4 ms·

I just bought a sit/stand desk, and an ergonomic chair. That's $2k+ I've paid directly for equipment that was previously provided. In addition, our utility bi

I just bought a sit/stand desk, and an ergonomic chair. That's $2k+ I've paid directly for equipment that was previously provided. In addition, our utility bills have risen about 50% as now we're at home for 8 hours more per day. Extra heat (and soon A/C), water, electricity, etc. Also, my "play" room is now my work room. How much extra should I be paid for my work environment to be permanently visible at all times? It's starting to affect my psyche. Luckily I had a play room to begin with, so my bedroom didn't have to become my work room too. I would have even more trouble sleeping in that case.

Antecedent 6y ago
> How much extra should I be paid for my work environment to be permanently visible at all times? It's starting to affect my psyche. This is why people think millennials are wusses.
- ClumsyPilot 6y ago
  Ah yes, brought to you by the same people who think climate change is a joke and millenials should take it on the chin. But force them to wear a mask or mandate recycling and the rightwing snowflakes have a meltdown. We get articles like 'recycling is slavery', 'social distancing is communist' and 'Churchill wouldnt wear a mask'. To him Nazi gas was some weak shit.
psychometry 6y ago
Ok, but you could've spent less than $500 easily on a perfectly fine desk and chair. Lots of first world problems here.
- rabidrat 6y ago
  I'm 45 and have been working in the evenings at this "perfectly fine" desk and chair for 20 years now. However, it turns out that 12 hours a day this "perfectly fine" setup is already aggravating previously-identified ergonomics issues, which have previously been dealt with by standard office ergonomics setups. In fact that Aeron chair and sit/stand desk at the office was pitched to me as part of the total compensation package. I would not have been able to work there if they gave me a "perfectly fine" door to use as a desk with a $50 task chair. So yes, I think my employer should reimburse my office setup at home.
- raydev 6y ago
  Every problem is a first world problem.
Antecedent 6y ago
> How much extra should I be paid for my work environment to be permanently visible at all times? It's starting to affect my psyche. You seriously want compensation for needing to see your desk?
Florin_Andrei 6y ago
> I just bought a sit/stand desk, and an ergonomic chair. That's $2k+ I've paid directly for equipment that was previously provided. I put an old IKEA table (nearly two decades old) on top of a regular table and that's pretty much the ideal height for me.
- rabidrat 6y ago
  How tall are you? Do the monitor and the keyboard sit on the same surface? Do you disassemble your setup and take the top table off and reassaemble it when you want to sit at the table?
  - jtaillon 6y ago
    Not OP, but I built this, and have been pretty happy with it for the cost: https://alphacolin.com/ikea-standing-desk-for-22-dollars/ https://alphacolin.com/ikea-standing-desk-for-22-dollars/
  - Florin_Andrei 6y ago
    1.82 m tall (about 6 feet in freedom units) I use a MacBook Pro for work, and an Asus Predator laptop for personal stuff. They sit on the IKEA coffee table, which sits on a regular kitchen-style table. The height is perfect for my hands; the forearms are nearly horizontal when typing. The laptop screen is a bit low; if I had an extra screen, I would put that on top of a box on the IKEA table, but it's okay as it is. Everything I need for work stays on the IKEA table all the time. I just swap laptops once a day. There's a wall right behind me, which I can use as a back rest. Sometimes I put a knee and lower leg on the lower table, to give that leg some rest - it just happened to be the perfect height for that. I can walk back and forth through the room when I'm in deep thought. I have to say - I was surprised how comfortable the setup is. I am not tired at all from a physical standpoint at the end of the day. I actually prefer it now to the regular sitting posture. When I'm done, I just move the IKEA table to its regular place. From a psychological standpoint, this is a nice benefit - it marks in an obvious way the moment when the work day is over.
puranjay 6y ago
> It's starting to affect my psyche As someone who has worked from home for years, more people and companies need to pay attention to this. It's very, very easy to stay glued to the computer all day, not get any movement, and get cabin fever, especially if you don't live with family. It took me years of discipline before I could build the habits to make long-term work from home feasible. So many others I know - including in my family - struggle to separate work and personal lives when working from home. I predict all these companies are going to find that their workers productivity and morale are crashing in six months. Fixing remote worker loneliness and cabin fever is going to be one of the biggest - and most important - problems in the next few years.
- rabidrat 6y ago
  What kinds of habits or practices have you found that help with this?
  - puranjay 6y ago
    1. Keep hard schedules. Work stops at 6pm no matter what (outside of emergencies). This sounds easy but it's tough to stick to. 2. Get some sunlight everyday. Even if its for 5 minutes. 3. Physically separate the work area from everything else. This might not be possible for everyone, but I have my office at the far end of the house. I use it only for work, nothing else. I even have a separate room with another computer for all personal work/games. Walking from the living area to the office creates a sort of "commute" which mentally switches you on/off for work.

Antecedent 6y ago

> How much extra should I be paid for my work environment to be permanently visible at all times? It's starting to affect my psyche. This is why people think millennials are wusses.

ClumsyPilot 6y ago
Ah yes, brought to you by the same people who think climate change is a joke and millenials should take it on the chin. But force them to wear a mask or mandate recycling and the rightwing snowflakes have a meltdown. We get articles like 'recycling is slavery', 'social distancing is communist' and 'Churchill wouldnt wear a mask'. To him Nazi gas was some weak shit.

psychometry 6y ago

Ok, but you could've spent less than $500 easily on a perfectly fine desk and chair. Lots of first world problems here.

rabidrat 6y ago
I'm 45 and have been working in the evenings at this "perfectly fine" desk and chair for 20 years now. However, it turns out that 12 hours a day this "perfectly fine" setup is already aggravating previously-identified ergonomics issues, which have previously been dealt with by standard office ergonomics setups. In fact that Aeron chair and sit/stand desk at the office was pitched to me as part of the total compensation package. I would not have been able to work there if they gave me a "perfectly fine" door to use as a desk with a $50 task chair. So yes, I think my employer should reimburse my office setup at home.
raydev 6y ago
Every problem is a first world problem.

Antecedent 6y ago

> How much extra should I be paid for my work environment to be permanently visible at all times? It's starting to affect my psyche. You seriously want compensation for needing to see your desk?

Florin_Andrei 6y ago

> I just bought a sit/stand desk, and an ergonomic chair. That's $2k+ I've paid directly for equipment that was previously provided. I put an old IKEA table (nearly two decades old) on top of a regular table and that's pretty much the ideal height for me.

rabidrat 6y ago
How tall are you? Do the monitor and the keyboard sit on the same surface? Do you disassemble your setup and take the top table off and reassaemble it when you want to sit at the table?
- jtaillon 6y ago
  Not OP, but I built this, and have been pretty happy with it for the cost: https://alphacolin.com/ikea-standing-desk-for-22-dollars/ https://alphacolin.com/ikea-standing-desk-for-22-dollars/
- Florin_Andrei 6y ago
  1.82 m tall (about 6 feet in freedom units) I use a MacBook Pro for work, and an Asus Predator laptop for personal stuff. They sit on the IKEA coffee table, which sits on a regular kitchen-style table. The height is perfect for my hands; the forearms are nearly horizontal when typing. The laptop screen is a bit low; if I had an extra screen, I would put that on top of a box on the IKEA table, but it's okay as it is. Everything I need for work stays on the IKEA table all the time. I just swap laptops once a day. There's a wall right behind me, which I can use as a back rest. Sometimes I put a knee and lower leg on the lower table, to give that leg some rest - it just happened to be the perfect height for that. I can walk back and forth through the room when I'm in deep thought. I have to say - I was surprised how comfortable the setup is. I am not tired at all from a physical standpoint at the end of the day. I actually prefer it now to the regular sitting posture. When I'm done, I just move the IKEA table to its regular place. From a psychological standpoint, this is a nice benefit - it marks in an obvious way the moment when the work day is over.

puranjay 6y ago

> It's starting to affect my psyche As someone who has worked from home for years, more people and companies need to pay attention to this. It's very, very easy to stay glued to the computer all day, not get any movement, and get cabin fever, especially if you don't live with family. It took me years of discipline before I could build the habits to make long-term work from home feasible. So many others I know - including in my family - struggle to separate work and personal lives when working from home. I predict all these companies are going to find that their workers productivity and morale are crashing in six months. Fixing remote worker loneliness and cabin fever is going to be one of the biggest - and most important - problems in the next few years.

rabidrat 6y ago
What kinds of habits or practices have you found that help with this?
- puranjay 6y ago
  1. Keep hard schedules. Work stops at 6pm no matter what (outside of emergencies). This sounds easy but it's tough to stick to. 2. Get some sunlight everyday. Even if its for 5 minutes. 3. Physically separate the work area from everything else. This might not be possible for everyone, but I have my office at the far end of the house. I use it only for work, nothing else. I even have a separate room with another computer for all personal work/games. Walking from the living area to the office creates a sort of "commute" which mentally switches you on/off for work.