSHA says working in the same posture or sitting still for long periods isn’t healthy, and recommends making small adjustments to your chair, stretching your fingers, hands, arms and torso, standing up and walking around for a few minutes periodically, and doing some tasks standing, such as phone calls and reading.

Cornell’s guidance is specific: about every 20 to 30 minutes, take a posture break and stand and move for a couple of minutes. It stresses that simply standing isn’t enough and that movement is what matters. Cornell also cautions that standing all day has its own drawbacks, and that in its field studies sit-stand desk users often stood for only short periods. If you use a standing desk, treat it as a way to change position, not as a goal to stand all day.

Step 10: Look after your eyes

The AAO says screens don’t permanently damage your eyes, but long sessions can cause digital eye strain, with blurred vision and dry, tired eyes. Its tips include:

• Blink often. The AAO notes people blink far less while using screens.
• Look up and away at something in the distance regularly to rest your eyes.
• Sit about 25 inches from the screen, with your gaze angled slightly downward.
• Reduce glare and adjust brightness and contrast.
• Ask an eye doctor about computer glasses if you spend many hours at the screen. The AAO notes these are not the same as blue-light-blocking glasses.

The AAO advises seeing an ophthalmologist if your eyes are consistently red, blurry or watery, or become painful or sensitive to light.

Printable checklist

Area	Check	Guidance from
Chair	Feet flat or on a footrest; lower back supported; seat edge clear of the backs of your knees	OSHA, Mayo Clinic
Desk	Legs and feet have room; nothing stored underneath; edges padded	OSHA, Mayo Clinic
Keyboard	Directly in front; elbows close to your body; wrists straight	OSHA, Mayo Clinic
Mouse	Same surface as the keyboard, within easy reach; light touch	Mayo Clinic
Monitor	Directly in front; 20 to 40 inches away; top at or slightly below eye level	OSHA, Mayo Clinic
Laptop	On a stand with an external keyboard and mouse for long sessions	Cornell, Mayo Clinic
Lighting	Screen at a right angle to windows; no glare on the screen	OSHA
Calls	Headset or speakerphone, never a phone cradled on your shoulder	Mayo Clinic
Movement	Stand and move for a couple of minutes every 20 to 30 minutes	Cornell, OSHA
Eyes	Blink, look into the distance, match brightness to the room	AAO

How we researched this guide

This is a research-based guide. We did not assess any home offices for it. Every recommendation comes from published guidance by OSHA’s Computer Workstations eTool, Cornell University Ergonomics, Mayo Clinic and the American Academy of Ophthalmology, which we summarized in plain language and arranged in setup order. Where sources give slightly different numbers, such as viewing distance, we’ve said who recommends what.

FAQ

What is the correct monitor height?

OSHA and Mayo Clinic both say the top of the screen should be at or slightly below eye level. OSHA adds that the center of the screen should usually sit 15 to 20 degrees below horizontal eye level.

How far should I sit from my monitor?

Mayo Clinic recommends about an arm’s length, between 20 and 40 inches. The AAO suggests about 25 inches. Choose a distance where you can read comfortably while sitting back in your chair.

Is a standing desk better for you?

Not on its own. OSHA and Cornell both emphasize changing positions and moving regularly. Cornell notes that standing all day has drawbacks too. A sit-stand desk can make changing positions easier, but movement is what matters.

Can I make a laptop ergonomic?

Yes. Cornell and Mayo Clinic both suggest raising the screen and using an external keyboard and mouse, or adding an external monitor, so you can set the screen and keyboard heights separately.

Should I see a professional about pain?

Yes. This checklist is general guidance, not medical advice. Cornell also recommends seeking professional advice if your setup still doesn’t feel right. If you have ongoing pain, numbness or tingling, talk to a doctor or physical therapist.

The bottom line

A comfortable home office comes from getting a few basics right in order: chair first, then desk, keyboard and mouse, then the screen. Control glare, make calls hands-free, and above all, move every half hour or so. Start with free fixes, such as a stack of sturdy books as a footrest (a Mayo Clinic suggestion) or a rolled-up towel for lumbar support (an OSHA suggestion), and spend money only where your setup still doesn’t fit you.

Sources consulted

• OSHA (U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration), Computer Workstations eTool: Good Working Positions; Workstation Components (Chairs, Desks, Keyboards, Monitors); and Workstation Environment (accessed October 20, 2026)
• Cornell University Ergonomics Web, “Ergonomic Guidelines for arranging a Computer Workstation: 10 steps for users,” “Sitting and Standing at Work” and “Neutral Posture Typing”
• Mayo Clinic Staff, “Office ergonomics: Your how-to guide” (May 25, 2023)
• American Academy of Ophthalmology, “Computers, Digital Devices, and Eye Strain” (June 27, 2024)