Workstation

Table of Contents

Table and Chair

Negative health aspects of sitting have received more attention in recent years. It can result in problems such as lower back and neck pain and decreased blood circulation. The right choice of furniture can help you to minimize these negative aspects by improving posture when sitting.

For example, Salli, a Finnish company that manufactures ergonomic furniture, produces saddle chairs, Salli SwingFit, and height-adjustable tables, Salli Office, which improve the sitting posture. As the name suggests, the saddle chair mimics how one would sit in a saddle on horseback, enhancing the lower back’s position.

Additionally, it is good to have a floor protector under the chair to avoid damaging the floor.

For example, IKEA sells floor protectors.

Desktop Computer

The computer should be quiet, responsive, and performant. A noisy machine is irritating and has a substantial negative impact on productivity. Since the fans and hard drives generate most of the computer noise, we should minimize their noise by choosing quiet components. Selecting the right casing also reduces noise. We can improve responsiveness by installing the operating system and software on a solid-state drive and choosing fast random-access memory and a high-performance central processing unit. We should select a graphics card that supports multiple monitors and performs well for scientific computing.

My desktop computer consists of the following parts.

Processor (CPU): Intel Core i5-7600K 3.80GHz
Graphics (GPU): Asus GeForce GTX 1060 6GB
Memory (RAM): G.Skill RipjawsV DDR4 3200 MHz 16 GB
Storage (SSD): Samsung 250GB 850 EVO SSD 2.5" SATA III
Storage (HDD): Seagate 2TB Barracuda, SATA III, 7200RPM, 64MB
Motherboard: Asus STRIX Z270H Gaming
Cooler: Noctua NH-U14S
Power supply: EVGA 550W SuperNOVA 550 G3
Casing: Fractal Design Define R5

Monitors

The right monitor type is also essential for the ergonomic workstation. The monitor should be height-adjustable, tiltable, and rotateable. The monitor should support an adequate color spectrum for your work and have settings for eye-friendliness, such as a lower blue-light setting and refresh rate. Height-adjustability allows for a better neck position. Additionally, we can turn rotatable monitors into vertical monitors for displaying large text files.

For example, my setup includes two BenQ Zowie 24-inch Monitors.

Keyboard

The keyboard is an essential part of an ergonomic workstation. The right keyboard reduces unnecessary shoulder stress and significantly increases typing speed and convenience.

An example of such a keyboard is the Kinesis Advantage 2 ergonomic keyboard. The Kinesis Advantage keyboard separates the keys into two groups, one for the left and one for the right hand, with space in the middle. The separate grouping allows the hands to be in a more natural position in the keyboard, which reduces unnecessary stress from the shoulders. The keyboard has a 3-dimensional layout, making the key more reachable, more comfortable, and faster to type using all ten fingers. The keys use the Cherry MX brown switches, which require just the right amount of force for pleasant, fast typing.

We can use typing tutor software for practicing touch typing with an ergonomic keyboard.

For example, we use GNU typist to learn to type with the Kinesis Advantage keyboard. It took me around four days to get to a comfortable skill level such that typing was smooth again.

Mouse

A mouse is also an integral part of the ergonomic workstation. An ergonomic mouse should fit the user’s hand and be fast and accurate. Typically, gaming mouses are designed with these principles in mind because gamers play games for extended periods.

For example, the Razer Deathadder Elite, an ergonomic, fast, and accurate gaming mouse. It is also an excellent choice for knowledge workers due to its simple design – Deathadded Elite has only the essential buttons.

Microphone

A studio microphone is an essential accessory for activities that require high-quality audio, such as video conferencing, live-streaming, and creating videos or recordings. It makes the speaker’s sound pleasant and more professional.

For example, the Rode NT-USB Mini is a portable USB microphone for recording high-quality audio.

A studio arm is also a necessary part of a professional microphone setup. It allows the speaker to move the microphone close to their mouth. A studio arm also prevents the microphone from becoming an obstacle for the hands. High-quality studio arms are stable compared to low-quality ones.

For example, the Rode Professional Studio Boom Arm is a great, high-quality microphone arm.

Webcam

A webcam is also essential for video conferencing, live-streaming, and creating videos. However, people with budget constraints should prioritize microphone quality over the webcam.

Logitech C920s Pro is a popular choice for a webcam for streaming and recording video.

Good lighting also improves video quality. Consider adding some studio light to the room.

Last updated on 2020-09-16