With the added distractions of working from home, it's easy to forget the small daily habits that make a big difference to your ergonomic health. That's why we put together this home office ergonomic checklist: a quick set of checks for how you sit, stand, look at your screen, and use your keyboard and mouse, plus four stretches for your breaks.
In short: a good work from home checklist confirms that your knees are level with your hips and your feet are supported, your wrists are in line with your elbows, the top of your screen is at or slightly below eye level, and you move or stretch regularly. Download the printable checklist and keep it on your desktop or pinned next to your monitor as a reminder.
Key takeaways
- Sit with knees in line with your hips and feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart, or on a footrest.
- Set the desk or keyboard so your wrists are in line with your elbows.
- Keep your eyes level with, or slightly below, the top of the screen, about 18–28 inches away.
- Type and mouse with your whole arm and neutral wrists instead of pivoting at the wrist.
- Use breaks for quick shoulder, quad, hip, and neck stretches.
This checklist focuses on daily habits. If you're still choosing furniture or deciding where your desk should go, start with our home office ergonomics guide and come back here once the basics are in place.
What Should a Home Office Ergonomic Checklist Include?
A useful checklist covers five areas — sitting, standing, posture, screen, and keyboard and mouse — plus a short stretch routine for breaks. Run through the table below at the start of your day; most checks take a few seconds.
| Area | What to check | Quick fix if it fails |
|---|---|---|
| Sitting | Knees in line with hips; feet flat and hip-width apart | Adjust chair height; add a footrest if your feet dangle |
| Desk height | Wrists in line with elbows while typing | Raise the chair and add a footrest, or lower the keyboard |
| Standing | Head in line with shoulders, hips, and feet; screen about an arm's length away | Step closer or adjust the standing height |
| Posture | Core engaged, shoulders back, head over the body | Reset by sitting back fully against the chair |
| Screen | Eyes level with or slightly below the top of the screen; 18–28" away | Raise or lower the monitor; sit farther back |
| Keyboard & mouse | Elbows slightly bent, wrists neutral | Bring devices closer; move from the whole arm |
| Breaks | Up and moving regularly | Set a reminder and run one stretch from the list below |
How Should You Sit at a Home Desk?
Adjust your chair so your knees are in line with your hips and your feet are flat on the ground, hip-width apart. The height of your desk should then allow your wrists to be in line with your elbows.
Home furniture often makes this tricky. Dining tables tend to be taller than office desks, which pushes your shoulders up while you type. The fix is usually to raise the chair until your wrists line up with your elbows and then support your feet with a footrest, so your thighs aren't left hanging. If your chair has no lower back support, a lumbar cushion or a rolled towel behind your waist helps you sit back instead of perching on the front edge.
How Should You Stand at a Home Workstation?
Stand tall with your head in line with your shoulders, hips, and feet, about an arm's length from your monitor. You should be close enough to use your keyboard and mouse with straight wrists in line with your elbows.
Standing is a great way to break up a long day at a kitchen counter or sit-stand desk, but standing still for hours brings its own fatigue. Shift your weight, alternate with sitting, and keep the work surface at elbow height so you aren't hunching over a counter that's too low.
What Does Good Posture Look Like While Working From Home?
Good posture means your core is engaged, your shoulders are back and relaxed, and your head stays in line with your body rather than drifting toward the screen. Practice it whether you're sitting or standing.
Posture isn't a position you lock into for eight hours. The goal is a neutral starting point you return to between movements. If you notice yourself leaning in, check whether the screen is too far away or the text is too small — the setup usually causes the slouch, not willpower.
Where Should Your Computer Screen Be?
Your eyes should be level with, or slightly lower than, the top of the screen, and you should sit between 18 and 28 inches from the monitor. Adjust the screen horizontally and vertically until it feels right for you.
To prevent eye strain, sit a little farther back than you think you need to and increase your monitor's warm-toned light, especially in the evening. Laptop users almost always fail this check, because a laptop screen sitting on a table is well below eye level. A laptop stand with a separate keyboard and mouse is the most reliable fix; our home office setup basics explain how to arrange the desk, chair, and laptop together.
How Should You Position Your Keyboard and Mouse?
Keep your elbows slightly bent so your wrists can rest in a neutral position, and use your entire arm — not just your wrist — to type and move the mouse. This prevents stress on the tendons in your forearm.
Pay attention to where your wrists are while you work. Planting your wrist and pivoting the hand to reach keys or move the mouse is one of the most common habits we correct in evaluations. Bring the mouse close to the keyboard so you aren't reaching, and if you use a slim keyboard, a low-profile palm support such as the Goldtouch Gel SlimLine Wrist Rest gives your hands somewhere to rest between bursts of typing.
Which Stretches Should You Do During Breaks?
Four quick stretches — shoulder, quad, hip, and neck — cover the areas that stiffen most during a desk day. Download our stretch workout to keep them handy.
Shoulder
- Stretch one arm straight in front of you at shoulder height.
- Pull the arm across your body by placing your opposite hand just above the elbow.
- Repeat on the other side.
Quad
- Stand up and place your weight on one leg.
- Bend the opposite knee, lifting the bottom of your foot toward your lower back.
- Use the hand on the same side to draw your foot gently toward your lower back.
- Repeat on the other side.
Hip
- Sit on the edge of your chair and lean back.
- Bring one knee up toward your chest and hug it in.
- Repeat on the other side.
Neck
- Roll your head slowly clockwise and counterclockwise.
- Look left, then right.
- Look up at the ceiling, then down at the floor.
- Repeat as many times as needed.
Stretching works best alongside other small routines, like a walk during phone calls or a few minutes away from the screen each hour. Our practical WFH tips cover how to build those habits into the day.
Recommended Products for Your Home Office Checklist
If a check keeps failing no matter how you adjust, one of these accessories usually closes the gap.
You'll find more options in our workstation accessories collection.
Want an Expert to Check Your Setup?
A checklist catches the obvious problems; an evaluation catches the ones you can't see yourself. Our specialists offer virtual assessments for remote workers and in-person fittings at our Palo Alto showroom, with specific recommendations for your body and your space.
👉 Request an Ergonomic Evaluation | Contact Us
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a home office ergonomic checklist?
It is a short list of checks that confirms your chair, desk, screen, keyboard, and mouse are positioned to keep your body neutral while you work from home. Ours also includes four stretches for breaks, and you can download it as a printable PDF.
How far should I sit from my monitor at home?
Sit between 18 and 28 inches from the screen, with your eyes level with or slightly below the top edge. If you find yourself leaning in to read, enlarge the text rather than moving closer.
What height should my desk be when working from home?
Your desk or keyboard should let your wrists sit in line with your elbows while your shoulders stay relaxed. If your table is too high, raise your chair and use a footrest so your feet stay supported.
How often should I stretch while working from home?
Build in a short movement break at least every hour, and more often if you feel stiff. A single stretch from the list above takes less than a minute and is easier to keep up than a long routine.
Can I use this checklist at a standing desk?
Yes. The standing checks — head in line with shoulders, hips, and feet, and the screen about an arm's length away — apply to sit-stand desks, counters, and converters alike.
This article shares general ergonomic guidance based on our fitting experience and is not medical advice. If you have persistent or worsening pain, numbness, or tingling, talk to your doctor or physical therapist.
Photo by: istockphoto.com/FlamingoImages
About the Author
Angela Maldonado writes for Ask Ergo Works, where our ergonomic specialists have been fitting chairs and workstations from our Palo Alto showroom for more than 30 years.
