Working from home has been shown to increase productivity and improve work-life balance. But those results came from a setting where employees chose to work from home and still went into a physical office one day a week. Working from home every day, for months or years, in a busy household without a dedicated workspace is a different experience — and it's worth stepping back to check whether your setup still works for you.
The short answer: to re-evaluate your home office setup, review five areas — how you share the space with your household, your task system, your work-life balance, your stress relief, and your physical ergonomics — then fix the weakest one first. Most people find their physical setup has drifted: a chair that was "fine for now," a laptop that never got a stand, or breaks that quietly disappeared.
Key takeaways
- A home office that worked for a few weeks often breaks down over months; review it regularly.
- Re-evaluate your schedule and household arrangements, not just your furniture.
- New aches are a signal to recheck seating, screen height, and posture.
- Use the time you save on commuting for movement, rest, or a proper breakfast.
- Protect everyday social interaction with coworkers to avoid isolation.
Before you start, it helps to know what a good baseline looks like. Our guide on how to set up your home workstation lays out the targets for chair, desk, and monitor; this article is about checking how well your current setup measures up.
Why Should You Re-Evaluate Your Home Office Setup?
Because the setup you put together when you started working from home was probably built for convenience, not for the long haul. Workloads shift, households change, and small compromises — a dining chair, a laptop on the table — add up to new aches over time.
Hopefully you've already put the classic work from home tips into practice. A periodic home office reassessment makes sure those habits are still holding and that you're staying productive, protecting your ergonomic health, and keeping a healthy work-life balance.
How Do You Re-Evaluate Your Home Office?
Work through five areas, ask an honest question about each, and pick one change to make this week. The table below is a simple reassessment framework.
| Area | Question to ask | If the answer is "no" |
|---|---|---|
| Household | Do the people I live with know when I need quiet for calls? | Agree on a shared schedule or signal for meetings |
| Task system | Is my to-do list or software keeping me on track? | Simplify it or switch methods |
| Work-life balance | Do I have time for my household, hobbies, and rest? | Set a firm end to the workday |
| Stress relief | Am I taking breaks and moving during the day? | Schedule short breaks and physical activity |
| Ergonomic health | Am I free of new aches and pains? | Recheck chair, screen, and keyboard positions |
Re-strategize with family and roommates
Important calls and video meetings often require coordination with the people you live with. Has the current arrangement been working for everyone? If not, change how you communicate and schedule your days.
Evaluate your to-do list
Whether your organization provides work-management software or you rely on a simple list, look at how well it's actually working for you, and adjust it if tasks keep slipping.
Check your work-life balance
Your schedule should leave room to spend time with the people in your household, take your mind off work, and look after your physical and mental health.
Revisit your stress relief
If stress has crept up, re-evaluate how you unwind. Build small breaks, physical activity, and personal hobbies into your day rather than saving them for the weekend.
Focus on your body
Take a few minutes to notice how you feel. New aches and pains may have appeared that you've never had before. Make sure you're following correct sitting and standing postures and giving your body the support it needs throughout the day.
What Should You Check in Your Physical Setup?
Check four things: that your feet are supported and your lower back is backed by the chair, that the top of your screen is at or slightly below eye level, that your wrists stay in line with your elbows while typing, and that you change position at least once an hour.
- Seating: if you're perched on the front of a dining chair, add lumbar support or replace the chair. An adjustable cushion like the Cascade Designs Inflatable Back Cushion is an easy first step.
- Screen: a laptop flat on the table almost always fails this check; raise it and add an external keyboard and mouse.
- Feet: if raising your chair left your feet dangling, add a footrest.
- Movement: if you rarely stand during the day, a sit-stand converter or walking calls bring movement back.
Our printable home office checklist walks through each of these in a couple of minutes. If you'd like to see what a corrected setup looks like, our before-and-after case study highlights the most common workstation setup mistakes and how to fix them.
How Can You Be Kinder to Yourself While Working From Home?
Acknowledge that working from home can be challenging, accept that there will be good days and bad days, and then deliberately make time for your mental and physical health. Doing your best during the workday and then switching off is a legitimate strategy.
Take advantage of the benefits
Working from home has real perks. The most obvious is the time you get back from not commuting. Use it for yourself: an at-home workout, a walk in your neighborhood, or a nutritious breakfast that powers you through the morning.
Stay social
Everyday social interaction has value. If you're not getting enough of it, collaborate over video instead of phone calls, check in regularly with coworkers, or start a virtual small-talk channel for your team or friends.
What If You Now Work in More Than One Place?
Then your re-evaluation should cover a portable kit as well as your home desk. Many people now split the week between home and an office, which means your posture shouldn't depend on which desk you're sitting at.
A laptop stand, a compact keyboard and mouse, and a travel lumbar cushion go a long way. We cover these and more in our guide to building a workstation that moves with you.
Recommended Products for Re-Evaluating Your Home Office
Find more in our workstation accessories collection.
Get a Second Opinion on Your Setup
It's hard to spot your own posture habits. Our team offers remote ergonomic assessments with customized recommendations, as well as in-person fittings at our Palo Alto showroom, so you can be comfortable and productive wherever you work.
👉 Request a Remote Ergonomic Assessment | Contact Us
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should I re-evaluate my home office setup?
Review it whenever something changes — your hours, your household, your equipment, or how your body feels — and at least every few months otherwise. A quick reassessment takes less time than living with a setup that no longer fits.
What are signs my home office setup isn't working?
New aches in your neck, back, or wrists, trouble focusing, rebuilding your workspace every morning, and work spilling into evenings are all signs. Any one of them is a reason to reassess.
What should I fix first in my home office?
Fix whatever causes the most discomfort. For most people that's screen height (especially on a laptop) or seating without lower back support, both of which have simple, affordable fixes.
How do I balance work and family when working from home?
Agree on a shared schedule for calls and quiet time, set a clear end to your workday, and use the time you save on commuting for yourself and your household.
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/dragana991
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.
