Five Ways to Set up Your Office Desk for Success

Posted on Tuesday, April 11th, 2017

It may seem pretty minor, but the way that you set up your desk can affect your productivity, concentration, and performance at work. A cluttered desk can make it harder to get work done and stay on top of your to-do list.

If you’re about to start your placement in an office this spring, read on for tips to make your desk work for you.

1. Keep It Healthy

Sitting at a desk can be rough on your body. Your joints can suffer from repetitive tasks like typing or using a mouse, and that can result in problems like carpal tunnel syndrome. Luckily, there are steps you can take at your desk to ensure that you stay healthy during your placement.

Ergonomics is the study of how people stay productive in their workspace. A huge component of that is setting up your chair, desk, and computer to make sure your body stays in a healthy posture. Here are some tips:

  • Set up your chair height so your elbows bend at a 90-degree angle while typing
  • Keep your mouse and keyboard as close together as possible so you don’t need to stretch for them
  • Angle your monitor so the top of it is at eye level and 50 cm away
  • Sit straight
  • Take breaks to walk around
An ergonomic setup via Safe Computing Tips.

An ergonomic setup via Safe Computing Tips.

There are tons of other tips out there to optimize your desk so it’s as healthy as can be. By doing these, you’ll save yourself pain and damage to your joints.

2. Make Your Workflow Make Sense

Once you start working, it can be overwhelming to stay on top of all your tasks. We’ve talked about some ways of managing workload before, but there are ways of setting up your physical space to get stuff done, too.

One school of thought suggests setting up your desk like a production line. Your pile of things to do should be your left, what you’re working on should be right in front of you, and things should only be moved to the right when they’re completed.

What works best for you may differ, but keeping your desk organized will help keep your brain on task.

3. Make It Yours

This section varies hugely on the nature of your work, the corporate culture of your office, and your overall work environment.

If it’s appropriate, bringing in a few items of your own can help make your office extra comfortable for you. A photo or souvenir can keep your mood up, but be sure not to overdo it: limit yourself to one or two personal items to avoid cluttering your workspace.

Plants are also a great addition to any office. If it’s acceptable in your office and if you’re willing to accept the responsibility of caring for it, a plant can have all kinds of benefits. Better air quality, humidifying the air, and boosting productivity are all positive impacts of having some green in your workspace.

There are plenty of easy-to-care-for houseplants that would do well in an office. Here’s a list of some of them!

Taking the time to set up your office space can have all kinds of long-term benefits, from making your work easier to improving your mood and productivity. By keeping your desk healthy, to laying out your work, to bringing in a plant, keeping it tidy and comfortable can help make your placement the best it can be.

Are you a student interested in taking a co-op program? An employer interested in hiring an Algonquin College co-op student? Get in touch with us in the co-op office! Visit our website at https://www.algonquincollege.com/coop/, connect with us at coop@algonquincollege.com or call us at 613-727-4723 Ext.7623.


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