Monitor Positioning: The monitor should be located directly in front of you and not to the side. Positioning a monitor to the left or right of your workspace forces awkward positioning of the neck, head and back.

Monitor Distance: The monitor should be an arm's length away from your body (18" to 30" inches). Monitors distanced too close or too far away create eye-strain and fatigue.

Document
The document should be placed directly in front of the user, not off to either side. A document holder or stand should also be positioned directly in front of the user.

Keyboard
Keyboard Height: The computer keyboard should be at a height allowing you to keep forearms parallel to the floor with wrists and hands approximately level. Wrists should be slightly lower than your elbows. Elbows should be supported by the armrests of a chair and not supported by the shoulders.

Keyboard Positioning: The keyboard should be positioned so that it is located directly in front of you. Your wrists should be straight and level. Wrists should be in a neutral position, not bent upward or downward.

Mouse
Your mouse should be positioned at the same height as your keyboard systems. It should be positioned as close to the keyboard as possible so that there is no unnecessary straining or awkward positioning of the upper body when the mouse is in use.

Posture
Position and posture while working on your computer is important. Be aware of your body position - do not slouch. Awkward reaching and/or body angles will eventually result in physical soreness or pain. Remember to stretch and move periodically while at your computer.

Chair
The chair you select should have arms capable of movement up and down. The armrests of the chair should support the majority of the weight of your arms.

Seat/Feet/Legs
Seat yourself so that your thighs are parallel to the floor and your feet are flat on the floor. A footrest is a good idea for shorter people and can be used to support some leg weight. Feet should never dangle, unsupported from the floor.

Lighting
Computer displays should be positioned to minimize glare from windows and other lighting sources. Most overhead lighting (fluorescent) is not made for computer use. Task lighting for documents and other desktop objects often work well. The eyes drive the body posture so it is important to minimize the glare. Glare that cannot be reduced by repositioning the display may be controlled by anti-glare filters or screens, but be sure these devices do not degrade the clarity of the screen image.

Work Routine
Your computer work routine should be varied. Those who spend the majority of the day in front of a computer should note the following:

• Be aware of your positioning- are you slouching? leaning too far forward?
• Avoid sitting in the same position for extended periods.
• stretch and bend
• take periodic breaks "away" from your workstation
• Make sure that you take frequent vision breaks by looking as far away (out a window)every 15 to 20 minutes.