How to Set Up an Ergonomic Home Office: Standing Desk and Chair Guide

Working from home in Nairobi, or running a hybrid week between the office and the house, means your desk does a lot of heavy lifting. A good electric desk and ergonomic chair help, but only if they are set up properly. Here is a simple way to do it.

Start with the chair

Your chair sets the base for everything else. Adjust it before touching the desk.

• Seat height: feet flat on the floor, knees at roughly a right angle, thighs about level.
• Seat depth: leave a gap of two or three fingers between the edge of the seat and the back of your knees.
• Lumbar support: it should sit in the curve of your lower back, not push you forward.
• Armrests: low enough that your shoulders stay relaxed, not hunched up towards your ears.

If your feet do not reach the floor comfortably, a footrest is a small fix that makes a big difference.

Now set the desk height

With an electric desk this takes seconds, and most let you save presets.

• Sitting: lower the desk until your elbows sit at about a right angle with forearms resting lightly on the surface.
• Standing: same rule. Elbows bent, wrists straight, shoulders loose.

Save both heights as presets. If switching takes one tap, you will actually do it.

Screen position

• The top of the screen should sit at or slightly below eye level.
• Keep it about an arm's length away.
• Put your main screen directly in front of you, not off to one side.
• Laptop users: raise the laptop on a stand and use a separate keyboard and mouse, or connect an external monitor.

Keyboard and mouse

Keep them close so you are not reaching. Your wrists should float in a neutral line, not bend upwards. A compact keyboard leaves more room for the mouse right where your hand rests.

Sit, stand, move

A standing desk is not about standing all day. The real benefit is changing position. A simple rhythm many people like:

1. Sit for a focused block of work.
2. Stand for calls, stand-ups and reading.
3. Take a short walk or stretch break every hour or so.

Listen to your body. If standing feels tiring, build up slowly and consider a cushioned mat.

Tame the cables

An electric desk moves, so your cables need slack. Bundle them with ties or a cable tray under the desk, and leave enough length for the full height range. A single USB-C hub or dock keeps the surface clear and makes plugging in your laptop one quick step.

Light and air

Place your desk so window light comes from the side rather than behind the screen, which cuts glare. In the evening, a warm desk lamp is kinder on the eyes than one bright overhead bulb.

When to get advice

This is general guidance for comfort, not medical advice. If you have ongoing back, neck, wrist or shoulder pain, numbness or headaches, please see a doctor or physiotherapist, who can look at your situation properly.

Your workspace, sorted

Come and try desks and chairs at our Westlands store and ask us how they suit your height and your setup. Or browse our desks and chairs and grab the chargers and cables that keep it all tidy.