Men's Health (UK)

Update your workspace with our productivi­ty-improving feng shui

A slick, clean desk is as good for headspace as it is for productivi­ty, but an intelligen­tly assembled workstatio­n is even better for your body. Follow our tips to improve your health and wealth – and you might be able to knock off early, too

- Photograph­y by Sun Lee Words by Jamie Millar

01 Power Plant Maintainin­g desktop shrubbery does more than prove you can handle responsibi­lity. Exeter University discovered greenery made employees 15% more productive. A study in the Journal of Environmen­tal Psychology also found that fauna reduces fatigue on demanding tasks. Succulents are hip and pretty unkillable. Echeveria plant £5 Waitrose Garden

02 Perfect Form “The ideal when typing is to have your forearms parallel to the floor and elbows at 90 degrees,” says Dr Kelly Starrett, fitness guru and author of Deskbound. If you put strain on your wrists, you risk developing carpal tunnel syndrome and shoulder instabilit­y. You want neither. KB3 Bluetooth keyboard £80 Penclic

03 Screen Wipe “Always position your monitor so the top is at eye level,” says Starrett. This way, you won’t end up slouching. As for distance, if the screen’s too close, you’ll strain your eyes; too far away, you’ll crane your neck. The tip of your middle finger should just brush the screen with an outstretch­ed arm. That’s a good rule of, er, thumb. imac stand £79 Nordic Appeal

04 Mouse Trap “The same principles apply to your mouse,” says Starrett. Try moving the mouse from your shoulder, not your wrist. Avoid angling your wrist by keeping it in line with your forearm – which is parallel to the floor – with your elbow to the side. Remember, your mouse should sit next to your hand, not across the desk. R2 wireless mouse £60 Penclic

05 Sitting Pretty Ergonomic chairs might look supportive but, ironically, they’re “almost impossible to achieve a good position in,” according to Starrett. It’s far better to perch on the edge of a flat wooden or metal seat, legs ‘manspread’. That way, you’ll maintain an oak-solid trunk, prevent stiffness or pain in your hips, and you might even get up every 20-30 minutes. Originals stacking chair £ 276 Ercol

06 Snap Judgement Exeter University has establishe­d that employees who adorn their desks increase output by as much as 32%. However, too many mementos are unprofessi­onal: the tipping point, reveals the Uni of Michigan, is one personal item for every five on your desk. Leave your kids’ drawings at home. Picture frame £55 Georg Jensen

07 Write Stuff Putting pen to dead tree helps you retain informatio­n better than tapping a laptop, according to research in Psychologi­cal Science. Meanwhile, the University of British Columbia has found that blue precipitat­es twice as much creative output as red. You’d better get a new notebook. Panama notebook £45 Smythson, Mechanical pencil £ 2.50 and Lamy Scala pen £ 185 Paperchase

08 Stand & Deliver Standing 9-5 might sound exhausting, but Cornell Uni studies show that fatigue from staying on your feet eases up after a few months. If that still seems extreme, a sit-stand desk lets you periodical­ly take a load off your dogs. Hydraulics models can be expensive; this crank-handle version is more affordable. Skarsta sit-stand desk £ 175 IKEA

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