As an author, I have been using my home office as a permanent workplace for many years. What initially started with a temporarily installed table top on cardboard developed over time into a tidy office area where all the necessary work tools and aids are well thought out, which was (and still is) a long learning and experience process. In this article, I would like to share my experiences with you so that newcomers can quickly bring their home computer workstation from a temporary to a professional level. Certain investments are unavoidable, but they are well invested in the long term.
The beginning: around the table
A small point of experience in advance: Don’t be too stingy! Work ergonomics are important for health and general well-being. This is the only way the work can be done well over the long term. Mechanically good and durable (sustainable) products cost money.
A decent desk with a not too small area, high load capacity and really wobble-free stand, plus one or two containers form the basic structure. Of course, as always, the upper limits of quality are open and it can also be a sit/stand table with manual or electrical adjustment, but they quickly cost money. If it fits in the space, don’t choose the table too narrow. It is best to factor in storage space on the left and right, as well as space for desktop speakers. For this reason, the depth of the table top should not be less than 80 cm. Plus a small wall clearance for cables routed to the rear.
The space under the table should also be used sensibly. The aforementioned desk container accommodates small items. From pens to hard drives, adapters to cleaning products. – There must be order and cleanliness. If necessary, the height of the container can be chosen so that a printer fits on it – or under the table top. So he doesn’t have to waste valuable space on the desktop.
A useful extra is a shelf underneath the table top for external hard drives or power packs. See also this article where I present an example. At this point, too, there are of course no limits to creativity and your own manual skills. Such a construction is worthwhile in any case.
Plenty of space on the table also creates a Monitor swing arm. Since testing in Rewind 374 (PDF), i.e. for a good ten years now, I have been using a model from Humanscale that has held various Apple displays and the iMac Pro in the desired height and position without complaint.
No annoying screen base, that creates space, for example for well-kept desktop hi-fi equipment, or whatever else you feel like. And with a flick of the wrist, the screen swung out of the way. The Humanscale swing arms are available in a variety of designs. Here one Example on Amazon.
In my room I have a window with a window sill behind the desk. I attached the monitor swivel arm to the window sill instead of the table. This creates a little more free space on the table and ensures decoupling. An accidental bump against the table will not shake the monitor. If you don’t have this option with a stable windowsill, you might want to consider a small wall shelf behind/above the desk. More storage space never hurts.