How Should I Sit at My Desk?
Sit right back in your chair so it supports your lower back. Keep your feet flat on the floor, your shoulders relaxed and your forearms roughly level with the desk. Put your screen about an arm's length away, with the top of it at about eye level. Then change position often, because no single posture is right all day.
That's the short answer. Below, we look at posture, sitting position, office furniture and the aids that help. We also answer the questions people ask us most.
How to Sit Correctly at a Desk
Learning how to sit properly at a desk is mostly about set-up. Get it right and long days are more comfortable; get it wrong and it tends to show up as aches in your back, neck and shoulders. The good news is that most of the fixes are adjustments, not purchases.
While there is a range of ergonomic office chairs, desks and office aids that can help, they only work if they're set up for you. So start with how you sit.
You may have been told to sit up straight at all times. Current guidance is gentler. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) advises avoiding sitting in the same position for long periods and changing your posture as often as you can. Use these principles as your starting position:
- Back: sit right back, so the backrest supports your lower back, rather than perching on the front edge of the seat.
- Feet: flat on the floor, or on a footrest if they don't reach.
- Forearms: roughly horizontal, with your elbows about level with the desk.
- Thighs: roughly horizontal, with your knees about level with or slightly below your hips.
- Screen: your eyes around an arm's length away from your monitor, with the top of the screen at about eye level.
- Shoulders and wrists: shoulders relaxed, wrists straight.
Once your chair, desk and screen let you sit like this without effort, look at what else would make your day more comfortable.
Correct Screen Height
Most office workers look at their monitor more than anything else at their desk, so it's worth getting the height right. As a rule of thumb, the top of the screen should be at about eye level. You can then look straight ahead or slightly down without bending your neck.
Set your chair for your arms first, then move the screen to suit your eyes, not the other way round. A monitor stand or monitor arm is the easiest way to raise or lower a screen.
If you're much shorter or taller than average, a standard office desk can make this difficult. A height-adjustable desk lets you change the height of your work surface with a manual or electric mechanism.
Electric models make small height changes at the touch of a button. That's useful when several people share a desk. Browse our height-adjustable desks to compare them.
So what desk height is right for you? Most fixed-height office desks are around 72-76cm high. Rather than chasing a number, check your arms. With your shoulders relaxed and your hands on the keyboard, your elbows should be at roughly 90 degrees and your forearms roughly horizontal.
Keyboard and Mouse Mat
If your job means hours of typing and mouse work, how you place your keyboard and mouse matters as much as the chair.
Keep the keyboard directly in front of you, with some space in front of it to rest your hands between bursts of typing. Keep your wrists straight and use a light touch on the keys. Put the mouse close to the keyboard, so you don't have to stretch out to the side to reach it.
A mouse mat with a raised wrist rest is worth trying if you use a mouse a lot. It can help keep your wrist straight while you use it.
Chair Height
Choosing a high-quality ergonomic office chair is only the beginning. For full control over your sitting position, choose a chair that allows quick, small changes to the seat height.
With your shoulders relaxed, your forearms should be roughly horizontal and your hands should reach the keyboard with minimal effort. You should be able to hold this position with both feet flat on the floor. If your feet don't reach once the chair is at the right height for the desk, use a footrest.
One of the most highly rated height adjustable chairs available from Office Supermarket is the Chachi Mesh Office Chair. Its chrome adjustment arms make finding the right combination of chair height and arm position a quick and simple job.
Back Support
Your lower back curves gently inwards. Lumbar support fills the gap between that curve and the backrest, so you can sit back into the chair and still feel supported. That's especially welcome if you spend long hours at a desk.
Take a look at the Maxi Ergo Office Chair for an example of an office chair with targeted lumbar support. Featuring a high, contoured back and an inflatable lumbar pump, this chair can be adapted to the specific dimensions of the user.
If your chair has no built-in support, a lumbar cushion can fill the gap. Our guide to lumbar support explains what to look for. If you already have back pain, see our pick of the best office chairs for back pain.
Arm Placement
When seated, your forearms must be roughly parallel to the floor, with your elbows close to your sides and about level with the desk. You should be able to reach your keyboard comfortably without stretching.
Armrests aren't essential for good sitting posture at a desk, but they can make it easier to hold for long periods. Set them low enough that your shoulders stay relaxed, and check they don't stop you pulling the chair close to the desk. There are several great office chairs with adjustable armrests at Office Supermarket.
Good Computer Posture: The Details People Miss
The best posture for working at a computer is one your set-up makes easy to hold, and easy to change. For a correct computer posture, start with the six principles above: they are the proper sitting posture at a computer, as much as at any desk. Then check these details, which are easy to miss.
Use a Headset for Phone Calls
If you're on the phone a lot, a headset saves you twisting to reach the handset or wedging it between your ear and shoulder. It also lets you stand up and move during calls.
Cut Glare and Set Your Screen Brightness
Position your screen so windows and lights don't reflect off it, and adjust the brightness and contrast until text is easy to read. If you find yourself squinting or leaning in, change the settings rather than your posture.
Take Short, Frequent Breaks
HSE's guidance is that short, frequent breaks from screen work are better than longer, occasional ones. Stand up, walk about, or switch to a task away from the screen. Our desk exercises are an easy way to fit some movement in.
Working on a Laptop
A laptop on its own forces you to choose between a screen that's too low and a keyboard that's too high. For anything more than short spells, raise the laptop on a stand so the top of the screen is near eye level, and use a separate keyboard and mouse. Then sit just as you would at a desktop computer.
At Work? Ask About a DSE Assessment
If you use a computer at work daily, for an hour or more at a time, your employer should assess your workstation under the Display Screen Equipment (DSE) rules. HSE's DSE guidance explains what that covers.
FAQ
How close should I sit to my desk?
Close enough to reach your keyboard without stretching, while sitting right back in your chair. Your face should be about an arm's length from the screen, with the top of the monitor at about eye level.
When seated, where should your forearms be?
Roughly horizontal, parallel to the floor, with your elbows at roughly 90 degrees and about level with the desk. If your forearms slope up to the keyboard, raise your chair and use a footrest if your feet no longer reach the floor.
Is it better to sit higher or lower at a desk?
Neither. Sit at the height that lets you keep your forearms roughly horizontal at the keyboard and your feet flat on the floor, or on a footrest. Set your chair height accordingly.
What is the healthiest position to sit in?
There's no single position to hold all day. A good starting point is sitting right back with your lower back supported, feet flat, thighs roughly horizontal, shoulders relaxed and forearms about level with the desk. Then change position regularly and get up often.
How can I improve my posture at my desk?
Start with the set-up: adjust your chair first, then your screen, keyboard and mouse, using the six principles above. Then build movement into your day, because even a good position gets uncomfortable if you hold it for hours.
Why do I slouch at a computer?
Often because the set-up doesn't fit you. A desk at the wrong height, a screen that's too low or too far away, a keyboard out of reach or a chair without lower back support all pull you forward. Habit and tiredness play a part too.
How should I sit at my desk and study?
The same way as for work. Sit with your back supported, your feet on the floor and your head about an arm's length from your screen. If you're writing or reading from paper, bring it close enough that you're not stretching, bending your neck or slouching over it.
