7 Ergonomic Do's and Don'ts When Studying At Home

As studying and working from home slowly and steadily become a part of the world’s norm, you may have noticed that most, if not all of your home’s furniture, is less than suitable for remote needs. 

In addition to going ergonomic (see # III. below 👀), here are a few do’s and don’ts, or what we like to call “Yups” and “Nopes”, you and your kids can observe to make school and office work-at-home a total balance between zen-ish/dynamic! ⭐

I.

Nope: Late Nights and No-Prep Mornings

Early bird + worm-catching. That idiom? There’s truth to it, especially when speaking of honing your child’s study habits. Sleeping late can amount to insufficient sleep. Or even if kids do sleep for at least 8 hours, late nights will still go against the body’s natural circadian rhythm or “body clock”, which then brings about that initial grogginess upon waking up, physically and mentally. Not a good way to kickoff the home-school day. 

Yup: Alarm. Set. Go! 

Set the alarm to go off at least 30 minutes before your child’s first online class of the day and/or self-study hour. Encourage him or her to shake those silly flocks of sheep off via some stretching and a quick splash of water to the face or a shower. To add to that, breakfast is to be taken before, not during, their online classes. 

II.

Nope: Slouching or Hunching Over

It’s super easy to bail proper posture when you’re trying to get closer to what you’re reading, whether that’s a laptop screen, a book, an activity sheet, etc. The same is true with your little one. Not to mention how slouching is bad for the spine. Hence, train your child to maintain proper posture by sitting up straight and keeping his or her shoulders back. Roll up a small towel to insert in between the back’s natural curve and the back seat for ultimate support. 

Yup: Sit at the Right Height

Adjust study tables to your child’s sitting height. His or her arms should be able to rest on the desktop at a comfortable 90-degree angle. Once seated, feet are to lay flat on the floor and not dangle, and the knees must also be level with the hips. Not higher or lower. 

Remember, proper posture won’t merely prevent pain and fatigue in the body’s muscles. It may enhance mood, behavior, and concentration. too!

III.

Nope: The Study “Couch”

Another “Nope” that has crept its way into remote learning (and working) environments is using just any piece of furniture to sit on during study time. And more often than not, the couch, sofa, or lounge chairs are tagged as favorites. 

Yet these too-comfy-for-study fittings may lead to lethargy, to the point of reducing children’s efficiency when studying. The answer? Designated study furniture (more benefits of designated study furniture and study corners HERE insert link)

Yup: Ergonomic Furniture FTW

Designated study furniture will have to be ergonomic kid’s office chairs and desks (and SingBee is at the helm of it all, climbing to the top of everybody’s lists of ergonomic furniture for kids 😍)! Aside from full-on adjustability (a “Yup” stated in # II.), these types of “Smart” furniture are specifically designed to have frames that offer the utmost comfort and support for prolonged sitting. 

IV. 

Nope: Laser Vision 

Quite different from the phrase “laser focus”. The phrase “laser vision” here is the tendency to focus our eyes on one area alone, for extended periods. This could be great news, in that your little tyke may be exhibiting an increased ability for concentration. Yay!🎉 On the other hand, continuing with such an inflexible motion will eventually strain the eyes.

Yup: 20-20-20-It Up

This rule is meant to lessen eye strain when sitting in front of a screen or a book for hours. Every 20 seconds or so, remind your kids to turn their eyes away from what they’re currently reading. A few seconds will do. Look up at the ceiling, or to the right and to the left, and then back at the reading material. If every-20-seconds is too frequent (that it might ruin their reading momentum), double it to every 40 seconds. 

V.

Nope: “Gummy Bear” Schedules

Working or studying from home has been equated to “having or following one’s own time”. Rightly so. We’re talking about hours outside of specific online class hours. It’s a benefit, at the outset. Studying whenever your kid wants to since he or she is at home 24 hours a day anyway. 

However, not creating a fixed schedule for each day’s “main” activities may produce lower productivity and a greater propensity for procrastination (“I’ll just continue with this task tomorrow” kind of sitch 😬). Sooooo…

Yup: Fixed Study Schedules

Your children can still reap the benefits of having “one’s own study time” sans winging it. Assist them with plotting study and homework schedules around their actual fixed online classes. But in accordance with what’s suitable for them. Ask them when what time in the day they’re most comfortable doing homework in, chores, exercise, etc. Arrange it so that it’s a timetable for every day or every other day. It’ll indirectly teach them to stay organized, alert, and productive. 

VI.

Nope: Snacks on the Study Table

Surveys show that going remote with school (and with work, for us adults) is related to a drastic increase in overweight households. And constantly leaving munchies on children’s desk sets just to keep them seated while accomplishing schoolwork isn’t doing them any good either. Not to mention how apart from weight gain, snacking while studying can be distracting as well. 

Yup: There is Such a Thing as “Healthy Snacking”

We’re not saying that snacking should be scrapped altogether. However, we are suggesting that it be done after completing schoolwork hours at home, and preferably not in the study corner. Another tip: encourage them to partake in healthier eats. More fruits and veggies, please! 🥗🥕🍉🍇🥝🍍 “Brain food” such as green leafy vegetables, fruits, and nuts improve brain health and increase cognitive functions. 

In fact, why not bond over healthy food preparations with the fam by making snacks extra creative, fun, and tasty, even without the junk? 

VII.

Nope: Study ONLY. Nothing Else

This is a triple, quadruple N-O-P-E. The notion that weekdays are solely dedicated for study and that weekends are for play? Not exactly the best for getting kids to love schoolwork. 🤭 A short and fun-to-do in the middle of busy days is a great method for getting them to relax and not feel pressured about schoolwork. Let them know that there’s always room for their hobbies, too. ❤️

Yup: Get Creative with Activities! 

Aside from their personal hobbies, get your kids involved in the fam’s indoor activities! Games, movie afternoons or nights, cook-in challenges, this could go on and on. As it should! Yes, being on-point with study schedules and practices at home is gold. Family fun time? The juicy and gargantuan cherry on top of the cake. 🤗🍒🎂

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