One of the basic principles of ergonomics is to work in neutral. This means making sure your body remains under minimal stress for the task at hand by keeping it aligned and balanced while at a desk or workstation—whether it’s typing on a keyboard, assembling electronic modules, performing lab experiments, or any work that requires a horizontal surface. Audio hijack 3 2 1 download free.
Organizing your workspace. Getting organized is the first step toward remaining organized. Whether you are starting a new job or desperately want to organize your current workspace, consider the following tips. Examine how your workspace is used.
Creating the perfect home office space can be easy, thanks to these genius DIY desk storage solutions, organizing tricks, and products that will keep your workspace clean and tidy.
Proper placement of tools and materials for the job helps maintain balance and alignment. When it comes to achieving proper range of motion for hands and arms, a “workzone” model is a useful way to organize your work area. Each zone is defined by the extent of bodily motion required to perform a specific action.
Workspaces 1 3 – Organize Your Work At Home
WORKZONE 1 (Primary):
While it may seem obvious, recurrent tasks and frequently used tools should be positioned within the “reach envelope” of your forearms (the right arm in the diagram). That’s the Primary Workzone shown in green on Figure 1. This means you don’t need to move your upper arm in order to perform the task. If you’re using a desktop or laptop computer, this is where a keyboard and mouse should be placed. If the task is assembling or testing an electronics or small mechanical module, the tools and parts you need most should be in the “green zone.” Typically, it’s simply a matter of rearranging your work area to move materials and tools already on the work surface into the Primary Workzone.
Choose a Desk Layout That Fits Your Natural Flow. Product courtesy of Wayfair. If you start each.
WORKZONE 2 (Secondary):
The Secondary Workzone (shown in yellow in Figure 1) is where materials and tools used less frequently are placed. Here, everything can be reached within the envelope defined by an outstretched arm (the left arm in Figure 1). Another example of the Secondary Workzone is an electronics assembly line where the conveyor that delivers and removes parts is located at the rear or side of the workstation as shown in Figure 2. The conveyor is within arm’s reach of the worker, who can easily remove the item and then place it back on the belt when the task is complete.
Workstations equipped with parts bins (shown in the Secondary Workzone of Figure 3) are another good way to properly equip the Secondary Work zone.
A computer keyboard and mouse used only occasionally may be placed in the Secondary Workzone. Workplace articulating arms for keyboards and monitors are an ideal solution for the Secondary Zone because they keep monitors, keyboards, and parts within arm’s reach. Since they are easily adjustable they also quickly accommodate different user requirements.
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WORKZONE 3 (Reference):
The Reference Workzone (shown in red in Figure 1) requires additional bodily movement, which can include standing up if seated. Infrequently used items such as reference manuals or drawings can be stored here. Workplace’s wide assortment of fixed and adjustable shelving (as shown in Figure 3) is ideal for organizing documentation or the worker’s personal items.
Workplace’s extensive array of workstations and accessories include parts bins, adjustable shelving, and articulating arms that make it easy to organize the workstation layout using ergonomic principles for the task at hand. At the same time, every Workplace accessory has the flexibility to be rearranged quickly and easily for different—but still ergonomically correct— jobs.
Where you work affects how you work. Working in a cluttered, messy, or distracting environment will affect your work, and probably in a negative way.
If you're like the average knowledge worker, you spend most of your time sitting in front of a computer screen. Even though your work revolves around a computer, your office as a whole should help you to be as productive as possible.
A well-organized office has huge benefits. In the first place, it provides a feeling of control and competence, which leads to higher levels of productivity. Second, the very fact that it's organized defends against distractions. Your organized office can absorb the incoming work, and position you for success.
You can't create a productive workspace without The Purge.
Depending on the condition of your office, the purge could take anywhere from a few hours to a whole day.
The final goal of the purge is to have an office that is completely free of clutter.
Every office needs a place to catch incoming junk.
There are three main types of junk that flow into an office: 1) important documents, 2) stuff you need to keep (jacket, umbrella, travel mug), and 3) trash.
A catch-it space should be set up in the most obvious area of your office. If you have a door, create your catch-it space to the right of the door. If you're in a cubicle, create a catch it space somewhere near the entrance.
A catch-it space should have: 1) a credenza or tray for documents; 2) a shelf, hooks, or a box in which to place important items; and 3) a trashcan.
Your catch-it space helps you keep your office clean with little effort.
The most important physical space in an office is the desktop.
Most people find that they are most productive when working at a desktop that is free of clutter. Other people, mostly creative types, thrive in a setting that is disorderly.
If you have a penchant for the creative and a secret love for the disorder, then do what suits you. Some entrepreneurs, famously including Tony Hsieh, love a messy desk.
For the less inspired among us, a clean and pristine desktop is the best option. Our work styles are reflected by our work surroundings; a clean workspace creates a productive workflow.
A two-tray system is the simplest and most effective for handling incoming paper.
The system works like this: 1) new tray, new documents; 2) old tray, documents you've opened or looked at, and need to deal with.
All new, unread, or unopened documents go in the new tray. This tray is for the benefit of people who wander into your office to toss stuff on your desk. Point to the tray. The new tray is for things that you still have to deal with. Unopened envelopes, folders, documents--it's all waiting for you, neatly stacked, when you're ready for it.
The old tray is for things that you've opened but still need to deal with--scan, file, forward, etc. It's like a to-do list, but at least it's not scattered all over your office
This is a very simple approach, but it works wonders for eliminating paper clutter from a desk, freeing you to be more productive.
Not all work is created equal. You should approach office organization with this two-zone perspective.
Zone 1: Computer work. This is your traditional desktop. You spend most of your time here, knocking stuff out and getting things done.
Zone 2: Non-computer work. This is where you go to do non-computer stuff. It could be the same desk, but simply another area that is cleared of monitors, cords, and chargers. This is where you go when you thumb through documents, use your iPad, sign papers, scan documents, or stamp envelopes--whatever it is that doesn't require a hands-on-the-keyboard approach to work.
The two-zone approach to an office helps you both organize your work and your approach to getting the types of things done that you deal with on a daily basis.
Place physical objects into drawers or organizing trays
Most offices need a few supplies. Even Andrew Hyde, the extreme minimalist who stripped his possessions down to 15 things, needs a place to put his iPhone, chargers, earphones, camera, sunglasses, and wallet.
Whether you have 15 items or 500, you need a place to put it all--a place that is out of sight. A desk drawer is the logical place. Avoid the temptation to keep your cute stapler, fashionable tape dispenser, and adorable paper clip holder on top of your desk. For the most part, these supplies need to be stored in an organized and accessible place like a drawer.
A bigger trashcan sounds a bit silly, but it's actually a strategic hack. Here's why. Most of the paper that comes into an office can be discarded or digitized rather than filed. Filing papers is one of the tasks that takes the most time, and is thus the most procrastinated.
Because a large trashcan is more visible, you tend to think of it more often. When unnecessary paper comes into your workspace, you're more likely to place it in the trashcan than to stack it in a disheveled paper tower of 'No Clue What to Do With It.'
Workspaces 1 3 – Organize Your Work Ethic
A bigger trashcan also prevents trashcan overflow. One of the worst forms of office clutter is a trashcan that reached its capacity three days ago. Get a bigger can, and you'll be able to absorb more waste. Make sure to recycle!
Organize Your Workspace
Be sure to combine your personal productivity system with your office organization method. Some productivity methods recommend a certain approach to organizing your office.
Workspaces 1 3 – Organize Your Work Faster
Whatever your preferred organizational method or productivity system, don't wait to create your organized office. The longer you wait, the more time you waste.
Organizing Workspace Tips
What methods do you use to create an organized office space?