Your desk was not built for your body: 8 free fixes for the four o'clock ache (2026)

The desk is four heights stacked on each other: the floor under your feet, the seat, the worktop and the top of the screen. Set them in that order, and most of the ache at the end of a screen day goes with them. 1

Everything below is free. A stack of books, a rolled towel and the height lever under your chair do most of the work. 1 2

One rule sits above all eight: change position often. Physical therapists have argued that there is no single correct posture, and that the damage comes from holding any one position for hours. 3 4

1. Start at the floor and set the seat from it

Steps

Clear everything from under the desk so your legs and feet can move. 1
Sit down and plant both feet flat on the floor. 1
Raise or lower the seat until your knees are level with your hips, or a little below. 4 5
If the desk is now too high, keep the seat where it is and put a footrest under your feet. A small stool or a stack of sturdy books will do. 1
Leave one to two inches between the back of your knee and the front edge of the seat. 5
Check that the desk edge is not pressing into your thighs. 1 6

Why it works: The floor sets the height of everything above it. Feet that dangle pull the thighs down, round the lower back and press the seat edge into the legs. 1 6

Avoid this mistake: Raising the chair to reach a high desk and leaving the feet in the air. 1 The other version is storing boxes under the desk, which takes away the legroom that lets you sit back. 1

2. Sit back, and let the chair carry your back

Steps

Push your bottom as far back into the seat as it goes. 2
Lean back until your whole back meets the backrest, and let the chair take your weight. 5
Roll a towel and put it in the small of your back, or raise the chair's lumbar support to that spot. 2 4
Keep the lower back in a gentle curve and let your shoulders hang relaxed. 5 7
Re-check the setting if someone else has used the chair, because seat height sinks over time. 5

Why it works: A backrest in contact carries the weight of your upper body. A gap at the lower back leaves the muscles there holding it all day. 4 5

Avoid this mistake: Overdoing it. Pulling the shoulders back and arching the lower back is a strain of its own. 7 A towel roll that is too thick pushes you forward off the backrest. 2

3. Bring the keyboard to your elbows, not your shoulders

Steps

Sit close to the desk. 5
Put the keyboard directly in front of you, and centre the part you type on most on your body. 8
Set the height so your elbows bend between 90 and 120 degrees and stay close to your ribs. 4
Keep your wrists straight and your hands at or slightly below elbow height. 1
Put the mouse on the same surface, right beside the keyboard. 1 6
Line the G key up with your belly button. 2

Why it works: A keyboard that sits high lifts the shoulders; one that sits low bends the wrists. 6 The elbow angle is the check you can see without a mirror. 2 4

Avoid this mistake: Pushing the keyboard to the back of a deep desk to make room for papers. That puts everything at arm's length and lets the shoulders do the holding. 1 6

4. Set the screen by its top edge, then measure the distance

Steps

Put the screen square in front of you, directly behind the keyboard. 1
Sit back and stretch one arm out: your fingertips should reach the screen, about 20 to 40 inches (50 to 100 cm). 1
Set the top edge of the screen at or slightly below eye level. 1 8
Check the centre of the screen sits 15 to 20 degrees below eye level, roughly 4 or 5 inches lower. 9
Lower it another 1 to 2 inches if you wear varifocals or bifocals. 1
Look straight ahead and keep your head level, facing the screen. 4

Why it works: A screen that sits low drops the chin; one that sits high tips the head back. 6 Either way, the neck holds the weight of the head at an angle for hours. 4 6

Avoid this mistake: The top edge is the ceiling. A monitor pushed above eye level makes you tilt your head back, which tires the neck and shoulder muscles. 6

5. Raise the laptop, then move your hands off it

Steps

Put the laptop on a stack of books, a box or a stand until the top of the screen is at eye level. 1 10
Plug in a separate keyboard and mouse, even a spare set from a drawer, and put them at elbow height. 1 10
Leave the laptop's own keyboard and trackpad out of the typing position. 1
Re-measure the screen distance after raising it. 1
On a desktop, split the same way: monitor up, keyboard low. 1

Hands typing on a laptop set directly on a desk — *A laptop puts the screen top near the keyboard: raising it to eye level is only half the fix, and the keyboard has to come down to the desk separately. Photo: Pixabay*

Why it works: A laptop ties the screen and the keyboard into one slab. You can put the screen at eye level or the keyboard at your elbows, and never both at once. 1

Avoid this mistake: Raising the laptop and typing on it anyway. The neck improves and the wrists bend up to reach the keys. 1 6

6. Take the window out of the fight

Steps

Switch the screen off and look at the glass: a window, a lamp or a bright wall reflected in it is glare. 9
Move the screen so the window sits to your side, not in front of it or directly behind it. 9
Tilt the top of the screen back 10 to 20 degrees, away from overhead light. 9
Close the blinds or drapes during the hours the sun crosses the glass. 9
Clean the screen; dust and fingerprints scatter light. 9
Adjust the brightness until the screen sits close to the brightness of the wall around it. 9

Why it works: Glare cuts the contrast between letters and background, so the eye works harder to read the same words. 9 You also lean in and forward to escape the reflection. 9

Avoid this mistake: Turning the screen away from the window and stopping there. At some hours the bright glass still lands in the screen, which is what the blinds are for. 9

7. Give your eyes a distance to look at

Steps

Every 20 minutes, spend 20 seconds looking at something about 20 feet away. 9
After two hours of continuous screen work, take 15 minutes away from the screen. 9
Blink deliberately while you read, because screen work slows the blink. 9
Put papers between the keyboard and the monitor, or on a holder beside it, so your head stays still. 9
Book an eye test if the blur lasts after you stop looking at the screen. 9

Why it works: Close work keeps the eye's focusing muscle contracted, and a view into the distance lets it release. 9 Blinking rewets the surface that staring dries out. 9

Avoid this mistake: Treating the 20-20-20 rule as a fix for a prescription that is wrong for screen distance. 9 If you lean in or squint to read, that is the sign to get your eyes checked. 9

8. Change position before it aches

Steps

Set a reminder for every 20 to 30 minutes: hands off the keyboard, stand up, walk. 5 11
Every hour, take five minutes away from the screen and move. 6
Do some tasks standing: phone calls, reading, thinking. 4
Put the bin, the water or the printer out of reach so you have to get up. 1
Use the chair's adjustments through the day: upright, then with the seat tilted forward, then reclined 105 to 120 degrees. 4
When you have been sitting a long time, open your chest for 20 seconds. 11

Why it works: The strain comes from duration in one position, whatever that position is. 3 4 Changing position moves the load between muscle groups and lets the others recover. 4 6

Avoid this mistake: Standing all day as a replacement for sitting all day. That is one more static posture, so alternate between the two. 4 12 Chasing a perfect posture is the other trap, because posture varies from person to person and over-arching is a common overcorrection. 3 7

Tonight, do the two that cost nothing: push your bottom back into the chair, roll a towel behind your lower back, and set the seat so your feet are flat. 1 2

Tomorrow, measure one arm's length to the screen and put the books under the laptop. 1

The order carries the rest: floor, seat, back, keyboard, screen, light, eyes, then the reminder that gets you out of the chair. 4

If a change makes something hurt more, put it back. The test is how you feel at the end of a day, not how the diagram looks. 10

References

1
Office ergonomics: Your how-to guide
mayoclinic.org
2
The Ideal Sitting Posture and Workspace Setup for Healthy Desk Workers
lifehacker.com
3
You Don't Actually Have to Sit Up Straight
lifehacker.com
4
Computer Workstations: Good Working Positions
osha.gov
5
Desk health ergonomics
chelwest.nhs.uk
6
Computer Workstations: Additional Information
osha.gov
7
Expert alert: What is a healthy posture and how to maintain it
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org
8
The Home Office Mistake We Keep Seeing Over and Over Again
apartmenttherapy.com
9
Computer vision syndrome
aoa.org
10
How to Ergonomically Optimize Your Desk to Avoid Aches and Pains
lifehacker.com
11
Sitting down stretches
goodhousekeeping.com
12
Instead of Finding the Perfect Work Setup, Try Moving Around
lifehacker.com

Everything below is free. A stack of books, a rolled towel and the height lever under your chair do most of the work. 1 2

One rule sits above all eight: change position often. Physical therapists have argued that there is no single correct posture, and that the damage comes from holding any one position for hours. 3 4

1. Start at the floor and set the seat from it

Steps

Clear everything from under the desk so your legs and feet can move. 1
Sit down and plant both feet flat on the floor. 1
Raise or lower the seat until your knees are level with your hips, or a little below. 4 5
If the desk is now too high, keep the seat where it is and put a footrest under your feet. A small stool or a stack of sturdy books will do. 1
Leave one to two inches between the back of your knee and the front edge of the seat. 5
Check that the desk edge is not pressing into your thighs. 1 6

Why it works: The floor sets the height of everything above it. Feet that dangle pull the thighs down, round the lower back and press the seat edge into the legs. 1 6

2. Sit back, and let the chair carry your back

Steps

Push your bottom as far back into the seat as it goes. 2
Lean back until your whole back meets the backrest, and let the chair take your weight. 5
Roll a towel and put it in the small of your back, or raise the chair's lumbar support to that spot. 2 4
Keep the lower back in a gentle curve and let your shoulders hang relaxed. 5 7
Re-check the setting if someone else has used the chair, because seat height sinks over time. 5

Why it works: A backrest in contact carries the weight of your upper body. A gap at the lower back leaves the muscles there holding it all day. 4 5

Avoid this mistake: Overdoing it. Pulling the shoulders back and arching the lower back is a strain of its own. 7 A towel roll that is too thick pushes you forward off the backrest. 2

3. Bring the keyboard to your elbows, not your shoulders

Steps

Sit close to the desk. 5
Put the keyboard directly in front of you, and centre the part you type on most on your body. 8
Set the height so your elbows bend between 90 and 120 degrees and stay close to your ribs. 4
Keep your wrists straight and your hands at or slightly below elbow height. 1
Put the mouse on the same surface, right beside the keyboard. 1 6
Line the G key up with your belly button. 2

Why it works: A keyboard that sits high lifts the shoulders; one that sits low bends the wrists. 6 The elbow angle is the check you can see without a mirror. 2 4

Avoid this mistake: Pushing the keyboard to the back of a deep desk to make room for papers. That puts everything at arm's length and lets the shoulders do the holding. 1 6

4. Set the screen by its top edge, then measure the distance

Steps

Put the screen square in front of you, directly behind the keyboard. 1
Sit back and stretch one arm out: your fingertips should reach the screen, about 20 to 40 inches (50 to 100 cm). 1
Set the top edge of the screen at or slightly below eye level. 1 8
Check the centre of the screen sits 15 to 20 degrees below eye level, roughly 4 or 5 inches lower. 9
Lower it another 1 to 2 inches if you wear varifocals or bifocals. 1
Look straight ahead and keep your head level, facing the screen. 4

Why it works: A screen that sits low drops the chin; one that sits high tips the head back. 6 Either way, the neck holds the weight of the head at an angle for hours. 4 6

Avoid this mistake: The top edge is the ceiling. A monitor pushed above eye level makes you tilt your head back, which tires the neck and shoulder muscles. 6

5. Raise the laptop, then move your hands off it

Steps

Put the laptop on a stack of books, a box or a stand until the top of the screen is at eye level. 1 10
Plug in a separate keyboard and mouse, even a spare set from a drawer, and put them at elbow height. 1 10
Leave the laptop's own keyboard and trackpad out of the typing position. 1
Re-measure the screen distance after raising it. 1
On a desktop, split the same way: monitor up, keyboard low. 1

Why it works: A laptop ties the screen and the keyboard into one slab. You can put the screen at eye level or the keyboard at your elbows, and never both at once. 1

Avoid this mistake: Raising the laptop and typing on it anyway. The neck improves and the wrists bend up to reach the keys. 1 6

6. Take the window out of the fight

Steps

Switch the screen off and look at the glass: a window, a lamp or a bright wall reflected in it is glare. 9
Move the screen so the window sits to your side, not in front of it or directly behind it. 9
Tilt the top of the screen back 10 to 20 degrees, away from overhead light. 9
Close the blinds or drapes during the hours the sun crosses the glass. 9
Clean the screen; dust and fingerprints scatter light. 9
Adjust the brightness until the screen sits close to the brightness of the wall around it. 9

Why it works: Glare cuts the contrast between letters and background, so the eye works harder to read the same words. 9 You also lean in and forward to escape the reflection. 9

Avoid this mistake: Turning the screen away from the window and stopping there. At some hours the bright glass still lands in the screen, which is what the blinds are for. 9

7. Give your eyes a distance to look at

Steps

Every 20 minutes, spend 20 seconds looking at something about 20 feet away. 9
After two hours of continuous screen work, take 15 minutes away from the screen. 9
Blink deliberately while you read, because screen work slows the blink. 9
Put papers between the keyboard and the monitor, or on a holder beside it, so your head stays still. 9
Book an eye test if the blur lasts after you stop looking at the screen. 9

Why it works: Close work keeps the eye's focusing muscle contracted, and a view into the distance lets it release. 9 Blinking rewets the surface that staring dries out. 9

Avoid this mistake: Treating the 20-20-20 rule as a fix for a prescription that is wrong for screen distance. 9 If you lean in or squint to read, that is the sign to get your eyes checked. 9

8. Change position before it aches

Steps

Set a reminder for every 20 to 30 minutes: hands off the keyboard, stand up, walk. 5 11
Every hour, take five minutes away from the screen and move. 6
Do some tasks standing: phone calls, reading, thinking. 4
Put the bin, the water or the printer out of reach so you have to get up. 1
Use the chair's adjustments through the day: upright, then with the seat tilted forward, then reclined 105 to 120 degrees. 4
When you have been sitting a long time, open your chest for 20 seconds. 11

Why it works: The strain comes from duration in one position, whatever that position is. 3 4 Changing position moves the load between muscle groups and lets the others recover. 4 6

Tonight, do the two that cost nothing: push your bottom back into the chair, roll a towel behind your lower back, and set the seat so your feet are flat. 1 2

Tomorrow, measure one arm's length to the screen and put the books under the laptop. 1

The order carries the rest: floor, seat, back, keyboard, screen, light, eyes, then the reminder that gets you out of the chair. 4

If a change makes something hurt more, put it back. The test is how you feel at the end of a day, not how the diagram looks. 10

References

1
Office ergonomics: Your how-to guide
mayoclinic.org
2
The Ideal Sitting Posture and Workspace Setup for Healthy Desk Workers
lifehacker.com
3
You Don't Actually Have to Sit Up Straight
lifehacker.com
4
Computer Workstations: Good Working Positions
osha.gov
5
Desk health ergonomics
chelwest.nhs.uk
6
Computer Workstations: Additional Information
osha.gov
7
Expert alert: What is a healthy posture and how to maintain it
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org
8
The Home Office Mistake We Keep Seeing Over and Over Again
apartmenttherapy.com
9
Computer vision syndrome
aoa.org
10
How to Ergonomically Optimize Your Desk to Avoid Aches and Pains
lifehacker.com
11
Sitting down stretches
goodhousekeeping.com
12
Instead of Finding the Perfect Work Setup, Try Moving Around
lifehacker.com

Your desk was not built for your body: 8 free fixes for the four o'clock ache

1. Start at the floor and set the seat from it

2. Sit back, and let the chair carry your back

3. Bring the keyboard to your elbows, not your shoulders

4. Set the screen by its top edge, then measure the distance

5. Raise the laptop, then move your hands off it

6. Take the window out of the fight

7. Give your eyes a distance to look at

8. Change position before it aches

References

Related content

Your desk was not built for your body: 8 free fixes for the four o'clock ache

1. Start at the floor and set the seat from it

2. Sit back, and let the chair carry your back

3. Bring the keyboard to your elbows, not your shoulders

4. Set the screen by its top edge, then measure the distance

5. Raise the laptop, then move your hands off it

6. Take the window out of the fight

7. Give your eyes a distance to look at

8. Change position before it aches

References

Related content